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What are you guys doing for the radiator core support to fit a larger radiator. Ive got a Jegs Radiator 26x19 PN 52007 if you could post pics that would be a plus. Iam new to the vega stuff so, I would be greatfull for any help thanks in advance.

Check out my saga in the Project Journals. http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php?t=1289

A last resort, but it works great! Ran at 180* today, and it was 110* outside. That was only for a couple miles though since it was just too plain hot for me to be driving it!

You beat me to it, Josh! I was about to post a link to your page! LOL.

Thanks for the help guys.Has anybody tried to put the radiator infront of the core support?

Yeah. I'm pretty sure Dave (VegaTex) did that when he was converting a Vega Wagon to LT1. I'll see if I can find a link to his site about it...

Here it is!

http://dave.h-body.org/Building%20the%2 ... H-body.htm

He does show putting the radiator in front...

I'm looking for the same solution for my 75 Vega. Since I will be running a mostly street solid cam 406 with Hedman longtube hedders, I'm concerned about keeping it cool in traffic. I'm willing to think outside the box to make it happen. The LT1 in the Vega wagon is what got me started thinking about a larger-than Monza radiator in front of the core support. I made a cardboard dummy a few weeks ago to check out the fit.

I recently removed my front bumper and brackets. Measuring inside of the frame rails is about 28 inches, and measuring outside the rails, the distance is about 32 inches.
I plan to replace the u-shaped bumper brackets (and associated heavy components) with homemade flat brackets that mount on the outside of the frame rails, which should allow me to mount a 31 inch wide universal radiator (for about $160-180 from Summit).

I'm also considering modifying the core support to mount the radiator at a slight angle (radiator leaning back towards the engine at the top) that would place the cap inside the engine compartment.
I probably won't make up my mind on whether to mount the 31 incher vertical or angled until I'm actually installing it, but i am convinced that it will fit. Also the core of Summit's 31 incher is almost as big as an entire V8 Monza radiator, so the additional work to get it to fit, should be worth the trouble.

I'll post my progress when I get further along.

I was thinking of slanting the radiator back on my car, but when I played around with it, the lower portion of the radiator stuck out WAY too much. It's already too exposed being vertical as it is now, slanting it back wouldn't look right and would cause valance issues.


Oh, and BTW. I drove the Astre yesterday on the hottest day of the AZ summer so far, 117*. It never once got above 200*, and that was because I shut it off to get a drink. It was 190* the whole time before that.

Thanks for the tip regarding mounting the radiator at an angle.

And I guess that I can't complain too much.... MD never gets to 117 degrees. Damn!

I like the slanting idea. What if you used a shorter radiator? Or is it that in order to clear the frame rails it didn't work?

I thought about slanting the radiator because if I place the radiator in front of the core support (vertically mounted), the cap is not accessible. That means my brand new universal aluminum radiator will have to be modified to relocate the cap.

Slanting at the top could place the stock cap back inside the engine compartment where no modification to the radiator would be needed.
However, now I would have to modify the core support (and it looks like a lot more effort than the radiator).

In either case, it looks like the rails will need minor clearance mods in order to put a 31in wide x 19 tall radiator in front of the core support.

My radiator cap is under the header panel right now, so I do not have access to it. So instead, I bought a Moroso water neck for the intake that has a cap. I made sure to get a super high pressure cap for the radiator so basically it just seals it off. My overflow is connected to my waterneck.

now wait....if you slant the radiator im thinking that youre just asking for cooling problems.

This makes sense to me that because the fins are oval shaped and horizontal that its very easy for air to flow through it when theyre straight, but i would think that if you tilted it back than the incoming air is gonna have to make a turn dow...Eg

--- \\\
--- \\\
--- \\\
--- \\\
--- \\\

That does indeed represent a more extreme angle than youguys aretalking about, and maybe im wrong...but I just thought Id bring it up.

God bless
-Shred

The C4, C5 and C6 all have angled radiators.

This is the exact stage i'm at rfn, trying to decide what needs to be cut and what i need to fabricate to get a real rad in this car. I have some pretty radical ideas and they all cost money and time. I'm thinking of fabing up a center support that takes up less room, possibly losing the latch and going with flush, recessed, locking hood pins for starts. I have a/c as well so the condensor has to be involved in all this consideration. Electric fans for sure. My brain is analyzing this and I hope that it along with my wallet/skillset can come up with a solution soon.

Well i finally said f#*k it and went over to a friend that builds rock crawlers and had him help me out . He built a new lower crossmember iam gonna pick it up later on today. I can e-mail someone photos if they can post them for me.Thanks again to everyone for all your help.