73 Radiator Removal
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 2
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'11-'12
73 Radiator Removal
OK, I have been working on getting the rad out on this car for an hour! Removed the rad hoses, two uppper side mounting brackets, fan and clutch, lower shroud nuts, upper center bracket, and just cannot get the dang thing out.
The shop manual says to lay the shroud back on the fan and lift the radiator out - that ain't happening because the shroud hits the front upper a arm bushing bolts. I manage to squeeze the rad up between the rad support and shroud but the lower hose fitting hits the right side a arm assy....
I'm about ready to take the whole rad support out and pull it that way but I'm afraid I will be taking away support for the body...
Any ideas?
The shop manual says to lay the shroud back on the fan and lift the radiator out - that ain't happening because the shroud hits the front upper a arm bushing bolts. I manage to squeeze the rad up between the rad support and shroud but the lower hose fitting hits the right side a arm assy....
I'm about ready to take the whole rad support out and pull it that way but I'm afraid I will be taking away support for the body...
Any ideas?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 295
Likes: 2
From: Concordia KS
On my 73 it will not come out without more room. You can gain more room by removing the right side upper A-arm, that is how I did mine. You can also loosen the radiator core support but to me that seemed like a lot more work and I dont like the idea of the front end not supported or the fenders cracking like I have read about so I opted for the A-arm removal which is quite easy. The whole job is a PIA and you would have thought they could have made it a bit easier for us.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 0
From: Stratford Ontario
On my 73 I had to loosen the rad saddle on passenger side then have my son pull towards front of car to get it in. I had to rotate it sideways with the shroud attached and no fan on motor. What a PITA for such a relatively small job. If you can I would try installing lower rad hose to rad as when its in its even a bigger PITA. Good luck.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 6
From: Perth West Australia
St. Jude Donor '11-'12
On my 73 it will not come out without more room. You can gain more room by removing the right side upper A-arm, that is how I did mine. You can also loosen the radiator core support but to me that seemed like a lot more work and I dont like the idea of the front end not supported or the fenders cracking like I have read about so I opted for the A-arm removal which is quite easy. The whole job is a PIA and you would have thought they could have made it a bit easier for us.
GM workshop manual says to remove the right side upper A arm.
Kneel.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 2
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'11-'12
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 6
From: Perth West Australia
St. Jude Donor '11-'12
I am doing a restoration on the 73 we have and rebuilt the front suspension, rebuilt rear suspension, brakes, oops, rebuilt rear suspension again as you need room to place equipment that is not there with Trailing arms together. Radiator goes in and front end has to come apart to fit it.
Its been fun and games up till now. Work is progressing slowly tho.
Hang in there and it will all come together for you.
Kneel.
Its been fun and games up till now. Work is progressing slowly tho.
Hang in there and it will all come together for you.
Kneel.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
Likes: 4
From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
On my 73 it will not come out without more room. You can gain more room by removing the right side upper A-arm, that is how I did mine. You can also loosen the radiator core support but to me that seemed like a lot more work and I dont like the idea of the front end not supported or the fenders cracking like I have read about so I opted for the A-arm removal which is quite easy. The whole job is a PIA and you would have thought they could have made it a bit easier for us.
That's exactly how I get mine out.
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Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 35
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From: Lancaster SC
Rad Removal
Don't know how much different the 73 is from a 76 shroud but changing the cam on the 76, I unbolted the rad support (3 bolts from inside each fender well ) and pulled the whole support foward until I could pull the shroud up and out. It was still a pain to get out but I knew it wasn't comming out without moving the support foward or messing with the suspension, which I realy didn't want to do. Didn't seem like the support was holding the front of the car together, as I've heard, and never had a problem with fender alignment or cracking afterward. Never even had to undo the A/C condenser, just unbolted it from the support. Wound up replacing the support anyway due to rusted out bottom. New one went in with no problems and no shims, which was how it came out.
Jim
Jim
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 698
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From: Stockholm Sweden
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 2
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'11-'12
Again, thank all of you for your guidance and experiences. It was simple to remove the upper a arm. Once that was done (with the fan gone already)- the radiator slipped right out!!