Radiator / Cooling Fluids

So I've been tearing into my 73.

Had a quick question regarding radiators and cooling.

The only other car I've really extensivley worked on has been my 95 Caprice Wagon. It's got oil running though the second cooler in the radiator and a seperate cooler for the trans.

My Nova has trans fluid running though the integrated radiator cooler and no cooler for the engine oil. Was this how they were build from the factory? Or has a previous owner modded it? I would think running the trans fluid through the radiator would actually increase it's temp at times of mild driving...

With my rebuild I was going to go with a similar setup as my Caprice...a seperate trans cooler and oil through the radiator...

I don't see what advantage there would be in doing that. The integrated trans cooler help maintain the optimal temp for the trans under normal curcumstances. Unless you will be working the engine very hard for extended periods, I don't think using the trans cooler to cool the engine oil will be of any benefit. What is on the car now is the factory setup. It is very possible that the block is not plumbed for an engine oil cooler.