50 chevy radiator swap

Tried a search cant find it, please guide me.

I am installing a 283 v8 in my 50 chevy fleetline, I need to get a new radiator and was wondering what you guys that have done this swap may have used for a radiator. Is the 500ish aftermarket my only choice?

Thanks for any info.

 

I have gone both the Aluminum and br*** route. I think the br*** one was better but cost more.

 

champion sells aluminum rads for $200-300 om on ebay. I have bought 3 from them. kool very well. one guy, never turns on his electric fan....

 

Checked them out, thanks looks like 200 for mine, this might b the one, I did however see a thread that the fit was not so good......so still looking for more options. It seems to be the cheapest but is that it CHEAP? I see Rockin rebel you have used 3 so.........any one else have good words on this company?

 

Good words here too. Ran one in my 54 kept cool at 180ish with a 350/350 combo in it in 100°+ weather in stop and go traffic. when time comes to buy one for my 52 chevy truck I am for sure gona get it from champion.

 

55 chevy radiator is a nice fit with a couple of L brackets

 

I can get my hands on a nice 57 radiator, think its similar to a 55 but really just guessing, it seems to be about an inch and a half narrower in width and a inch or two shorter in height. It looks like i could swap brackets and than add some but the champion seems to be the better route.

 

Been running the stock radiator in mine for over 15 year. Never had any issues keeping up with a hot 350.

 

when I get my next radiator for my 51, I am thinking of going oversized and opening up the opening to allow more surface area for the air to go through. (same height but wider) if I can find one. there is so much room to go wider

 

The stock 50 radiator is more than adequate to cool a 283, unless it's junk to start with. We went with a E-Bay/Champion radiator for my nephews 51 Bus Coupe with a 350 engine. Used a stock, early style, 4 blade fan, and it stays plenty cool. We did have to trim 1/4" off either side of the aluminum brackets on the radiator in order to get it to slide into the radiator support, then locate and drill the mounting holes. I really hate buying anything from "off shore", but it's what the nephew wanted. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

i have a recore 50 radiator in my 50 with a 350 in it and even when i had a 400 in italways ran around 180. a old guy that recore my rad told me that in the old days they oversize them cause they didn,t have perment antifreeze how true i would like to know

 

I've been researching radiator upgrades for my car ('51 Mercury) and I think folks go with overkill on radiators. I know folks who go with like $800 3 core radiators for small block setups.

I have a highly inefficient setup in front of my cammed SBC with a 16" electric fan and it keeps up... And my buddy says it's a 4 cylinder Pinto rad.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/ProStockJohn/1951 Mercury Project Mercula/IMAG0336.jpg

I'm looking at some of those Jegs/Summit OEM style replacement radiators in the 25x19 range...

 

I wanted to use my stock radiator, I know it would keep up but the guy I brought it to said it is junk, he could recore it but said the core was around 225 itself and than add labor and I would be better off with new.

Thanks for all the advise it seems as if champion is the one but I hate the look of the aluminum radiators........oh well I just keep going back and forth.

Anyone interested in buying the junk original Williams radiator for around $200 bucks

 

I got one today from CG & J radiator in Gasden Alabama for $295.00 They will work with you and build it any way you want it .... 256-546-4613

 

55-56-57 v8 radiator all the same. My 50 fleetline with 55 radiator.

 

Thanks that looks nice and easy.......think im gonna call the guy that has it and go this route, less expensive and looks more correct than aluminum to me.

 

I got a 4 row triple p*** br***/copper direct fit radiator from U.S. Radiator. I didn't scrimp on the cooling with traffic in Southern California, plus, I was adding A/C. With the sbc, she runs at 160, with the A/C on, in stop/go traffic, she runs at 180.

 

I bought an aluminum radiator from Superior Radiator when I put the 401 nailhead in my SD company car 3 years ago. The temp has never gotten over 190 in the three years I've had it. Built a shroud for it and running a 15" six blade fan.

 

It would help if you posted the length and width of your present radiator and the location of the outlets that way you can get help finding "stuff that fits".

 

Dont over think and over spend if you dont have too. Plenty of guys use a stock radiatior to cool V8's, If everything will fit just run the stock piece.

EDIT..I shoulda read the whole thing first, but still if you can have the stock unit re-done for close to the same price and not have to modify anything else to fit, that might still be the easier way to go in the long run.