73 Radiator / Repair or Replace??????
1973 Vette with AC Radiator Removal and Installation Steps.
Prior to the below steps you will need to drain coolant, remove the upper & lower radiator hoses, belts, fan and water pump pulleys. Dump AC charge if removing condenser.
REMOVAL
1) Remove Hood
2) Remove upper radiator and fan shroud braces
3) Remove the two upper side bolts on each side of the radiator support
4) Loosen but do not remove the lower side bolts and two bolts on the bottom of the support
5) Remove the two lower fan shroud nuts.
6) Remove the AC condenser or headlight actuators (pick one)
7) Pull the radiator support forward
8) Pull the radiator up and out tilting the driver's side higher than the pass side
9) You can now remove the shroud
Now is a good time to replace all the radiator and shroud seals
INSTALLATION
1) Install shroud
2) Pull the radiator support forward
3) Lower the radiator tilting the driver's side higher than the pass side
4) Push radiator support back into place
5) Install the AC condenser or headlight actuators
6) Loosely install the two upper side bolts on each side of the radiator support
7) Loosely install upper radiator and fan shroud braces
8) Install the two lower fan shroud nuts.
9) Tighten the side bolts and two bolts on the bottom of the support
10) Tighten the upper radiator and fan shroud braces
11) Install Hood
With the condenser and/or headlight actuators removed (I removed the condenser) and radiator support pulled forward there is enough room to drop a fire truck in that space. Below is a tool I made (3/8" 1/4 drive socket, J-B Weld, flat stock) to remove the lower condenser mounting screws. Dumping the AC charge and removing the condenser took all of 30 mins, way easier than pulling headlight actuators.












