building a custom radiator?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,383
Likes: 4
I agree with 92ZR1WANNABE in that Dewitts has already done the engineering and field testing. I'd be happy for you and surprised too were you able to build it without the parts and supplies costing more than a Dewitts.
But that's not what you asked so...
I think you will find the tubes and fins at industrial air condition vendors. The jackets and fittings may be something you have to fabricate. The Heliarc welding gear and skills will be up to you.
But that's not what you asked so...
I think you will find the tubes and fins at industrial air condition vendors. The jackets and fittings may be something you have to fabricate. The Heliarc welding gear and skills will be up to you.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 13
From: Romeoville IL
You could contact the performance radiator manufacturers and see if they will sell you just a core. Griffin, Dewitt, Fluidyne come to mind, not sure if you will get too far.
I did a quick search and came up with a couple possible suppliers, but they were over seas, China, India...
I do agree with what was stated above, you are probably easier to get a custom one made to your specs, or fined a universal one in the right size and fabricate your brackets.
I did a quick search and came up with a couple possible suppliers, but they were over seas, China, India...
I do agree with what was stated above, you are probably easier to get a custom one made to your specs, or fined a universal one in the right size and fabricate your brackets.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 553
Likes: 6
From: Northern VA
Gotta ask why you need to "build" your own and re-invent the wheel. Is it just the excercise or is there some specific need that you're after?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: NY
Since I rebuilt my engine to a 383 it has been running 210* just putting around town. I haven't even hit boost yet. Ha ha.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,383
Likes: 4
From your profile it looks like you have an auto trans. If so you could do some things to make the radiator cool better. You could add both an aux oil cooler and an aux trans cooler. If you go big enough on the aux trans cooler you could mount it with its own fan(s) in the spare tire well and free the main radiator from cooling the trans.
Last edited by 94z07fx3; Sep 13, 2009 at 05:36 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
How much is he gonna charge to make you a custom radiator?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
budget save
high perf custom rads have two rows of tubes...your oem rad has a single row...grab another single row rad from a vette, or 89 s-10 4cyl rad, or =, and put it in front of your existing vette rad ('new' rad with hose in/out connections facing forward may save space)...close spaces between rads at perimeter with sheet alum to prevent airflow leak/loss.
use a couple of copper 'sweat' tees (size 1-1/4'' IIRC) from homie depot (rattle can 'em black or silver to prevent 'green') and 'universal' rad hoses/clamps to connect water thru new/exist rads in 'parallel'...'roll' all the ends of the tees outward a bit to prevent hoses from slipping off...do NOT connect the rad outlets so that flow 'bullheads' in the tee.
expect two oem alum rads with plastic end caps to weigh less than a two-row all alum rad...no black art here, just water/air 'heating coils'
use a couple of copper 'sweat' tees (size 1-1/4'' IIRC) from homie depot (rattle can 'em black or silver to prevent 'green') and 'universal' rad hoses/clamps to connect water thru new/exist rads in 'parallel'...'roll' all the ends of the tees outward a bit to prevent hoses from slipping off...do NOT connect the rad outlets so that flow 'bullheads' in the tee.
expect two oem alum rads with plastic end caps to weigh less than a two-row all alum rad...no black art here, just water/air 'heating coils'
Last edited by redrose; Sep 14, 2009 at 08:48 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: NY
From your profile it looks like you have an auto trans. If so you could do some things to make the radiator cool better. You could add both an aux oil cooler and an aux trans cooler. If you go big enough on the aux trans cooler you could mount it with its own fan(s) in the spare tire well and free the main radiator from cooling the trans.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: NY
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: NY
high perf custom rads have two rows of tubes...your oem rad has a single row...grab another single row rad from a vette, or 89 s-10 4cyl rad, or =, and put it in front of your existing vette rad ('new' rad with hose in/out connections facing forward may save space)...close spaces between rads at perimeter with sheet alum to prevent airflow leak/loss.
use a couple of copper 'sweat' tees (size 1-1/4'' IIRC) from homie depot (rattle can 'em black or silver to prevent 'green') and 'universal' rad hoses/clamps to connect water thru new/exist rads in 'parallel'...'roll' all the ends of the tees outward a bit to prevent hoses from slipping off...do NOT connect the rad outlets so that flow 'bullheads' in the tee.
use a couple of copper 'sweat' tees (size 1-1/4'' IIRC) from homie depot (rattle can 'em black or silver to prevent 'green') and 'universal' rad hoses/clamps to connect water thru new/exist rads in 'parallel'...'roll' all the ends of the tees outward a bit to prevent hoses from slipping off...do NOT connect the rad outlets so that flow 'bullheads' in the tee.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 1
From: NY
To everyone following this thread. I picked up my radiator and it looks and fits great.
I also found out that alot of my cooling problem was comeing from the cooling tubes in the original radiator being blown up from a previous blown head gasket. So the radiator was junk anyway. $300 well spent.
I also found out that alot of my cooling problem was comeing from the cooling tubes in the original radiator being blown up from a previous blown head gasket. So the radiator was junk anyway. $300 well spent.
