Can you post some pictures of what your dealing with?

50vert wrote:

I thought there is a bolt in fill panel used on the 20".
The 67 lower brackets are specific to the 67 only 23" radiator.
 

My 20" radiator was bolted directly to the radiator support.  Allegedly there were fill panels used from the factory, but my car never had them as long as I've owned it.  They certainly weren't necessary to install the radiator.  They may have blocked some airflow at the sides and directed more air through the radiator, but I never had an issue keeping the car cool without them.  My understanding is that there were actually 3 radiators offered in '67.  There was an 18", a 20" and the 24" (which was really like 23-3/8").  

I'm kind of picture your issue in my head but pictures would help.

TKOPerformance wrote:

Well, I looked at it this morning when I was fresh and less frustrated and I found at least one problem I'm going to have to rectify before anything else.  The inside measurement between both lower mounts in the car is 14-3/8" +/-, but I need 16" minimum for the brackets to ride on the areas meant for the brackets on the bottom tank.  I'm going to do some more research, but I think I am going to have to either go to the '68 style lower brackets, or modify/make my own.

The radiator is from Cold Case, and looks awesome, but I think part of the issue is that because the lower radiator hose outlet is in the location for a reverse rotation water pump its not really a copy of a 24" big block radiator like a '67 with a 390 would have had.  I think the lower hose outlet location precludes the possibility of using the '67 style lower mounts, because the outlet and the mount areas can't coexist in the same space.  

@#$% nothing is EVER easy!  I'll post back with an update when I've rectified the lower mount situation.  

My radiator is Cold Case.  I wouldn't trust anything they say about fitment.  Did you purchase the brackets they listed?  
 

Dennis wrote:

TKOPerformance wrote:

Well, I looked at it this morning when I was fresh and less frustrated and I found at least one problem I'm going to have to rectify before anything else.  The inside measurement between both lower mounts in the car is 14-3/8" +/-, but I need 16" minimum for the brackets to ride on the areas meant for the brackets on the bottom tank.  I'm going to do some more research, but I think I am going to have to either go to the '68 style lower brackets, or modify/make my own.

The radiator is from Cold Case, and looks awesome, but I think part of the issue is that because the lower radiator hose outlet is in the location for a reverse rotation water pump its not really a copy of a 24" big block radiator like a '67 with a 390 would have had.  I think the lower hose outlet location precludes the possibility of using the '67 style lower mounts, because the outlet and the mount areas can't coexist in the same space.  

@#$% nothing is EVER easy!  I'll post back with an update when I've rectified the lower mount situation.  

My radiator is Cold Case.  I wouldn't trust anything they say about fitment.  Did you purchase the brackets they listed?  
 

Yes, I bought the brackets they listed, but in fairness, I bought the brackets for a '67, and I don't believe that's the radiator I had, which is likely the source of the problem.  I did not buy the brackets from them; I bought them from Kentucky Mustang, I believe, based on the part numbers Cold Case had on their website.  I actually ordered the radiator directly from Cold Case, because I wanted to make sure I got the inlet and outlet in the correct configuration.  I should have asked about the brackets I suppose, but on the other hand I feel like they should have volunteered the info.  
 

You could be onto something. The 67 bottom brackets were a single year only item. I bought 68 brackets and a Champion radiator. To my surprise, Champion made the radiator to use the 67 brackets. Had to go find the 67 brackets again. Its gets very self explanatory when you have the radiator upside down out of the car to test fit the brackets and can see what's going on. 

Bolted to Floor wrote:

You could be onto something. The 67 bottom brackets were a single year only item. I bought 68 brackets and a Champion radiator. To my surprise, Champion made the radiator to use the 67 brackets. Had to go find the 67 brackets again. Its gets very self explanatory when you have the radiator upside down out of the car to test fit the brackets and can see what's going on. 

Exactly.  The '67 brackets were used on cars that did not yet have the captured nut for the later style brackets made into the strut rod housing.  They use a locating tab which goes into one of two holes in the top of the strut rod housing, while the other hole is used to secure the bracket with a single bolt from below into the nut clip on the bracket.  

I can add the captured nuts easy enough.  I have a tool that installs them and every size insert metric and standard.  I'll just mock up the radiator into position using the upper mount with the lower mounts floating and figure out where the captured nuts need to be, make the holes, drill, and install the inserts, which should make this a bolt in deal from that point forward.  

The funny part is that years ago (like 30+) I was going to swap in a 24" radiator and bought everything, but since (IIRC) all that was available at the time was the '68-'70 lower brackets I could never figure out how to install them, so I gave up and managed to make the 20" keep it cool.  I simply returned everything for the 24" setup because I couldn't get it to work.  All before the internet, assembly manuals, etc.  Now it should be easier, but...

Bolted to Floor wrote:

There's a lot of things that should be easier. I've slept several times since I started taking the car apart in the late 80 and had some of those same trouble figuring out how Ford set up the radiator mounts. 

On a side note, I should still have the lower 68 brackets if you need them. 

Appreciate it, but new ones should be at my door tomorrow.  I'll keep this going until there's a resolution.