2" or 2-5/8"?

I am about to order a nova bb radiator. I have small block support. Classic industries have several different sizes and styles to choose from. They are:

11150AND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2" with side brackets .............................. 289.95 ea
11150SND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Manual trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2 -1/4" x 2" with side brackets ............................. 289.95 ea
11170AND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" with side brackets ....................... 329.95 ea
11170SND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Manual trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2 1/4" x 2-5/8" with side brackets ........................ 329.95 ea
11170AAD 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. with AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" with side brackets ....................... 329.95 ea
11170SAD 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Manual trans. with AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" with side brackets ....................... 329.95 ea
11230AND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" core without side brackets .......... 299.95 ea
11230SND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Manual trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" core without side brackets .......... 299.95 ea
11230AAD 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. with AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" core without side brackets .......... 299.95 ea
11230SAD 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Manual trans. with AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" core without side brackets .......... 299.95 ea

I have automatic car, so that choice is easy. And one more question. What core thickness will be best, 2" or 2-5/8"?


Best regards! //Kalle

Buy an aluminum 2 row and you'll be much happier.

get the biggest you can for that BBC trust me

Hi!

So if i should have the biggest size we narrow it down to 2:


11170AND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" with side brackets ....................... 329.95 ea
11230AND 1968-71 V-8 396 4 row Auto trans. w/o AC 17" x 23" x 2-1/4" x 2-5/8" core without side brackets .......... 299.95 ea

// kalle

i dont know what the side brackets are for, but bigger is better for a 468 BBC, my car has a griffin NASCAR 2 row aluminum ( same as a 4 row copper/brass ) rad that is 19x30 ( have battery in trunk because its sized for a bb chevelle) and i still have problems during long cruising, i have a 74' nova hatchback with a stock 454/ th400/ 3.31 12 bolt posi!

On the 375 HP cars the rad bolts in to the rad cradle with brackets on the side . Similar to 67-69 Camaros.

If your car has the top plate that sanwhiches in from the top then you won't need the side brackets.

Gary

i bought a 23" core 4 row from ricks camaro for a 69 camaro and bolted it to my small block support and used a bb shroud and all the attaching parts. i think the radiator was only $199. i have a flat top 454 with a nice set of heads and have no cooling problems

Buy an aluminum 2 row and you'll be much happier.

What he said... I purchased a 27.5 x 19 race car Chevy aluminum Griffin Radiator .. It has a 3" thick core featuring 2 rows of 1" tubes

I did try with a griffin 26/19 but I thought that it fitted poorly, and I want to use a bb shroud an fan. (I already got them.) And I also want that underhood stock lock, so I guess that a stock radiator is the one for me. Let’s sum this up: 2 5/8” is the thickness for me, but if a radiator without side brackets will fit in my radiator support? I don’t know at this moment.




On the 375 HP cars the rad bolts in to the rad cradle with brackets on the side . Similar to 67-69 Camaros.

If your car has the top plate that sanwhiches in from the top then you won't need the side brackets.

Gary


L78 Can you show what you meen? You know I am from Sweden so it is sometimes hard for me to follow some technical terms.

And that fact that I live in Sweden makes sometimes hard for me to get parts. It takes about a month and half by boat to get the parts here. Ok, I can fly them, but the price would be enormous. That’s why I am inquisitive, I wont to get I right. Thanks all of you! // Kalle

By the way, this is the rad that i used when the car had a smallblock. from the factory it came with a 250.

http://users.du.se/~h01karso/nova/p7.JPG

i seen an alumitech radiator using the factory bb shroud and brackets and it fit excellent.

On the 375 HP cars the rad bolts in to the rad cradle with brackets on the side . Similar to 67-69 Camaros.

If your car has the top plate that sanwhiches in from the top then you won't need the side brackets.

Gary


The radiator support:

http://users.du.se/~h01karso/nova/p8.JPG

:beer:[/url] Saturday!

Hi!

So this is what i came up with. The big block Nova had two kinds of radiators, depending of year and engine HP. Both radiators with and with out side brackets where put in to cars from the factory. The big block core width both for radiators with and without side brackets is in millimetres and rounded off:

430mm tall

590mm wide



The distance between the places were you put the rubber things in the bottom of the radiator support are: (Note there is two on the driver side of the car.)


590mm wide

540mm wide


Conclusion: If your car has a radiator support that support cradle mounted radiator, both a small and big block radiator will fit. You don’t need to use a big block radiator that has side brackets, in other words no holes needs to be drilled and no well nuts needs to be installed.

I am I right? Does anyone have an opinion?

Sources:

http://www.usradiator.com/cchevrolet.htm

My Nova 71

Buy an aluminum 2 row and you'll be much happier.

Ditto and it can cost less. Four Season Radiator in Memphis sells double pass dual core aluminum radiators for around $200 that fit Novas.

Hi!


Conclusion: If your car has a radiator support that support cradle mounted radiator, both a small and big block radiator will fit. You don’t need to use a big block radiator that has side brackets, in other words no holes needs to be drilled and no well nuts needs to be installed.

I am I right? Does anyone have an opinion?

Sources:

http://www.usradiator.com/cchevrolet.htm

My Nova 71

I believe you are correct. The only possible exception is the the rubber pads in the cradle may be different for the thinner one and two core radiators. These are easy to replace and should cost less than $10.