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frame rails


lovemstr

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sorry, allow me to elucidate further. I have bought an all aluminum radiator. it is 26 in. wide, which is too wide for comfort between the frame rails. I'm thinking I will notch the frame rails directly behind the rad. cradle and box in the notch with 1/8 in plate also reinforce the bottom and outside of the frame rail with 1/8 in. plate. does that sound feasible? any suggestions welcomed. thanks

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Yes, completely feasible.  And quite honestly, I think 1/8" would be overkill.  IIRC, the entire shell is produced mostly with 16 and 18 gauge sheet (someone please chime in if I'm misstating).  

 

For pictures of the mods described by Neverdone, check out Jon Mortensen's build.  Several people have built tube front ends, but Jon's car is the only one that comes to mind at the moment.  Folks have done all kinds of front end and frame mods to relocate the radiator and accommodate larger radiators, intercoolers, etc.

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  • 2 months later...

instead of notching the frame rails, (which I am reticent to do, for some reason) I'm now thinking of slanting the bottom of the radiator toward the engine, therefore the top would lean toward the grill. the bottom would rest atop the frame rails(with appropriate brackets, same for top of rad to cradle. a box/tunnel would be constructed from radiator cradle to front of rad. to funnel air through rad. an electric fan on back of rad. to finish. any thoughts, suggestions, opinions all would be welcome.

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Yeah, that will work it's been done many times, just remember to get the rad attached in such away that it is not been used as a stressed member of the frame. Normally the rad is attached to the front plate and so just hangs, if it is firmly fixed on the both front rails that may introduce some twist and rads won't take a lot of flexing without springing some leaks.

Edited by grannyknot
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  • 3 weeks later...

I have decided to notch the frame rails just behind the radiator cradle and fill in notch with 1/8 in plate, this should allow my rad. to drop down thru rails and clear underside of hood. I may be obsessed with keeping this car running cool. I have a used oil cooler from an RV that I may install as well. I have modified my hood to add 6 vents (3 on each side) to allow heat to exit. the vents are made from 2 3/8 in tubing I bought from Lowes (it was a post for chain link fence) you may have surmised by now that I like to do things as cheaply as possible, reuse/repurpose where I can. my engine is a mild 350 chevy, 2004r trans. car is a 76 280 that I paid $200 for, so sticking with cheap theme. so the beat goes on

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