58 Rad Replacement
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
From: Guelph Ontario
58 Rad Replacement
The rad on my 58 has developed a small leak. Seeing as I drive this car a fair bit and often get stuck in traffic I was thinking of using an aftermarket rad. Has anybody used a be-cool or griffen rad? What did you think of it?? Did it install without modifications and what did it do to your temperature?
Thanks :D
Thanks :D
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 12
From: Pleasant Grove AL
Re: 58 Rad Replacement (65ZR1)
Check out DeWitt's website. They have specs and realtive performance tables for their radiators and well as Griffin and BeCool. They also have a good price on Griffin. The 58 rad is a little more generic than the later ones with overflow tanks, so you may be able to find a generic Griffin or Be Cool that has more capacity than the original. All three manufacturers have websites and at least one or two give the dimensions for the Vette radiators. I was going to buy a Griffin or a Dewitts for my 62, but I ran across a NOS Harrison for less money than the repos, which I jumped on. I was using a Copper/Brass replacement WITH AN AUX FAN, which worked real well. Be Cool seems to be pushing aux fans now. You shouldn't have to use one if the rad capacity is up to snuff.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 873
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
Re: 58 Rad Replacement (65ZR1)
We were having cooling problems to the point that if it was over 90 I didn't even take the car out. On a 80 degree day it would run about 210 to 220 and in traffic it would over heat. Yesterday it was 101 degrees and it ran 165 in traffic and I have never seen it go above 170 since we installed the Be-Cool. The biggest problem is the fan shroud had to be modified to fit, other than that it fit fine.
[Modified by 58Vette65, 9:16 AM 7/8/2002]
[Modified by 58Vette65, 9:16 AM 7/8/2002]
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 862
Likes: 2
Re: 58 Rad Replacement (58Vette65)
I also installed the BeCool. Looks just like in 58Vette65's picture. The fan shroud required major surgery to fit and now looks so butchered that I'm going to leave it off unless I have cooling problems. It looked to me (on DeWitt's website) like the Griffin would fit without the cutting. Given the choice today, I might still go with the BeCool, though, just because I like the looks better.
58Vette65, were those temps with or without the fan shroud? Do you have any pix with the shroud? Thanks!
- Mike Greene
58Vette65, were those temps with or without the fan shroud? Do you have any pix with the shroud? Thanks!
- Mike Greene
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: lincoln, ne
Re: 58 Rad Replacement (58Mike)
I put a Griffin radiator in my 60 and it looks just like the stock brass radiator except that I did not paint it black. No modification required to install with the stock shroud in place. GREAT RADIATOR. Temps on a 95 degree day stay at about 160. My only complaint is that I will have to get a 180 degree thermostat just to make the heater work.
