I am wanting a cooler in the radiator so I do not get the C-4 too hot again,a couple years ago I looked at a 55 that was for sale that had a 60s radiator in it and it looked like it bolted up so I was wondering if anyone knows what newer radiator will bolt in.  My 55 has a stand alone cooler that was mounted on the radiator that got debris between it and the radiator that I think was the cause of the heating issue but has been moved away and replaced with a larger cooler but want to have both now,I had to tow it back from Florida and do not want to do that again.


Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

I have a Champion radiator in my 55 Customline.  It was a bolt in and has been trouble free for the four years it’s been in the car.  While that radiator does have the automatic transmission cooler option built into it, I didn’t need to hook that up as my car is a standard shift.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

A quick search of EBAY brings up several different brands and prices for aluminum radiators to fit our cars. I have one on my 56 with the supercharger and it has worked great for several years. I believe it is also a Champion but the car is in storage now. 

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I bought a US Radiator the one next to the highest rated with a AT tank inside for my 56. It has a later transmission. I have the bypass blocked with a 1/8" hole, a 170* thermostat, a 6 blade fan, a Mustang water pump pulley which is 1" smaller, and a plastic radiator shroud from a company in Texas. The shroud has about 1/4 or less of it not used at the bottom for the trans line clearance.(my choice) I do not have any heating problems anymore. The AT tank "cooler" is also a a heater to help the trans warm up when the engine/car is first starting out. If your having a trans cooling problem it may need an additional cooler in front of the radiator or no "heater" in the lower radiator tank. I needed to do this many years ago on a truck with a cabover camper. good luck

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

I am using the original radiator and stuck a cooler on the front of it and a bunch of debris got caught between the radiator and cooler so it go hot while I was in Florida and lost third gear,the 55 I looked at looked to had a Mustang or a mid 60s Fairlane radiator and it looked to have 
bolted in. This time I want a cooler in the radiator and will use a aux cooler too,I always was worried that something would blow up from the road and block the cooler and that is kind of what happened so no more just a cooler in front of the radiator or just use a manual trans.


Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

I've used an inline cooler mounted on the X frame of my Bird and 48.  Both with C-4's.  Haven't had a problem with either of the trans.  The Bird has been on a cross country trip in the middle of summer, while the one on the 48 has been on for 20 something years and has a lot of miles on it.  All summer driving..


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I put a Champion radiator in my 56. Been in there for over 3 years with no issues. I run a 190° thermostat and in 100° summer days my car never gets over 190°-195°.

Durham Missouri

My Tbird has a $200 Champion aluminum radiator and an electric fan.  I live in Central Florida where the traffic is heavy at best.  You can not make my car overheat even in August.

I did some looking and I think a 70 Mustang radiator should work and now to find someone who actually has one that I can get some measurements off of it before ordering one,I will use it while it still has the 351 in it and when the 272 goes in I am going to spend the money on a original looking 56 radiator with a cooler.


Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio