Quicksilver wrote:

Is it a stock big block radiator size your puting in your 66.

 
That’s a good question that I’m not 100% sure I know the answer.  It’s been so long since I bought the radiator and read up on the modification that I’m not sure.  If I recall it’s an AC radiator from a 1970 SB mustang.     

There’s a post not to far in on here that covers this topic.  It’s what I used to buy the radiator I have now.

I have done many of these 70 radiator installations in 65-66 Mustangs.
Place a wooden paint stir stick, or a yardstick plat on the frame rail under the lower tank.  Design your lower bracket installation so the radiator tank fits flat on the wooden stick. Bolt it all together and then remove the stick. You will then have the perfect clearance and fan shroud fitment dimensions.

Be sure the radiator filler neck is perfectly centered side to side. The radiator itself may be a little off-center.

When drilling for the two upper bracket holes, make them as low as possible so the bolts pull the bracket where it clamps the radiator in place without ANY movement allowed.  The holes will be lower than you first think they will be.  You need a 67-68 upper bracket.

Have you made sure that wide lower mount won’t touch the tank?  Looks like it might be close.

Be sure all your trimmed sheet metal edges of the core support clear the radiator by 1/4” or so. The rubber mounted radiator will move a little bit as you go down a bumpy road.

I REALLY like these pictures and step-by-step instructions on mods. Lotsa times guys just say..."I did such-and-such....' with maybe a picture after the mod. Hard to follow those.
6sally6

This would give you a more factory-appearing opening in

OH MY GOODNESS !! ....
You're an INCH off the centerline of the support!?!
You KNOW we'll hafta kick ya off the board because you're a full inch from perfect alignment!!
When I finally do get to meet ya and look at that 'fine ride'  I'll hide my tape rule .....until you're no where in sight.

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxcEZgCGFwOKrzA0sexYuBfwlpIHg0soFl

6sal6

Last edited by 6sally6 (5/05/2023 1:15 PM)

RTM wrote:

I have a 1970 battery tray and a 1966 tray. I will put the 70 battery base on the 66 lower half so the battery clears the radiator. I already had the parts before I decided to go with a 24 inch radiator. If I run into major clearance issues, battery will be moved to the trunk!

MS I understand the factory appearance look. My thought process was to eliminate the air bypassing the radiator fins. If I was to do anything with the top, I would weld in a filler piece across the top. For now I’m happy with the way it is. I had also given thought to adding a piece of filler at the bottom as well, but I’m not sure it’s worth that much extra work.

I’m not sure if anyone really noticed how I cut the vertical sides of the core support at angle and bent them back. This was done to keep the gap between the radiator and the opening of the core support to a minimum. Again forcing as much air through the radiator and not allowing the air to flow around the outside edge of the radiator. I think it gives a cleaner look too.

Centering the radiator cap isn’t an option. The cap location is 1” off center. If I were to center the radiator cap then the radiator would be offset in the core support opening. As it sits now the cores of the radiator are perfectly centered in the core support opening. I didn’t think about it affecting the battery location until now. I guess I’ll find out this weekend when I work on the battery tray.

For now it’s bolted in.

That's why I said check where your battery is going before you put radiator....they sell a modified battery tray Steve actually designed and they copied  and started producing uses the 67-70tray and the 67 hold down seems and bolts in a 65-66like I got it from C J Pony or Summit Racing. The Red Top Optima Battery but they are expensive. I believe there cheaper batteries out there but this one fit..Steve has a good picture of how close the battery is to 24 inch Radiator when installed is why I suggest putting battery in first move the radiator over just a little if you need too. so mount the battery as far over as possible towards the passenger fender direction. 

https://www.cjponyparts.com/cj-classics-battery-tray-mustang-with-1967-1970-hold-down-clamp-holes-1965-1966/p/M3535A/

Last edited by BILLY WALTON from GEORGIA (5/05/2023 6:24 PM)

RTM wrote:

6sally6 wrote:

OH MY GOODNESS !! ....
You're an INCH off the centerline of the support!?!
You KNOW we'll hafta kick ya off the board because you're a full inch from perfect alignment!!
When I finally do get to meet ya and look at that 'fine ride' I'll hide my tape rule .....until you're no where in sight.

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxcEZgCGFwOKrzA0sexYuBfwlpIHg0soFl

6sal6

 
Lol it’s just the cap opening that’s off center not the radiator. Lol

Thats same thing I said with mine its just the cap opening that's off center till my fan was hitting fan shroud and radiator hoses were not fitting  lot more to it than the the cap just being in the center and the battery would not fit and had to take radiator back out  move the bottom brackets more inboard and weld holes back up where we drilled too far towards the passenger side on top bracket on core support  lol.
Also without the engine in there and fan and water pump and hoses on
it is also gonna be hard to tell where your fan and radiator hoses are gonna hit with your fan shroud and stuff....its a lot of stuff that have to line up,
 
Try this bolt your lower hood latch up there and see how those bolts are on that bracket they will have to go thru it too. The 2 bolts that hold the upper radiator bracket look evenly spaced between them I will try and post a picture later if Steve dont.. That will give a better idea of how it looks.

I had gone back a read the past post again.  Admittedly I glanced through it but did not see where this was part of the installation.   Maybe I missed it.  Either way there’s nothing that can’t be adjusted if needed.  It’s not a full inch off.  Once you split the difference I’m only a 1/2 inch off center.   You can see the offset markings on the green tape covering the radiator cap opening.

I will be running electric fans, no mechanical fan.   I do hope to get the engine bay in primer today and slide the car over more in the garage, there’s no suspension so this will be fun.  Once I get that done I do plan on installing the motor and trans along with all the suspension so I can start making all of my brake lines and such.   Plus finish the paint work of the shell.

I’ll try to post some pictures after I get the engine in and the battery tray fitted.