55.2-59 Going to need a new radiator.

[washington blue]

Hi guys, I have a LS 5.3 I'm putting in my 55/56 pickup. I have the stock radiator but it is shot. Probably going to get a new aluminum one. I want stock dimensions. Wondering where you all think is the best place to look at new ones and any plus/minus things about them, I have found one place so far called RnD Fabrication and their stuff looks good in their ads, thanks. Norm

[mr48chev]

I have their AD truck radiator for my 48. http://www.speedcooling.com/1955-195...-Radiator.html

This isn't a fly weight radiator the brackets are nice and heavy and the radiator is almost as heavy as a brass one.

Brice Thomas radiators are made to order in Alabama. This one they have on Ebay comes with fan and shroud. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-56-Che...QAAOxybi9RfffM

I think they do one without a shroud and fan for around 500.

Their main website is https://cgj.com/ They also bought US radiators in the past few months where they do brass radiators.

Walker Radiators has closed their doors as the Walker family hasn't found a buyer and wouldn't let a buyer use the Walker name.

This is my radiator from Cooling components / Speed cooling. The stuff on the inlet is some of the foam from the box on the cap on the inlet but it sure looks bad.

[jweb]

I have seen several people use the Champion radiator as an inexpensive option.
https://www.championradiators.com/Ch...ator-1955-1959

If you want a radiator designed for use with an LS engine, I used a Superior radiator and it's held up great.
https://www.wwwsuperiorradiator.com/...60_chevy_truck

[_Ogre]

truk uses the US radiator "desert cooler" 4 row with trans cooler with their shroud and spal fan
never ran warm, even in 105° with the ac running. 1st 4 days of 2011 power tour were 100° plus
bought everything from brothers, probably 2006, still cools without a hitch
easily 3" between long water pump and spal fan, with sbc in stock location

[mr48chev]

US Radiator offerings for the 56 http://usradiator.com/radiators?find...sid=NNJLnpD065

[washington blue]

That's a lot of info, thanks, it's going to be a tough decision I think. My 2 needs are it fits and the 5.3 stays cool.

[mr48chev]

I think you pretty well have the full spectrum of options there. From the Champion that is the go to cheap Ebay unit for most guys to the US Radiators brass unit.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Ive used a couple of Champion. They are rugged & cool real well. Fit good too.

[ndeep]

i also went with the champion radiator. i have a 480 ls3 and it cools fine with a spal fan l called champion and for a resonable fee they moved the top hose connection to the passenger side and added a steam port

[Rickysnickers]

X3 for Champion. It cools my 550hp 400 smallblock just fine.

[washington blue]

Seems a lot of people like Champion, I've been looking at their site and they have a radiator for a 55 - 59 that looks like an exact replacement for the stock one. It has the mounts on the side just like stock and those mounts tilt the radiator back at the top just like the stock ones do. I would like to eliminate the "tilt rearward", this way the radiator will sit about one inch further forward. Problem is I can't weld aluminum. I have a Lincoln mark VIII variable rate 18 inch fan I would like to use with shroud, it fits nicely but it is kinda deep. Total depth of about 5 3/4 inches. If I can move the radiator forward about 1 inch it will fit so the radiator mounts need to be changed. Thanks for all the info guys.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by washington blue

That's a lot of info, thanks, it's going to be a tough decision I think. My 2 needs are it fits and the 5.3 stays cool.

fit was great and it has cooled my 5.7 just fine for 36,000 miles

[57FleetsideC4]

I am looking at the engineered cooling products aluminum with 2 fans for my ls powered 57 project. It might be to thick at 6 3/4" but will just fit I think. Steve

[washington blue]

I have also looked at them, seem to have nice stuff looking at their ads. They also explain how cooling works and the difference between aluminum and copper very well.

[G&R's57GMC]

I'm doing a 5.3 in my '57 and found a great solution for the cooling system and it's less expensive than the aftermarket .

2002 Camero Rad and fans brand new and it cools great .

[AZ59apacheguy]

I have a Champion in my ‘59. I know it is not an LS motor, but it kept my little 283 cool even in the hottest periods of last summer ( we hit close to 120 deg F several times ).

[washington blue]

Hi G&R, thanks for the info, that looks like it works great and the fans will run just like factory. I am very cautious to change from factory shape however as my steering gearbox prevents me from using anything wider than a stock width rad. It all fits together very snug.

[jwhotrod]

as a long time streetrodder and builder it baffles me some times when i see all of you with all this frontal area why you continue to use the old vertical flow radiators. in a mid thirties car or truck we are stuck with 17" of width so vertical flow is our only choice, and we are pretty successful with it. that said i would kill for all this grill opening and frontal area for a good crossflow radiator.my 55 will have a modern crossflow radiator in it without doubt.

[washington blue]

JW, you raise a valid point. In my case I think it is 2 things, fear of "messing up" the fender and radiator mounts, and not thinking outside the box, which I am guilty of at times, lol.

[mr48chev]

US Radiators does show two cross flows with mounting brackets. I'd be wanting to do some research on how many mods you have to make though. http://usradiator.com/chevrolet-truc...minum-radiator

http://usradiator.com/chevrolet-truc...-radiator.html This one copper/Brass

With the LS3 "traditiional look" doesn't count anyhow so that arguement is gone. I'd say that most of us are looking at what bolts in the truck without hacking up the core support sheet metal. Throw in the simple thought that even some of the most higly skilled builders on here may not have access to the fab shop equipment to bend up proper brackets if the kits with the radiators don't include them. From experience if you are going to a sheet metal shop to have some pieces bent up with critical measurements you had better have an extremely detailed set of drawings to take along to get it done right the first time. Some of those job shop sheet metal guys can do world class stuff from good drawings but don't think very far out of the box without them.

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by jwhotrod

as a long time streetrodder and builder it baffles me some times when i see all of you with all this frontal area why you continue to use the old vertical flow radiators. in a mid thirties car or truck we are stuck with 17" of width so vertical flow is our only choice, and we are pretty successful with it. that said i would kill for all this grill opening and frontal area for a good crossflow radiator.my 55 will have a modern crossflow radiator in it without doubt.

Why would I go to any trouble to change to a cross flow radiator when I can buy an aluminum vertical flow radiator that bolts in with no mods and cools just fine on the hottest day with the a/c going?

[jwhotrod]

i guess maybe it comes from my perspective. the same question could be asked about beam axles, drum brakes, v8 vs 6cyl. if you are modifying all these systems to optimize performance and comfort why ignore the cooling system? i look at this from the perspective of trying to put together things that were never ment to be that way, and when it got to the radiator in these old grill shells i didnt have a choice. so looking at all that potential space, like i said it somewhat befuddles me why you wouldnt use it.

[washington blue]

In my particular case, if I used a custom built radiator that is wider I would have to raise it up to clear the subframe and steering and anti-roll bar which leaves me about 16 inches of height to make the radiator 38 inches wide. this would gain me about a 10 inch by 10 inch cooling area. the radiator would have to be completely custom made. I am no radiator expert which is why I started this thread, lol. My guess is to make a complete custom radiator with custom shroud with possibly 3 fans and running hoses out to the fenders might be a costly deal for no gain. Just my un-educated opinion.

[jwhotrod]

to further explain, if you know anything about how a radiator works, you know that the vertical flow radiators need to be kept completely full (puke tank) because if you get enough air in the top tank to get the volume down below the top of the core it will stop circulating and build steam. a horizontal radiator will still flow 1/2 full not efficiently but still flow. that is why all the manufacturers changed over to horizontal flow radiators in the late 60's. if we are going to newer technology then there is no reason to not do this other than build a 100 point restoration. as to the smaller sized horizontals you can get almost any size you want from either smaller cars or fork lifts. just check with your local radiator shop they can help you do what you need.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by jwhotrod

if you know anything about how a radiator works, you know that the vertical flow radiators need to be kept completely full (puke tank) because if you get enough air in the top tank to get the volume down below the top of the core it will stop circulating and build steam.

and if you know anything about old trucks, they all had tanks top/bot and no puke tank
all trucks and cars, ford, chevy, dodge, mack, IH, petes from model T's until 70s had vertical flow
i run truk an inch or two below the cap and never had an issue
granted, i've only driven tf trucks a couple hundred thousand miles in my life
truk only has 36,000 miles on it's rebuild, it cools fine in 105° with the AC on

yes cross flow may work at half full, but why would do that?