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I tried to install my new BB radiator today and it won't drop into the mounts like it's supposed to. It's actually sitting on top of the frame rail on the driver side and the lower hose connection is hitting against the inside of the frame rail on the passenger side. Not even close to going in. Between the mounts on the core support is 27.5" and the radiator is the same. Any suggestions?
where did you buy the radiator and what part number?
since you have a 1977 according to your profile, how did you pick a radiator since the BB was never in the 1977 from the factory?
I bought it from Mid America and it is going into a 69 with a 390 hp 427. I guess I should add it to my profile. The radiator is supposed to be for BB vettes from 69-72. I hope I didn't get the wrong one.
how does the new radiator compare to the old one, the core is the same width, the hose connections same location and same angle?
I don't know since this car came without a radiator so I have nothing to compare the new one to. Not sure what to do short of cutting a small section out of the frame. I really don't want to if I don't have to.
Seems that some of the rad supports were maybe not as perfect as they should have been.
I had to relocate one of the lower mounts
M
The mounts on the support appear correct as far as measurement. The radiator hits the frame on the driver side and won't drop into the mount. I've looked at other 69 frame pictures and saw that the frame was cut at an angle instead of straight across like on mine. I'm tempted to break out the hot wrench and make it fit.
The mounts on the support appear correct as far as measurement. The radiator hits the frame on the driver side and won't drop into the mount. I've looked at other 69 frame pictures and saw that the frame was cut at an angle instead of straight across like on mine. I'm tempted to break out the hot wrench and make it fit.
Ahhhh, I see what you mean now, I miss read that totally. Mine was running into the side if I tried to put it in the pass-side pocket but because the pocket was in the wrong location.
My 72 also has a angle cut across the front of the frame rail as you describe. I wonder if it's a 68 or even early 68 issue.
Fire-wrench fixes most things but it would be nice to know what others have.
That's why I'm a little hesitant to torch it. The crazy thing about this car is that it's a 68 body on a 69 or later frame. The PO had it powder coated so I don't know the exact year since I'm unable to read the numbers stamped into the frame. So, I know it's not an early 68 because it has the extra braces near the rear kickups. So, I didn't have the correct support and had to buy a 69 style from Coffman and it fit perfectly. Now this comes up. Everything seems to cause a new set of problems. I'm sure I can make it work, but as you say it'd be nice to see what other people have.
Pretty sure same problem I had installing a 69+BB radiator in my 68
Pretty sure you have the same problem I had installing a 69+ radiator in my early Nov 67 1968 with a NOM 454. Not sure when the new 69+ design was started in 69.
Short story: I ended up having to notch the supports in your photos leaving just enough for the front sway bar to bolt to. And installing lots of shims everywhere.
More Info:
*Pretty sure my 68 was a big block car and is a 68 frame never wrecked.
*I bought a DeWitts 1149069M radiator, 27.5 core width and new matching radiator support and new front v to match the new radiator support.
*The original 68 radiator support on mine was rotted out at the bottom and was for a 23 core width which may be for a 427 1968 anyway, not sure.
*So I ended up doing the following:
-Notched the supports in your photos with a hacksaw, but left enough for my front sway bar to bolt to.
-Shimmed the front sway bar down 1/8" so the bar would clear the frame
-After much round and round, I concluded my new radiator support had to go in the 68 inner fender holes where is and as is. So I first installed the new radiator support and new radiator and then I bolted my new front v support to the bottom of my new rad support with no shims. From there I then shimmed or drilled the rest (frame extensions, front U bumper support, ect...) as needed to get the bumper and front end height where it was supposed to be.
Lot of work but came out nice, the other alternative I think would have been to put in all 68 components with the smaller 68 BB radiator and electric fans.
Hope this helps and can take some photos tomorrow if you like.
BTW, I was fortunate to be able to check out my 72 LT-1 sitting next to the 68 and it was angled too as you say. So the design changed for 69 on.
Last edited by 20mercury; Oct 23, 2016 at 10:32 PM.
What about the shims between the support and the frame? There might not have been any due to the frame change but originally there were probably some there. Would a 1/4" of shims on each side raise the support/rad enough to make it clear?
Last edited by CanadaGrant; Oct 23, 2016 at 10:26 PM.
What about the shims between the support and the frame? There might not have been any due to the frame change but originally there were probably some there. Would a 1/4" of shims on each side raise the support/rad enough to make it clear?
That's not a bad idea, but the way that the radiator sits on the frame I don't think it would help since I'm not able to get it even close on the driver side. It needs to go forward and drop down into the mount and it's just not happening. I think I'm going to have to notch the frame as 20mercury did on his car. I should've taken some photos with the radiator in the car.
Success! After going over all the options, which were very few, I fired up the torch and cut out a small section of the frame that was stopping the radiator from dropping into the mounts on the core support. It actually came out pretty nice and doesn't look like it was butchered. I cleaned up the area with a small grinder and applied some semi gloss black paint. I'm happy with it and the radiator fits perfectly and there's nothing in the way going in or coming out. Thanks to all that responded to this thread.
Success! After going over all the options, which were very few, I fired up the torch and cut out a small section of the frame that was stopping the radiator from dropping into the mounts on the core support. It actually came out pretty nice and doesn't look like it was butchered. I cleaned up the area with a small grinder and applied some semi gloss black paint. I'm happy with it and the radiator fits perfectly and there's nothing in the way going in or coming out. Thanks to all that responded to this thread.
Great and glad you could make it work! Please let us know how the rest of the install goes as I might learn something and revise mine.
I will. Next up is installing the brass expansion tank and brackets that the BB cars with AC came with. Compared to what I just did it should go together easily. This car has been a huge
challenge from the start, but I'm getting closer to getting it running. I'm just over two years into the build so from what I've read of other builds mine is not too bad. The forum is a great
place to gather ideas and information since so many others have gone through the same issues with their cars. I may not always post looking for help, but I make good use of the search portion and am always reading other members threads.
Radiator fitment problem
