I read a lot of posts about replacing the factory radiator with BB motors .. has anyone been keeping the original radiator and had no problems. I have a pure stock '73 BB with 4 sp. I have not had a problem yet but I have not been in traffic or used A/C or even been in warm weather yet. I don't want to spend a lot of $$ if not needed, but don't want to be sitting on the side of the road overheated either. If necessary I will swap it out...

Any suggestions...

i didnt have a problem with mine and i bet AR is warmer than VA but i dont have air either

you need to figure out if your radiator is copper or aluminum..

ive neard nothing but good things about aluminum 2 core radiators..  they outperform 4 core copper..

 

 

cthulhu38423.7161805556

Are the original 4 core copper?

If you are not having any problems, I would wait.  Remember these worked okay when they were new, without modifications.  Granted they are not new.  If your's is okay, why spend the money?  If you do have cooling problems the aluminum radiators are very nice.

Cruzn,

I have a 74, 454 4 speed. It ran fine WO AC on. When I decided to have the rad flushed, it started to run very hot (250) I never found out what the problem was but I got a Dewitts with dual fans, I also decided to change the water pump and used a Edelbrock Vector.  Now, while in traffic with AC on the car stays at 200 Max.

Total cost: $1400.00 A little steep, but I don't worry about overheating anymore.     

 

If it aint broke, don't fix it.

Don't worry, as these cars age there will be plenty of other things that you can fix as time goes on.   

Well all seems OK so far, ... I had a 195 stat in and when I ran A/C at slow speeds (traffic) and temp in the upper 70's the temp gage ran about 205. I have tried a 165 thgermostat and upper 70's temp. and it runs right about 175 with A/C on. Is that temp (165) too low for this engine....?

Keep in mind that the thermostat does not control the upper end of the temperature range.  It maintains the minimum operating temperature in the engine (too low an operating temperature can be almost as harmful as too hot).  If an engine is running hot is because other components of the cooling system are not doing their job properly.

I put a 16" Spal puller fan & turn it on in traffic. With the air on never goes above 200 degrees. HP makes heat. Also installed two  7" spal fans behind the frt tires to pull heat off the headers & I run them all the time when the temps above 70 degrees. If I didn't have these extra fans it would heat up in traffic...that's the nature of the beast. The new engine has much better water flow than the origional 427 & hold  more water. Also use water wetter & cut the anti-freeze back to about 25% in the summer.

Alan

 

 

I went thru a big pain in the butt with mine. I rebuilt the engine, trans, etc. While I had everyting out I had the rad recored. When everything was back together it ran at 205-210 with air temps in the 70's. (350 no a/c). I replaced the 195 stat with a 160 and added an antifreeze additive (I think it was called 40 below). With both of those it was running 160. I replaced the 160 stat with a 195 and it's still around 160-170. Runs good though. I drove it 3 hours straight yesterday in a classic car cruise which was basically creeping along, air temp in the mid 70's never got above 170.

Matt