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Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:58 am
by cptech
Hey folks, hopefully someone can shed some light on this for me, or point me in the right direction. I have a 71 Vega Hatchback. Basically a back half car that spent most of it's life bracket racing. Doing the pro street thing with it now, so i can do the occasional cruise night. Stock front suspension upgraded with overkill upper and lower control arms, along with the s10 spindles/brakes upgrade. I wanted more room in the engine compartment for a pair of puller electric fans and a bigger/better radiator. I ended up cutting out the core support area and making my own. This allowed me to move the radiator underneath the upper valence as well as move it forward. Overall it turned out very nice. My issue is the radiator hangs below the lower valence. It doesn't create a problem except that I don't like the way it looks. The radiator is aluminum. I painted it black so it blends in much better, but I still don't like the way it looks. I'm wondering if I add some type of front spoiler if that might cover it up. I'm not sure how any of the spoilers mount or if the raditor might prevent me from attaching the spolier. The radiator hangs about 6" below the lower valence. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:28 pm
by Wizeguyrc
Here are some spoiler views. Don't know that they will cover 6".

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:05 pm
by cptech
Thanks for the pics wizeguyrc, i appreciate it.

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 4:25 am
by Smiley
6" is really too low to hang down, been there done that. Besides the cosmetic issue its easy to snag on something and trash the radiator.
26" wide x 16" tall Griffon aluminum radiators can be had NEW off the shelf- $173 shipped from Summit http://www.ebay.com/itm/Giffin-Radiator-Universal-Aluminum-Natural-26-Wide-16-High-3-0-Thick-Each-/390982262936?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5b085be098&vxp=mtr
Did you lower the radiator any when you moved it ?

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:39 am
by cjbiagi
6" does seem like a lot, do you have any pics so we can see what you are dealing with? You may think "air dam" like new cars have rather than a traditional Vega spoiler. You would have to fab one up but not sure how one that big would look cosmetically either.

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 6:38 pm
by Smiley
Smiley wrote:Speedway sells these for old street rods like the 32 Ford with a small block Chevy motor, it raises the water pump pulley 5" to allow a larger mechanical fan to be centered in those tall radiators. It takes an L6 Chevy water pump and uses stock short small block V8 pulleys. L6 pumps can be had in aluminum or cast iron, aluminum being the HD version with the price almost double the cast iron pumps.

on an H-body for those wanting to use larger dual electric puller fans without moving the radiator into the core support it raises the pulley and shaft up into the "valley" between twin electric puller fans.

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also using a "short shaft conversion L6 chevy pump" moves the pulley flange another 1" towards the engine, and then use a shallower pulley
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-235-261-water-pump-1955-1962-Short-shaft-conversion-kit-Chevy-GM-IL6-/271686880417?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f41cccca1&vxp=mtr

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quick mock up with 21" core rad, two 10 1/4" plates and pump pulley 5" above where the fan is normally.
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2003 Neon dual fan assy $85 shipped new on ebay

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It also has an alternator mount provision close to the Monza location. It is a little pricey at $250 + the L6 pump.
I have not tried it yet, but I have returned things to Speedway in the past without hassles.
More pics http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-cooling-a-sbc-with-a-mechanical-fan.168231/

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Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 12:31 pm
by cptech
Thanks for the info guys. I'll get a few pictures and take some exact measurements and get it all posted.

Thanks

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 4:39 pm
by cptech
Still didn't post pics, but it's more like 3", not 6" I'd like to hide it with a front spoiler.

wiseguyrc, i like your style. Can you give me some info on it ? Who made it, where can I get one, how much $$

Thanks

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:09 am
by Wizeguyrc
The spoiler I have is an original 2 piece that isn't produced any longer, (as far as I know).
Check Ebay every day and one may pop up. That's where mine came from.

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:53 am
by hammerdown7
Chris Wheaton has made front spoilers for the early Vega, I don't know if he still has them. Email Cswrth1@aol.com

Dick

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 2:27 pm
by cptech
I did email with Chris and he sells the style with the brake ducting. Chris put me in contact with Dave at Dave's Vega Village. Dave is based out of Canada. Dave is reproducing the original style one piece spoiler. I've spoken with Dave and he'll be shipping me one shortly. According to Dave, the spoiler hangs down just about three inches in the center. Big thanks to Chris for the help. I'll be buying the rear spoiler from Chris when I'm ready for it.

Thanks folks

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 1:51 am
by v8vega383
CPTECH, could you post a few pics of what you did to move the rad forward. I have a 1976 and want to move my rad forward as well. I have the motor out currently and it would be a good time to do this. Cheers!

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:30 pm
by Monza Harry
Hey 383 did you see when that was posted? 1.5 years ago, his last post was July this year and his profile page states that he has been here in the last week, but I have found that feature a little unreliable so I would PM or eMail him for his involvement. Those would be good pic's to have on here for sure. :popcorn: Harry

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:48 pm
by cptech
Hi Folks. This has been done for a while and I do have a bunch of pictures. I ended up using a different radiator that was a bit shorter, which helped quite a bit.
I'll get the pictures together and get back to you. It all turned out pretty well. I have dual electric fans mounted on the engine compartment side with a little more clearance then I used to have before all the work was done and the fans were mounted on the grill side......ie used to be pushers, now they are pullers.

Re: Radiator - Core support

PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 9:35 am
by cosvega76
When I first got my Vega, it had a mid-'60s Corvette radiator in it, which hung below the core support. The front spoiler it hid it nicely. Plus, the spoiler attaches to the front valance, so there are no interference issues.


Chuck