Question about core support/radiator mounting, 69
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
Question about core support/radiator mounting, 69
69 small block, manual, no air. 350/350.
When I bought this car, it had the wrong support, a newer C3 automatic radiator, and plastic shroud. Generally all cobbled up in this area. Removed all this stuff last week. Expansion tank was still in place though.
I now have all the pieces I need to put it back together--aluminum stock radiator, steel shroud, used GM core support for the alum. radiator, and all the misc bracketing.
My question is this: when I slid the radiator in place today and went to attach the upper bracket to the radiator and to the core support, I found that the bolt holes in the core support do not line up with the bracket when the bracket is positioned on top of the radiator. The bolt holes are about 1 inch off center to the left.
I have looked at the AIM and some vendor diagrams, and I cannot figure out why the top mounting bracket will not line up with the existing holes.
Anyone seen this problem? Really don't want to drill holes in the core support....trying to rid the car of Bubba, not add to it!
Thanks for any insight, Joe
When I bought this car, it had the wrong support, a newer C3 automatic radiator, and plastic shroud. Generally all cobbled up in this area. Removed all this stuff last week. Expansion tank was still in place though.
I now have all the pieces I need to put it back together--aluminum stock radiator, steel shroud, used GM core support for the alum. radiator, and all the misc bracketing.
My question is this: when I slid the radiator in place today and went to attach the upper bracket to the radiator and to the core support, I found that the bolt holes in the core support do not line up with the bracket when the bracket is positioned on top of the radiator. The bolt holes are about 1 inch off center to the left.
I have looked at the AIM and some vendor diagrams, and I cannot figure out why the top mounting bracket will not line up with the existing holes.
Anyone seen this problem? Really don't want to drill holes in the core support....trying to rid the car of Bubba, not add to it!
Thanks for any insight, Joe
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,285
Likes: 4,375
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Joe,
All I can offer is that on my 71 SB aluminium radiator the mounting point is in the center of the radiator but the bracket mounts to the core support about 2 '' toward the left side of the core support center line.
The fan shroud does mount in about the center of the core support.
The right side bolt of the radiator mount is almost in line with left side bolt of the fan shroud mount.
Hope this might help you understand what you're seeing.
Regards,
Alan
All I can offer is that on my 71 SB aluminium radiator the mounting point is in the center of the radiator but the bracket mounts to the core support about 2 '' toward the left side of the core support center line.
The fan shroud does mount in about the center of the core support.
The right side bolt of the radiator mount is almost in line with left side bolt of the fan shroud mount.
Hope this might help you understand what you're seeing.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
Hi Joe,
All I can offer is that on my 71 SB aluminium radiator the mounting point is in the center of the radiator but the bracket mounts to the core support about 2 '' toward the left side of the core support center line. The fan shroud does mount in about the center of the core support.
The right side bolt of the radiator mount is almost in line with left side bolt of the fan shroud mount.
Hope this might help you understand what you're seeing.
Regards,
Alan
All I can offer is that on my 71 SB aluminium radiator the mounting point is in the center of the radiator but the bracket mounts to the core support about 2 '' toward the left side of the core support center line. The fan shroud does mount in about the center of the core support.
The right side bolt of the radiator mount is almost in line with left side bolt of the fan shroud mount.
Hope this might help you understand what you're seeing.
Regards,
Alan
Any chance you have a picture of that area?
If you slide the bracket over to the mounting holes, it comes off the cushion/mount of the radiator. Its almost like the bracket and the cushion need to be wider to be able to use the bolt holes in the core support. Does that make sense?
Thanks! Joe
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,285
Likes: 4,375
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Joe,
This picture is as good as I can find.
You can see the 2 bolt heads for the shroud bracket clearly. Just behind and to the left of them, you can see the two shanks of the bolts for the radiator mounting bracket coming up through the core support. The shanks of the bolts point more forward than up.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Alan
This picture is as good as I can find.
You can see the 2 bolt heads for the shroud bracket clearly. Just behind and to the left of them, you can see the two shanks of the bolts for the radiator mounting bracket coming up through the core support. The shanks of the bolts point more forward than up.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Alan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
You need '69 brackets for a '69 core support.
69 small block, manual, no air. 350/350.
When I bought this car, it had the wrong support, a newer C3 automatic radiator, and plastic shroud. Generally all cobbled up in this area. Removed all this stuff last week. Expansion tank was still in place though.
I now have all the pieces I need to put it back together--aluminum stock radiator, steel shroud, used GM core support for the alum. radiator, and all the misc bracketing.
My question is this: when I slid the radiator in place today and went to attach the upper bracket to the radiator and to the core support, I found that the bolt holes in the core support do not line up with the bracket when the bracket is positioned on top of the radiator. The bolt holes are about 1 inch off center to the left.
I have looked at the AIM and some vendor diagrams, and I cannot figure out why the top mounting bracket will not line up with the existing holes.
Anyone seen this problem? Really don't want to drill holes in the core support....trying to rid the car of Bubba, not add to it!
Thanks for any insight, Joe
When I bought this car, it had the wrong support, a newer C3 automatic radiator, and plastic shroud. Generally all cobbled up in this area. Removed all this stuff last week. Expansion tank was still in place though.
I now have all the pieces I need to put it back together--aluminum stock radiator, steel shroud, used GM core support for the alum. radiator, and all the misc bracketing.
My question is this: when I slid the radiator in place today and went to attach the upper bracket to the radiator and to the core support, I found that the bolt holes in the core support do not line up with the bracket when the bracket is positioned on top of the radiator. The bolt holes are about 1 inch off center to the left.
I have looked at the AIM and some vendor diagrams, and I cannot figure out why the top mounting bracket will not line up with the existing holes.
Anyone seen this problem? Really don't want to drill holes in the core support....trying to rid the car of Bubba, not add to it!
Thanks for any insight, Joe
Had a similar situation with my '74. Bubba had put in a different year rad and core support. I had to buy both '74 core support and '74 brackets for mine. Now maybe u did buy the correct brackets (i can't tell) but i also had to use longer bracket bolts to draw in the shroud to the core support and sandwich in the radiator.
Also i can only draw in the shroud just so far and then need to change to shorter bolts as the longer bolts will bust into the radiator for a continuous leak. Thanks to Bubba my old radiator had a leak from this long bolt that caused corrosion at the bottom of core support which of course ruined the core support.
I don't know if all this helps you but it sure felt good to rant 'bout it.
Good luck,
cardo90
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
Here's a few pics: I hope they show the problem clearly. If I were to pull the radiator OUT of the two holes in the bottom of the core support and move the rad. over, the top bracket would then line up with the holes in the top of the support.
Am I missing something painfully obvious here?
Shot of the bracket correctly positioned on the rad, but tight of the holes in the support
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Here you can see the left mounting hole in the support, definitely to the left of the bracket.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Am I missing something painfully obvious here?
Shot of the bracket correctly positioned on the rad, but tight of the holes in the support
[IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG]Here you can see the left mounting hole in the support, definitely to the left of the bracket.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
