68 Charger Radiator Fitment Issue

[pontiac charger]

I have a 68 Charger, originally a small block with the 22 inch radiator but now a big block car with a 26 inch radiator.  I am also running the Magnum force front suspension set-up.

My question involves how the radiator is supposed to fit?  I know the right side of the Radiator opening is different in stock big block cars but is a 26 inch radiator supposed to line up with the stock mounting holes on the driver side?

Also does anyone know how high a radiator can sit above the Radiator support and not cause problems with the hood closing?  it is a down flow radiator with the upper right, lower left openings.


Thanks for the help.

[bill440rt]

The 26" rad uses the same mounting points as the 22" on the driver's side baffle. The passenger side baffle was different, but the 22" baffle can be modified to fit the 26".
The radiator typically was no higher than the upper tie bar, it actually sat just below the top edge of it.
How much taller is your down flow radiator compared to your 22"?

[Ghoste]

It shouldn't be any taller at all should it??

[bill440rt]

It shouldn't be any taller at all should it??

That's what I'm thinking. 

[moparsr2fast]

It shouldn't be any taller at all should it??

  No.. the height of both, a 22" and a 26" radiator are the same 

[pontiac charger]

To be a little more clear, the lower tank of the radiator is hitting the front sway bar on the Magnumforce setup and not letting it line up with the stock mounting holes on the Drivers side. 

When you mention the radiator no being above the support is that from the Cap up or the Tank up?

I have called magnumforce to ask them about it but I am just wondering if anyone else might have a solution short of purchasing another custom fit radiator.

It sounds like there is little wiggle room with regard to how high the radiator might be able sit and not hit the hood.

[Ghoste]

On my cars it is the top of the tank that is even with it.

[bill440rt]

I'm running a Griffin, which is a downflow radiator patterned after the stock design but with larger tubes.
Here is a pic, when the underhood was coming together. The tank is just below the upper tie bar, looks like the cap is about even with it or just slightly higher.
I would try to find a rad that better fits your car vs modifying your car to fit the rad. 

What kind/brand of radiator do you have, and what did Magnumforce have to say about it? 

[Ghoste]

Bill's right, if you are using a modified suspension anyway no need to worry about rad originality. 

[pontiac charger]

I just purchased a new Griffin Exact fit radiator.  I tried to run the larger version with the 1.5in tubes but am now back to what griffin considers stock, 1.25 rows with 3 inch tanks as opposed to the larger version at 3.5 inches.

The mounting holes for the radiator need about 1/4-1/2 inch of downward movement to line up with the stock holes on the driver side core support

Magnumforce says they run into this problem about once a year and made it sound uncommon.  I am taking pictures for them tonight of how it currently fits.  They said one solution short of going with a third radiator, they recommended American Eagle, was to maybe add 1/2 in spacers to the front sway bar mounting brackets to lower it down enough to get the radiator to fit.

I am with you in that I don't want to butcher the car to make the radiator fit.  I am hoping once magnumforce sees the pictures I can just move the front sway bar down. 

Right now the Radiator tank sits below the support with the cap slighty close to the top of it.

[Ghoste]

Ah, I thought you were trying to make a stock rad work.  The aftermarket one should still fit though.

[bill440rt]

Pontiac, looks like you & I have the same radiator. My radiator core is the full size of the tanks, so I could not fit a mechanical fan & went with a Flex-a-Lite dual electric.
I did not have to move the radiator down, it rested just above (about 1/8") from the lower tie bar. I still have the stock K & front suspension design, though. I opened the driver's side of the core support to fit the 26" radiator (modification looks very factory), and used a 1/4" spacer at the top due to the little nub stamped in the core support.
Sounds like shimming the sway bar out a bit may be the answer. Let us know what Magnumforce says. 

[pontiac charger]

so after speaking with magnumforce I am convinced that the problem is with the griffin radiator.  I am not sure how to post pics but would be curious as to if you agree or not?

[pontiac charger]

more pics

[bill440rt]

Interesting. Looks to be in the location very similar to mine.
Best pic I have at the moment, but the bottom tank lip is in about the same spot as yours. It's blocked in the pic by the A/C condenser, but gives you an idea.
Looks like the top mount hole is in the wrong spot. Have you contacted Griffin about this or showed them the pics?
Might be just a matter of modifying that hole, but I would definitely speak to Griffin first.

To take advantage of the cooling you'll have to open up the passenger side of the rad support. You'll also need a 1/4" spacer or a stack of washers due to the "hump" stamped in the rad support on that side. This will space out the radiator evenly. If you had a 26" rad support you wouldn't run into this on the passenger side.
This mod was done to my car in this pic as well, it originally had a 22" rad support.

[pontiac charger]

I talked with griffin about this and they are still looking into it but in the meantime I overlaid the 26 inch radiator drawing with the 22 inch radiator and noticed a difference in the upper mounting holes.

Am I incorrect in assuming the mounting holes on the radiator support are the exact same on the drivers side for both size radiators?

[bill440rt]

IIRC the driver's side baffle should be the same, 22" or 26" radiator. The same mounting was used.
When the 26" radiator was used the passenger side baffle was different.

[Ghoste]

Thats what I thought too.

[pontiac charger]

Now I am even more confused.  Were all B-body Radiators the same?  Specifically, the straight, six small block 318, the 440, and the Hemi.  I found the attached which lists all of the mopar radiators listed for the different models.

Did Mopar change things that dramatically in the b-body?

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/reference_radiatorguide.php?SID

[Ghoste]

They weren't all the same, there were different sizes and some were for automatic trans cars and some for manual.  What parts of the list specifically are puzzling you?

[pontiac charger]

What is confusing me at this point is how high a small block radiator is supposed to sit, relative to a the core support top and a big block radiator.

The attached pictures are the sample radiators Griffin is using to make their B-body radiators.  The one on the bottom is a 26 inch radiator out of a 67-69 GTX and the top one is a 22 inch, not sure what it is out of.  The picture shows them with the drivers side bolt holes lined up with each other.

As you can see the two radiators, while nearly the same height sit a lot different relative to the bolt holes, the problem I am having.  The big block one sits about an inch plus lower than the small one.

Shouldn't the radiators sit at the same height relative to the top of the core support?

[fy469rtse]

When you say move sway bar down ? Are you talking about making packing spaces to shim it down ,
I can't see how this would make a huge difference to sway bars performance, post some photos of this area
If this is all it takes for clearance for you to fit radiator,
Can't you position radiator to where or location suits you for fitment , clamp it in place and mark where the mounting holes will be and just drill out new ones ?
If not a resto don't be afraid to modify, I just don't like drilling holes in or cutting body, aftermarket parts , if a little modifying to get them to work , no worries

[Ghoste]

I see what you're saying now pontiac.  I would have thought they would place the tank the same yes.