Water pump drivers vs passenger side confusion

[nmb0003]

Looking for help from the experts.

Finishing the engine build for my 68 Charger. Originally a factory-AC, PS, 383 4bbl non-hi po car. Original engine was long gone when I bought it.

I believe I still have the original radiator in it. 26” wide, with pictures of the part number below.

My question is: this radiator has the inlet and outlet BOTH on the passenger side.

Purchased an aluminum water pump housing and noticed it’s drivers side exit. Researching this, seems there was a passenger side exit housing but what I read it was for RV-use only. However from an old 440 core that supposedly came from a ‘74 New Yorker, it has a passenger exit pump housing.

What is correct for my car? Does the water pump need to exit on the drivers side and the rubber house routes it to the passenger side bottom?

 

[Black_Sheep]

A quick google search shows 3673955 is a radiator for a 1973 C-body with a 400 CID engine.

http://www.mopar1.us/radiator.txt

 

[WileE]

Your radiator is for a 1973 C-body.

 

[Vaanth]

The pictured radiator, number 3673955 was originally equipped in a 1973 C-body with 400 engine and air conditioning.

The water pump housing inlet on all big block engines was relocated to the passenger side in 1973. NOTE: The lower hose is the inlet to the water pump. The outlet from the engine to the radiator is the upper hose.

For 1968, the inlet to the water pump should be on the driver side, as well as the lower hose to the radiator also on the driver side.

 

[Jeff Peterson]

I would get the correct radiator, but you could also go this route..

Water pump housing Aluminum - Passenger Side Lower Hose

 

[nmb0003]

Thanks all, this is very helpful.

If anyone has a recommendation on brands of radiators to buy (or to avoid), that would be appreciated. My 440 dyno’d at 570 HP so fairly hot but not crazy.

Is aluminum the way to go or no?

 

[Jeff Peterson]

These have pretty favorable reveiws from members on here

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3540331582...kcm/XPAY4KiAWXpxYA2Y7NnCA=|tkp:Bk9SR_KKvcu2Zg

 

[Vaanth]

Thanks all, this is very helpful.

If anyone has a recommendation on brands of radiators to buy (or to avoid), that would be appreciated. My 440 dyno’d at 570 HP so fairly hot but not crazy.

Is aluminum the way to go or no?

These have pretty favorable reveiws from members on here

View attachment 1927835

https://www.ebay.com/itm/354033158218?_skw=mopar+26+radiator&itmmeta=01K6TBF8N98RFEX5R8YN4XZSN8&hash=item526e05484a:gxYAAOSwFGNWTgqr&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1chI9q8kpqhMid3qexBPd1yrhUDc/Y5JkwyO5wVmt3dmFVdjEqUerk68APRaG65FtzlFucNfRywLPyKTC0Dx8oRxFDzwEFNCRsHzKhB7/dXjX87WAFZ1evmytwfFIKcIkSX9c6T0uufMzKd417JLwqVKcbGy58YY0Wb4BmUJSS32Rj6Ut8SWIatVvDy4cq35VPZkew+Gl5DkaqlRQHRhjSEkCoYSPnj4IdxuLtHu9kcm/XPAY4KiAWXpxYA2Y7NnCA=|tkp:Bk9SR_KKvcu2Zg

I am using one of the Auto City Classic 26 inch pre-painted black radiators in my Challenger. It arrived well packed in its own radiator box, double boxed inside another box. It's solidly built and the welds look good. It doesn't come with the automatic transmission cooling line fittings or petcock, just plugs for these.

The following image shows it out of the box with fittings, etc. added:

It bolted to the core support fine. The bracketing is thicker than the original steel bracket on an original brass radiator. It's thick enough that I tapped it and used some factory 1/4-20 bolts with washer to attach the shroud. These could be backed with nuts if they wear out, but hopefully I won't be removing/installing that much. The shroud aligned okay with a little persuasion. Due to that thickness, the factory metal clips to hold the overflow hose wont fit without modification to fit the thicker material. I used plastic ring retainers in a few of the provided holes for an earlier style shroud to route my hose.

The following image shows the radiator installed in my car:

There are two areas that are slight negatives.
1) The overflow hose fitting is at an angle instead of straight to the side, so the hose routing is not as clean, but the cap/opening is recessed, so the fitting has to angle. The recessed opening is a little odd looking, but not too obtrusive at a glance.
2) The drain fitting point is too far to the right compared to stock which places the petcock right at the end of the strut rod. It's workable, but inward toward the center a bit would be better. That likely is not an issue on a 22" radiator.

I don't have a lot of run time yet, but it cools fine so far with no leaks. Watching the flow inside while running looks good. Without a close look, it looks somewhat like a stock radiator:

 

[BLK 68 R/T]

The pictured radiator, number 3673955 was originally equipped in a 1973 C-body with 400 engine and air conditioning.

The water pump housing inlet on all big block engines was relocated to the passenger side in 1973. NOTE: The lower hose is the inlet to the water pump. The outlet from the engine to the radiator is the upper hose.

For 1968, the inlet to the water pump should be on the driver side, as well as the lower hose to the radiator also on the driver side.

Not correct for a big block car. Below applies to 383/426/440.

68 charger with a 26” radiator bottom hose drivers side, top hose passenger side.
With a 22” radiator bottom hose drivers side, top hose just offset from the middle to the drivers side.
Top radiator tank on the 22” radiator is the round top “bubble top” style radiator tank. 26” is of course the flat, square top style that most people know.

And just to clarify - a hemi car always came with the 26” radiator. 383 and 440 could be either one depending on options.

 

[ruffcut]

I'm using anAuto City radiator and aside from the wierd angle of the overflow outlet and the petcock being too far right, it is a good fit. Bolts righ in and uces a stock shroud also. Ruffcut