Need some dimensions please

[vegiguy]

I'm finding the big block radiator that I'm upgrading to (because I swapped engines) to be a bit wider than the small bock one that my car used to have and so I'm pretty sure big block cars got radiator supports with the radiator mounting flanges in different locations (wider apart). I need to know the size of this opening and whether it was centered in the radiator support or offset on one side or the other so I know how to modify the support I have.

My next problem is the water pump pulley I have for my 400 engine seems to hit the crank pulley(s) when installed so I'm thinking one or the other of these is wrong. The Water pump pulley I have is 6" outside diameter and the crank pulley assembly is 7 1/4" outside diameter. Could someone please tell my which if any is wrong? The car has AC and power steering.

Thanks for any help, I desperately need it!

 

['68 Charger]

Hello, the w/p pulley for 400 bb with A/C is 5-7/16" diameter (see pic 1.). And the opening of the rad support for the large radiator from edge to edge is 28.5" (see pic 2.).

I have the w/p pulley if you end up needing it.

Thanks

 

[vegiguy]

Hello, the w/p pulley for 400 bb with A/C is 5-7/16" diameter (see pic 1.). And the opening of the rad support for the large radiator from edge to edge is 28.5" (see pic 2.).

I have the w/p pulley if you end up needing it.

Thanks

View attachment 356136 View attachment 356137

How much for the WP pulley? By the large radiator do you mean the one with the 26" wide core (which I believe is referred to as a 26" radiator)? According to my Mopar interchange book there was also a 28" radiator that was used on big block B-body cars in '73 with AC or max cooling.

I have decided the radiator I bought for my RR from Oreillys or Autozone a long time ago is some sort of generic radiator being sold for B body cars from the late '70's and not the ideal one for my car, because to make it work I would have to drill a bunch of extra holes in the rad support as well as add some shims since the mounting brackets on the original 26" radiators were staggered somewhat. Now you can buy a reproduction of the original 26" big block radiator - or at least one that looks better than the parts store one I have - from Classic Industries: http://downloads.classicindustries.com/Catalogs/pdf/mopar_sec_j.pdf . I think I'm going to break down and buy one of these unless someone has a good (or one that is fixable) 26" big block radiator that they would sell me. I'm pretty sure I need what is referred to as a 26" radiator based on the research I've done and measurements I've taken.

 

['68 Charger]

In 1973 they switched to a 28" radiator for max cool applications on B Body cars. What year is yours?

PM sent about the water pulley.

 

[vegiguy]

Hello, the w/p pulley for 400 bb with A/C is 5-7/16" diameter (see pic 1.). And the opening of the rad support for the large radiator from edge to edge is 28.5" (see pic 2.).

I have the w/p pulley if you end up needing it.

Thanks

View attachment 356136 View attachment 356137

How much for the WP pulley? By the large radiator do you mean the one with the 26" wide core (which I believe is referred to as a 26" radiator)? According to my Mopar interchange book there was also a 28" radiator that was used on big block B-body cars in '73 with AC or max cooling.

I have decided the radiator I bought for my RR from Oreillys or Autozone a long time ago is some sort of generic radiator being sold for B body cars from the late '70's and not the ideal one for my car, because to make it work I would have to drill a bunch of extra holes in the rad support as well as add some shims since the mounting brackets on the original 26" radiators were staggered somewhat. Now you can buy a reproduction of the original 26" big block radiator - or at least one that looks better than the parts store one I have - from Classic Industries: http://downloads.classicindustries.com/Catalogs/pdf/mopar_sec_j.pdf . I think I'm going to break down and buy one of these unless someone has a good (or one that is fixable) 26" big block radiator that they would sell me. I'm pretty sure I need what is referred to as a 26" radiator based on the research I've done and measurements I've taken.

In 1973 they switched to a 28" radiator for max cool applications on B Body cars. What year is yours?

PM sent about the water pulley.

1973. I switched from a 318 to the 400 so I'm mainly concerned with finding a big block radiator the same size and bolt pattern as what was in there, which like I mentioned I believe to be a 26" radiator. The 26" BB OE style new radiators that Classic Industries sells have three cores so I'm sure they would handle the cooling needs of this car even though it has AC. I just don't see where I could get an original style 28" radiator and I don't know if it has the same bolt pattern and would fit the car, so even if I wanted to use that size I don't see a 28" radiator as being an option at this point.

 

['68 Charger]

Okay well I have the 28" radiator from a 1973 B Body which had A/C. I can measure the bolt holes distances for you. Here's some pics of my radiator in the meantime.

 

[vegiguy]

Okay well I have the 28" radiator from a 1973 B Body which had A/C. I can measure the bolt holes distances for you. Here's some pics of my radiator in the meantime.

View attachment 356158 View attachment 356159 View attachment 356160

I'd be interested in this radiator if it's for sale, the bolt holes line up with the ones on my car, and it doesn't have any leaks which can't be fixed.

 

['68 Charger]

I'd be interested in this radiator if it's for sale, the bolt holes line up with the ones on my car, and it doesn't have any leaks which can't be fixed.

Measurements from center of hole to center of hole are: W = 30-1/4" and H = 7".

As far as my OEM radiator, I never had it perform under my watch. This is from a 1973 Satellite that I parted out. Although the tanks do look good, I cannot guarantee from it having any leeks. I will say that when I went to remove this radiator it still had some antifreeze in it for what it's worth.

Thanks

 

[vegiguy]

Measurements from center of hole to center of hole are: W = 30-1/4" and H = 7".

As far as my OEM radiator, I never had it perform under my watch. This is from a 1973 Satellite that I parted out. Although the tanks do look good, I cannot guarantee from it having any leeks. I will say that when I went to remove this radiator it still had some antifreeze in it for what it's worth.

Thanks

The radiator opening on the radiator support on my car measures 17 1/2" across so I'm thinking this radiator won't work unless I change to a support like you have shown above that has the bigger opening (which isn't practical now), I'm still under the impression that what I need is the 26" radiator and that's all that will fit this car the way it's built. As I surmised earlier in the thread Chrysler must have used different radiator supports based on which radiator they used. You gotta love Chrysler for how they built cars back then!

 

[vegiguy]

The radiator opening on the radiator support on my car measures 17 1/2" across so I'm thinking this radiator won't work unless I change to a support like you have shown above that has the bigger opening (which isn't practical now), I'm still under the impression that what I need is the 26" radiator and that's all that will fit this car the way it's built. As I surmised earlier in the thread Chrysler must have used different radiator supports based on which radiator they used. You gotta love Chrysler for how they built cars back then!

I meant the opening was 27", not 17 1/2".

 

['68 Charger]

I meant the opening was 27", not 17 1/2".

 

[vegiguy]

I think I have this thing figured out for anyone that is interested. After studying the above pictures and measurements of the 28" radiator support as well as those of the 26" radiator support I have on my car I have concluded that the only difference is an extra offset mounting flange on the left (driver's) side of the radiator support opening of the 26" radiator support (that corresponds to the offset flange on a 26" radiator). Also the 26" support lacks any left side mounting holes for a 28" radiator, and the right side holes might be off a tad (I'm still trying to figure this out). To fit a 28" radiator (which apparently is what the aftermarket one I have mentioned above is considered) to a 26" radiator support all that needs to be done is to trim off this extra mounting flange and drill the appropriate mounting holes, which is what I plan to do. Hopefully this will work and the fan will end up in a place where it won't hit the fan shroud.

In terms of which B-bodies got which radiator, from the research I have done I have concluded that 26" radiators were used on small block cars with AC and big block cars without AC, and 28" radiators were used on big block cars with AC or with max cooling.

 

['68 Charger]

In terms of which B-bodies got which radiator, from the research I have done I have concluded that 26" radiators were used on small block cars with AC and big block cars without AC, and 28" radiators were used on big block cars with AC or with max cooling.

In your above statement I highlighted in purple, is that for 71-74 B Body? 71-72 B Body? 73-74 B Body? Or any other range?

Thanks

 

[vegiguy]

In your above statement I highlighted in purple, is that for 71-74 B Body? 71-72 B Body? 73-74 B Body? Or any other range?

Thanks

This is for '73 and '74 B-bodies. From what I can tell '71 and '72 cars all got smaller radiators. 28" radiators apparently didn't get used in our cars until 1973.

 

['68 Charger]

OKay that's what I thought that the 28" came out in 1973.

Thanks

 

[vegiguy]

OKay that's what I thought that the 28" came out in 1973.

Thanks

You're welcome. Could you please post the measurements of the radiator mounting holes in the 28" radiator support shown in post #2 above from the top edge of the support to the center of the holes so I know for sure where to make the new holes in my support that I am modifying? I think I can determine the side to side measurements, but just for completeness it might be nice to have them also (maybe using the inside edge of the opening as a reference point). If it's not too much trouble a close picture of the INSIDE of the radiator support opening would sure be appreciated. After that I think we've pretty much covered everything about the differences between the mounting of 26" and 28" radiators.

Thanks for the help!

 

['68 Charger]

You're welcome. Could you please post the measurements of the radiator mounting holes in the 28" radiator support shown in post #2 above from the top edge of the support to the center of the holes so I know for sure where to make the new holes in my support that I am modifying? I think I can determine the side to side measurements, but just for completeness it might be nice to have them also (maybe using the inside edge of the opening as a reference point). If it's not too much trouble a close picture of the INSIDE of the radiator support opening would sure be appreciated. After that I think we've pretty much covered everything about the differences between the mounting of 26" and 28" radiators.

Thanks for the help!

Sorry wish I could help but I sold the shell.

 

[vegiguy]

Looks like the mounting holes on the right side of my radiator support for the 26" radiator are in the same place as the above shown 28" radiator support so I figure it's just a matter of making the new holes for the radiator I have in the same relative position on the left side of my support the appropriate distance apart once I cut off the offset flange that was used for the smaller radiator. Definitely a "measure twice, cut once" type of job!