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By ronsplace - 8 Years Ago
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Has anyone located a vendor who produces well-made, bolt-in, two-row aluminum radiators for '55 and '56 Fairlanes with Y block and auto trans? I found one at Griffin, but they want more than $1k plus shipping. Honest! Can't believe they have the nerve to ask that kind of money. If anyone has located a source, please pass it on. Even if it's not an exact bolt-in and requires some fabrication, that would work. Thanks, Ron
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By miker - 8 Years Ago
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There's been post either here or the Ford Barn about an eBay one that folks seemed happy with. Might try a search (I don't seem to be able to make that work as well as the experts do). I've got a couple BeCool units, but they're as pricey as the one you mentioned. They work though, at 90+ degrees, with a/c on.
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By charliemccraney - 8 Years Ago
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Champion radiators
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By geo56 - 8 Years Ago
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I bought a replacement aluminum radiator for my 56 Victoria with Fordomatic from Auto City Classic Inc. It has a stamped top and lower tank and was a direct bolt in replacement for the original. I needed to slot or drill nothing. The top tank, which was obviously die stamped , is a very good copy of the TBird type radiators of that era. I think the 312 equipped Fairlanes might have been equipped from the factory with the same type of larger top tank. It looks great, runs cool with the 13 pound cap , and cost $229.00 which was about half of what I paid for a brass replacement that leaked after a years time. I resisted an aluminum replacement and blew about $800.00 on a brass recore and the new brass replacement that also leaked at the top seam . Before I was referred to Auto City Classic, the only aluminum rerplacements I saw on Ebay looked like street rod radiators with the tanks made of pieces of aluminum flat bar welded together. After about 6 months of running cool and no leaks,I have not looked back.
George
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By lowrider - 8 Years Ago
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X2 on Champion. Have one in my 57 and 61
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By Meandean - 8 Years Ago
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I also have one of the Auto City Classic Aluminum radiators and that along with a 6 blade fan did a lot to cause my 55 Fairlane to run in the middle of the temperature gauge and not keep creeping up to the hot line. I think this is the 3rd or 4th year it's been installed and so far it's been a great purchase.
On my car the mounting height was just a bit of an issue as we noticed that the top of the radiator was a bit high and the cap would have hit the underside of the hood if we'd just slammed it shut. A very minor bit of slotting the holes was necessary. So if you go this route I'd advise you to check that.
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By Kahuna - 8 Years Ago
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Champion also
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By Ted - 8 Years Ago
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Here’s the link to a recent thread discussing aluminum radiators.
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost129567.aspx
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By 62bigwindow - 8 Years Ago
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Champion here also. I have one in my 56. No issues at all. One reason I chose them ,other than cost,was you can request your rad to me made in the USA. It will cost a bit more but worth it I think
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By DryLakesRacer - 8 Years Ago
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I have a US Radiator from Los Angeles, it is copper/ brass and looks as original. They have many different tube/fin combinations and I had auto trans cooler placed in it. They list in places like Drive Magazine as Cool Craft and also make aluminum ones. It was reasonable and assembled in LA.
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By Rono - 8 Years Ago
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We also have a Champion Aluminum radiator in our 56 Ranch Wagon. They fit well, cool well and look good. The only 2 comments I have are the following; If you have an automatic, the transmission cooling line fittings in the bottom tank are at a different angle because the shape of the bottom tank is slightly different. This will require a slight bending of your tranny cooling lines. Also, the overflow fitting in the neck of the top tank filler faces the passenger side. This makes it a tight fit because of the battery tray if you want to use an overflow tank.
Rono
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By 62bigwindow - 8 Years Ago
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The overflow fitting on the one in my car is on the drivers side. Maybe Champion made an update.
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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When I put a 302 in my 64 Fairlane (was a 6 cyl) I used a U. S. Radiator unit (copper) and it cools great. It was a 3 row though
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