New to this forum and looking for best options for a new radiator

[lbond007]

I got a 78 Chevy with a 400 sb that my Uncle bought brand new. He passed away and I got it now. It runs and drives great but still needs a lot of work…takes time and money but one day I’ll get there! Right now I am looking to get a new Radiator… any suggestions on what to get, where to get it or what not to get. Anything helps. Thanks

 

[RanchWelder]

Search the forum... "Radiator".

Reading for days...

 

[ali_c20]

Welcome from Austria. Post some pics of your square.

 

[Shorty81]

Welcome from Ohio

 

[Memaloose]

If you have a local radiator shop, they can order you a Chinese one for cheep or you can get yours recored for three times the amount of a plastic/aluminum one, at least that was my experience earlier this year.
The brand of my new one is called "Performance Radiator". Make sure you're starting fresh by flushing the engine block and heater core, replace thermostat and all coolant hoses, clamps and you should be good to go.
The radiator I purchased cost $130 as opposed to a recore that cost $450
I tend not to purchase parts online if I can help it so they are easier to compare or return. Find a quality distributor. Like I said, the brand I bought was recommended by the local radiator shop who had been dealing with the distributor for over twenty years. The radiator shop told me the life expectancy on the aluminum/plastic radiator is 10-12 years, the original copper/brass one lasted 48 years.

 

[75gmck25]

I purchased a Champion all aluminum radiator from Jegs several years ago for my ‘75 K25 and it provides excellent cooling. It does not have a plastic tank.

I also use a high flow water pump, thermostatic fan clutch, steel OEM fan, and a 195 degree high flow thermostat. Temp runs about 185-190 in normal driving, and may spike up to 200-205 after a long highway run. Using the A/C doesn’t seem to make it run much hotter.

 

[WP29P4A]

Because they sell so many different brands I prefer to start at summit Racing, to figure out the different brands, types, quality level and price ranges of radiators that fit the application. Then I figure out who has the best price and shipping options. We replaced the radiator in my son's truck, about a year ago with an original style, brass radiator from Summit. It was in the $400 to $500 price range, it fit well and works great. On the classic car we bought a correct radiator and had it re-cored, about $500, ten years ago, at the local radiator shop that my son ended up going to work for just after we did the radiator in his truck. Very happy with the results.

 

[scrap--metal]

Right now I am looking to get a new Radiator…

Welcome to the forum.

Is the radiator leaking, or are you having a cooling issue? Cooling issues can commonly be caused by things other than the radiator.

 

[Finkaire]

Welcome, radiator shops are few between. I was quoted $175 to repair and was told that I didn’t want to know how much to recore.

 

[Mr Clean]

 

[Toby]

I got a champion radiator from performance online. It’s for my 350 sbc I had to use the radiator upper brackets from an obs that I got from a junk yard for $10 to hold in place because it was bigger than my stock radiator. Works great no issues with it at all.

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[Corvette Ed]

Welcome aboard from East Tennessee.

 

[Bextreme04]

I got a 78 Chevy with a 400 sb that my Uncle bought brand new. He passed away and I got it now. It runs and drives great but still needs a lot of work…takes time and money but one day I’ll get there! Right now I am looking to get a new Radiator… any suggestions on what to get, where to get it or what not to get. Anything helps. Thanks

Where are you at in Oregon? I have the original 4-core off my truck that need the joint around the inlet neck soldered. The core is clean and in good shape, but the joint had a slight leak. I replaced it when I upgraded to a large GMT-400 454 radiator to go with my 454/4l80 swap.