V8 conversion Q - Alternator / Upper Rad Hose interference?

[Corellian Corvette]

Hey everyone!

Got the 327 installed in the car and am trying to get everything together to start it. I'm using the Don Hardy mounts.

Based on guidance I've read, I have the Corvette short water pump and drivers-side alternator setup, with the universal Griffin Radiator that I've seen recommended.

I'm using the 65-67 Impala lower radiator hose which works great.

But the upper hose outlet is RIGHT in front of the alternator, and I'm not sure what possible hose will fit this location. Any tips, or am I doing something wrong?

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[cjbiagi]

V8 Monza's had the alternator on the passenger side, normally the power steering pump would be where you have the alternator and would result in a similar interference issue. Trying to save a few bucks using a universal radiator just isn't worth it in my opinion. Griffin makes a wonderful drop in unit with the curved upper inlet to clear the accessories.

[spencerforhire]

It would be a bit cheaper to just move the alternator to the pass. side than buy a new rad.

[BadBowtie]

I had my rad shop put a 90 deg end on it.

[Smiley]

1. Use a swivel thermostat housing with a flex hose that has a 90 degree bend on one end, use the curved end at the radiator and the swivel housing to adjust the radius around the alt belt. they make 2 or 3 lengths of that hose get several to try out.
2. electric fans help give you a little more room to route the hose.
3. move the alternator to the passenger side and use the radiator you have
4. You can also use a dual pass radiator (has both inlet and out on pass side) with a swivel housing and a straight flex hose.
The only true bolt in for a Vega is the Bob Gumm version with the mounting tabs to bolt it to the stock Vega core support, Vega's don't have the lower tray to hold the radiator. But they are $500 to $600

[Corellian Corvette]

All good suggestions. I'll have to think on it.

Re-routing all the alternator wiring doesn't seem very pleasant, but that would be the cheapest.

I like the other Griffin radiator not only for the outlet but it's also 1in thinner than this, and clearance is at a premium for any sort of fan, electric or otherwise.

bought a similar 90deg hose, will have to play with that as well.

hm very tricky.

[Smiley]

With your current setup you may need to extend the straight end of your upper alternator bracket to let the alt swing out and down, until the belt just clears the steering box.

Here is a picture with a dual pass radiator and a swivel thermostat housing



Your wiring might reach a center mount alt



The Monza radiator was designed to go around the power steering pump with the alternator mounted above the water pump.

[Corellian Corvette]

Smiley you are a wealth of info!!

What application is that dual passenger radiator from? That would be an awesome solution to this problem, assuming the radiators are more affordable than the Griffin Monza version!

[Smiley]

I went to a manual trans so I skipped the in rad trans cooler, if you did order one in a dual pass it would be on the drivers side anyway.
Just get a separate trans cooler. Griffin part numbers end in a letter -X for example and if it is -XS it has a straight lower outlet tube.
you can download the Griffin catalog here: http://www.griffinrad.com/catalogs.php?tid=32


The 1" tubes VS the 1.25" only get you a 1/4" more fan clearance since they both use 3" tanks.
If you relocate the radiator forward into the grill cavity (which I am doing now)
use a T-stat housing with the filler cap on it.

The one I have is Griffin 1-58221-x $311 shipped, at Summit under Griffin circle track radiators http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-1-58221-x
It has 2 rows 1.25" tubes, 16" x 26", no trans cooler, drivers side filler, inlet and outlet both on passenger side.

The thinner 1" tube version is 1-28221-X $249 shipped http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-1-28221-x
For comparison the Monza units are $482 w/o cooler and $532 w/cooler.

Specs at Griffin http://www.griffinrad.com/load_details10.php?PartID=225&key_id=1-28221-X&year=All&make=Chevy,%20Dodge&model=Racer

$107 at Jegs

$79 Jegs they also have colors and plain finish cheaper.

[Corellian Corvette]

Thanks Smiley I located the 28221 through Griffin's site. Really, really appreciate your detail.

I'm really, really torn between the dual passenger side and the Monza one. At this point, price isn't a huge factor for me. They will both fit, I would need to buy another t-stat housing and replace that to switch vs. using what I have on the Monza one.

I'm somewhat leaning towards the Monza one just because it appears to be thinner than even the 28221 version.

I'm really not sure what I'm going to do about a fan at this point. I have about 1/4 space between the water pump and radiator that's in there now. I'm not sure how these people with conversions are seeing 2+ inches of space - must be using different mounts.

What do you suggest for a fan? I think my only option is a pusher from the front? Or is there a super-thin fan that I can squeeze in there?

If you had to choose between the dual-outlet version and the Monza version, with price not a consideration, what would you do? I'm not expecting my 327 to put out a ton of HP.

Thanks again!

[Smiley]

I have a 73 with a 327 with a short water pump and Don Hardy mounts.
The core on the Monza radiator is two 1" tubes so they say it is 2" thick but the tanks are 3" thick.
My fan(Flex-a-lite 1317) cleared the 2.5" core with the 3" tanks, not by much though.
The best way to put it together is to have the hood off and put the radiator in last, or with the hood on and rad in, put the fan and the pulley on the water pump while it is off of the engine then put the water pump on last.
A dual pass is so named because it flows through the core twice, this is slightly more efficient than a standard crossflow.
You should be ok with the 1" tubes for a 327, my car had AC and some day I want to hook it up so I got the 1.25" tubes.
a Flex-a-lite 1317 steel fan with no spacer has almost all of the blades towards the pulley, so much so they hang into the second groove.

That is the setup I had, I am currently relocating my radiator an inch or so forward since I had the engine out of the way.

[spencerforhire]

I just went back and took a closer look at the pics in your first post; you may still have a problem clearing the alternator and belt even if you swap the rad for Monza-style one with the angled up water inlet. Whatever application that alternator mount is from it looks to me to be even higher up than the OEM Monza power steering that the rad's angled inlet is designed to go around.
I guess from my point of view(I wire cars for a living) moving a few alternator wires is so simple I don't see the need to toss out a perfectly good rad. All the V8 H-bodies I've had all used the OEM passenger side alternator mount, even if they didn't have power steering.
The double pass rad with the inlet and outlet both on the right side might be a safer choice if you do choose to keep the old alternator mount.

[Monza Harry]

The "Double Pass" is claimed to cool the water (coolant) better than a single pass of the same size, This is from either B'Cool or Griffins site if I remember correctly, Could be one of the mag's sites as well, Hot Rod Popular... etc. B'Cool offers a "drop in" rad but I am confused as they say that there isn't room for a Tranny cooler because at a show they claimed that their core is wider and the overall is the same so that tells me not so much a drop in! But the B'Cool is not epoxied that makes for easier repair in my eyes, Griffin is epoxied so maybe it will not ever need to be repaired, (My luck says I won't be that Lucky!) IDK which is the better route to go. http://becool.com/coolsearch And fill in your own parameters, or from Summit http://www.summitracing.com/int/search/ ... toview=SKU for my car and in Griffin http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/g ... odel/monza Now note the pic' of the Griffin it has the correct photo of what you want, I get nervous when the pic' isn't right! I hope I helped make this as clear as "Stone" And as usual Smiley, Spence, and the boy's were right on the money$$$$ with their info! Just trying to add some "extra" depth, Harry P.S. the Griffin lists 1 3/4" & 1 1/2" inlet and outlet sizes, B'Cool lists 1 1/2" for both I am not sure but every Rad I have dealt with had staggered sizes! (And Bob is cheaper!)

[T-FATTY]

I moved my alt. to passenger side/battery to the back and used a 26 x 16 griffin rad with dual electric pusher fans.

[Corellian Corvette]

Ok guys. Thanks much. I'm going to go with the dual pass and swivel mount I have a ton of space on the passenger side that might as well go to some use.

Any recommendations for a swivel that won't leak? I don't have an o-ring intake, so can you just use a regular gasket?