PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: cjwang2 on May 21, 2015, 04:48:29 PM
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I have started working on my 71 Pinto, 1.6L, and it looks like I will need a new radiator, due to too much corrosion. In looking up radiators, there are not many out there, and the ones that I could find are very expensive. Are there any other cars of that era, or more modern that I can use? I heard that some Mustangs are interchangeabl e, but I only found info on the 74 Pintos and V8's. Any help would be appreciated!
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While there are the "perfect fit" radiators just about any radiator that will fit the open space and have inlet/outlets similar in size and placement will work. I haven't touched on cooling capacity because with the 1.6 engine I doubt it will be an issue. You may have to drill new mounting holes (typically four), or perhaps make an extension piece, but these are relatively simple tasks if you can work with common tools. Years ago I had a car (Mazda 323) that I was selling to the State as a gross polluter buy back car. The radiator started to leak badly and I still needed the car for a few weeks. I just wired a replacement radiator into place and stretched the hoses a bit to fit a radiator I just happened to have sitting around. Ironically, the replacement radiator was from my Pinto (story continues below).
For the record the 71-73 Pintos had a 17" radiator opening. The 74 and up cars had 20" radiator though some of the cars still used a 17" radiator and there was just a side panel to fill the area. My 73 was upgraded to a 20" radiator. This was accomplished by cutting and moving a portion of the radiator panel to the right. I welded mine in, but it is feasible to bolt it also. If none of this is appealing to you see if there is a listing for a '74 Pinto, 2.0 engine, non air conditioner car. It probably has the 17" radiator. You didn't state if your car was automatic of manual. You can use an automatic radiator in a manual car, but you can't use a manual radiator in an automatic car.
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As Wittsend stated, a 17 inch or 20 inch from a Pinto will work. 100% chance your car has the 4 speed manual if it is a stock 1600 71. A radiator from a stick or automatic will work. British Cortinas did have automatics available on the 1.5L and 1.6L (1600) engines and were purported to use radiators from the 64 1/2-65 Mustangs. I just bought a 74 2.0L auto Pinto that is non-air and it has the larger 20 inch radiator. Maybe the 2.0L non-air stick shift 74s have the 17 inch but I can not verify.
71HANTO
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I have both top / bottom tanks & side brackets.
If taken to a rad shop they can put a new core in.
You want ? Make $ offer.....
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I bought mine from speedway magazine for $105.00 it is a 22" Chevrolet radiator and I had to make my own brackets but it fits just fine. hope this helps.
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NICE installation.
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Thank you for all the answers, they have been really informative. I do not know anything about radiators, since all the radiators that I have purchased in the past have been for modern cars and I have just gone to parts stores and picked them up cheaply. In looking online and at Ebay, I have found this, which would fit a 64 - 66 Mustang: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-ROW-Performance-Aluminum-Radiator-fit-for-1964-1966-Ford-Mustang-I6-AT-MT-New-/271613944266?hash=item3f3d73e1ca&vxp=mtr. The locations of the hoses look correct, and here are the dimensions: Core Size: 16-1/2" x 16-3/8" x 2". It seems smaller than the Pinto radiator of 17", but this is the core size, which I do not really know what that means. Is that the inner portion of the radiator only? Unfortunately I do not have the original radiator to measure. Sorry for my ignorance, just not used to purchasing radiators outside of an Auto parts store.
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Hello did you every buy the mustang radiator I am curious how it fit?
I am looking to buy one for a 1971 as well but I can't find an original one anywhere
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Although maverick are in short supply now I used one back in the day. even used a pinto in a 65 v8 mustang. they all bolted in.
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So a maverick rad will bolt in? What about the inlet and outlet holes/hoses?
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I had the radiator for my 73 wagon repaired by a local sbop here run by an old timer and when I first entered I asked the owner to guess what it fit. He guessed "early mustang or falcon" . Contintinued discussion revealed that they were interchangeabl e. However there were 2 row and 3 row radiators. Mine is a 3 row. I fitted a 2 row spare while my 3 row was being services and the car ran hot. I also had a 63 falcon with a 2 row that ran hot. Whatever you use, get a 3 row. The 3 row is thicker front to back than the 2 row by about1/2 inch