PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: Turbo_Pinto_77 on December 27, 2011, 06:44:27 PM

Title: Need help with a new radiator mount
Post by: Turbo_Pinto_77 on December 27, 2011, 06:44:27 PM

I'm looking to upgrade the radiator in my 77 Pinto this winter. The car has a 78 Buick 3.8 V6 with a turbo. The guy that put the motor in it custom built a radiator support and it has a Chrysler single row radiator in it right now. In the hot weather the car runs at around 205 degrees... It will touch 220 if I sit in any traffic. Too hot for my liking. I want to put in a 3 or 4 row aluminum radiator. The way the Chrysler one is mounted in the car now is by a rail down each side (tanks are on the top and bottom) There is no "tray" or anything at the bottom to sit a radiator in and I cant seem to find an aluminum radiator that is the same dimensions as my current one.

So, obviously I'm going to have to start from scratch on a new mounting design for a new aluminum radiator. Does anyone have a fairly clean and easy way to mount a radiator in my Pinto?

Should I just buy a Mustang or similar radiator and design the mount around the radiator?

What have the V-8 Pinto owners done to satisfy their cooling needs?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Need help with a new radiator mount
Post by: Starliner on December 29, 2011, 11:48:14 AM

First... Wow I would like to hear more about your "Grand National Pinto!"
 
Since the 6 cylinder should set back you should have a lot of room for many radiator and electric fan choices.
I would suggest first checking out a 77-78 Mustang II V8 radiator.  I would guess that it would drop in and be an easy installation.
Then add an electric fan with a shroud.   

Title: Re: Need help with a new radiator mount
Post by: RSM on December 29, 2011, 12:28:55 PM

I have a radiator for a Mustang II and it mounts different than the Pinto radiator. I was going to use one like that for my car but didn't have the room. I wound up with a custom radiator and mounted it inside of the radiator support. I did this so I could retain the hood latch...I hate hood pins. I'll wind up modifying the hood latch support so I can fit an electric fan to the front of the radiator since there is no room on the back side. I think I remember the post about your car. How much room do you have between the radiator and the front of the engine?? Here is a link to a forum where I posted a pic of what I did. http://www.route66wingsandwheels.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3293&start=25