30 coupe on 32 ch***is,32 grille,hemi or sbc,manual,body channeled 3/4,whats the best and cheapest non aluminum radiator?maybe run a hood also...thanks quinton
Good question. I am building something similar. I know that a stock height 32 grille works on a stock 30/31 radiator on a stock frame. But I seem to recall C9 recommending a 2" shorter radiator and corresponding drop in the shell. This to compensate for the slight front kick up in the 32 frame. As for a non aluminum radiator I know Walker makes them stock height and chopped. But they are not the "cheapest."
Done dozens of cars with a Walker with no failures. No place to cut corners. On the 04 NSRA 31 RPU giveaway we used a 2 inch shortened Walker rad with the corresponding amount out of the bottom side of the shell and had perfect hood alignment/slope.
The Chester Greenhalgh book, "How to Build a T-Bucket Roadster for Under $3000" has a chapter with two pages of dimensions for radiators that can be found in junkyards or for cheap at parts counters and will fit in deuce, model-a or T grille shells. Also shows top and bottom hose locations and trans cooler info. Coincidentally, that particular chapter is a freee download at www.TBucketPlans.com
After looking at modifying a real 32 rad and a model A rad I decided to save money, time and headaches by stepping up and purchasing a walker radiator. I ordered a 2", 32 rad for a flathead to use in my AV8 project. I was and still am VERY impressed with the quality and fit. Jason...
You can also order a 3" shorter Walker 32 rad. Might be a good way to be on the safe side. I just wanted mine to be the same height as a stock A but with a top tank and tabs to use with a 32 shell. I'm sure they'll accommodate your needs for whatever you need. I called before I ordered through a dealer just to confirm I would get what I needed. The dealer still F$%ed it up and had to get me another one, but it was like I ordered the second time. Jason...
On the give away we didn't have any channel, but we did pie cut the bottom of the cowl from the door forward so the cowl dropped down about 3/4 of an inch and had a slight upward curve like a deuce while still setting on top of the rails. Before you spend the money, why don't you mock up your shell t******* it a little at a time until you get the hood line right. Buy some maskin tape to make the hood top and when you are satisfied measure from the inside top of the shell down to the radiator mounting pads and compare that to a stock deuce radiator measurement. That how we arrived at a 2 inch radiator. Over the years I've seen to many 30/31s with deuce shells and the hood line went uphill, not good!
Hey, I was looking into a radiator for my coupe today as well. I've got recommendations for PRC radiators. http://www.prchotrod.com/ford-car-radiators.html Apparently they can do custom made radiators for flatheads without a problem. I contacted MN Hot Rod Hardware and found that the pricing was very attractive.
I used gennie 32 V8 radiator bracketry and a top tank and a 3 core Mustang radiator. Made a hinged "door" below the 32 top tank that folds down for access to the rustang rad top tank. Total cost... $175. The original plan was to simply recore the 32 rad a few inches shorter than stock. Upon dis***embly it was found to be pretty beat with many cracks and old repairs so I decided to use it as camoflage until I come across a rebuildable core or can afford a new walker.
Damn... I knew I should have taken pictures when I did this! The first thing I did was tear down the 32 radiator. I wouldn't do this to a nice, useable, or even repairable '32 radiator, but the one I had was too beat up to be reliable. I took the top of the top tank off and removed the side/bottom bracketry that surrounds the core and the shell mounts on. My car is a 30 roadster on a deuce frame with a 1" mini-channel at the firewall/cowl feet so I chopped the side brackets about 2.75" and raised the sides of the '32 shell a corresponding ammount. Then, I removed the side brackets from the Mustang radiator, this unit is a "like-new" used 3-core V8 model that I paid $50 on epay. Obviously, I had to add another inlet and outlet. I got them at my local radiator repair shop for about $10 for the pair. I slid the Mustang radiator down into the '32 bracketry and centered it. I made up a few br*** straps from pieces of other radiators I had laying around and soldered them to the bottom of the bracketry and around the sides at the top connecting them to the flat areas on the upper and lower mustang tanks. I also soldered the lower corners of the mustang lower tank to the bottom of the mounting bracket. You really don't want it vibrating/rubbing anywhere. I then took the '32 top tank and removed the baffle below the filler neck. I slid it into place above the mustang top tank and soldered it into the bracketry. I also added a few small screws for reinforcement. I hammered out a panel with a lip on it that fits below the '32 top tank to cover the gap and hide the top of the mustang tank. This panel has two tabs that are screwed to the side support bracketry and two small screws that hold it up under the radiator support rod bracket. By removing the two screw under the bracket, it flips down for access to the hidden 7lb pressure cap. A long skinny funnel goes through the stock '32 filler neck into the stang filler to add coolant. It's not in that pic, but I even used the original copper overflow tube. I hope this helps, I'll try to grab a few more pics too.
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