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Well, like the title would suggest. I'm interested is seeing what you all did to mount you're 3 row radiators. there doesn't seem to be a damn thing out there to mount an aluminum 3 row rad in our vehicles out there. I've got the lower mounts figured, and started to fab some mock ups for the upper hold down. trial and error is running thin on me at this point. would very much so appreciate seeing or hearing what some of you all have done. Thanks in advance.
I made it all fit. Used polyurethane universal radiator mounts from jegs by setting 3/16" thick bar stock into the recesses on the rad support. Once your radiator is out you'll see what I'm talking about. The lower rubber isolators are contoured to fit it, the universals are flat. Other than that I built the rest using sheet metal. For the upper mounts I also reused the stock rubber isolators but trimmed them up to fit around the much wider rad. If it weren't for needing the fan shroud to replace the missing factory one I wouldn't have had to go through all the extra work. The stock plastic upper mount works if you trim the isolators.
Upper mounts were easy.
These 2 pictures are the plates I made to seal the radiator so air goes through instead of around. Those hoses go to the trans cooler in front of the radiator.
Last edited by SilverChicken; Jul 13, 2015 at 10:29 PM.
Don't know what kind of set up you're running but I was able to fit a 3-row radiator with stock pieces (fan shroud) on my '83. I believe it's a copper radiator though (it's all black, but it is metal).
Thanks for the pics and info guys. I already figured it out. Silverchicken, looks like we had the same idea as far as the universal mounts from jegs goes. I had to cut and refab some of the lower pan to make it all nice and tight. As far as the upper hold down. Did you know that one from a 2nd Gen will work? With a small bit of modification. Found a chrome one from So Cal speed shop. Sucks that it's chrome, but oh well. Guess I'll have one thing to match the valve covers lol.
Yeah dynodave, it's chrome. Picked it up for 25$.
T-top havoc, I'll post picks when I get the fans mounted. I've got a pusher and 2 pullers.my be a while tho. I've moved on the engine assembly.
Nasty 90rs what modifications did you have to do to mount that 2nd gen mount? I've wondering for a long if one of these would work!! Thank you haha!! I'm going with the kks motorsports 3 row aluminum rad. With their shroud and dual fans. I hope it's good quality like they claim...
I've got the same radiator and fan set up mickeyruder. I hope so too. The price was almost to good to be true. As far as the upper mount, I had to fill in some holes one the upper core support, redrill some new ones, and cut two relief notches in the radiator hold down so it would seat on the tanks and cinch up nice and firm. Also had to weld a bolt in the center. There's no way to hold it after the radiator is in. That's it. After a few weeks of messing with it, and it turned out to be that easy haha. Almost makes me mad lol.
Oh wow ok nice!! Did you get the 1400 cfm fans or the optional 1800 cfms? That's per fan. We'll at least you got her to fit good!! What kind of fan control are you going with? And how did you mount the bottom of the radiator and also the top to the 2nd gen mount? Sorry for all the questions but I'm going to be doing the same exact thing.
Mickeyruder, no worries about the questions man. I hope I can help. I started this completely blind. That's what brought me to this forum. I believe they are the 1400cfm fans. I got the radiator/fan package. No shroud. I'm planning on going with a toggle switch for the fan control. I'm keeping this car as simple as possible. For the bottom, I got some universal rubber isolators from jegs. What I did was where the stock isolators are I used that as a guide and cut the core support in front of those out so the radiator will fit all the way down. I cut the stock isolators I guess in half? So I could still use the part that the AC unit sits in. Cut the universal isolators so that they fit the rad ranks and butt into the ones that hold the AC unit, drilled a new hole for that little rubber nipple, made sure the rad fit snug, then made up and welded some front stops so they can't move forward on me and hold those isolators in place. The top boltspot down to the upper core support in the same manner the stock one does like I explained in my previous reply. My plan is to start with a fourth gen fan shroud and see if I can make that work with this setup. I've heard they work well with minor mods, but I haven't seen it done with the way I've started things. So we'll see. If not, I'll just make my own. I'm starting to have fun working with metal the more I learn. Hope this helps and I didn't ramble off and make it to confusing to read. If anyone has any other input I'd be stoked to here it. Cuz I'm not a professional mechanic or fabricator. Just going off of what makes sense to me and the research I've done.
Cut the lower rubber isolators down to the bare minimum. Should have just saved time and used tiny pieces of bicycle inner tube. Cut the rubber isolators on top and put it back in the stock way. I did require having a friend of mine screw the bolts into the top piece while I pulled it backwards and down (to get the bolt holes lined up)
