Re: Butch's 64 Sport Fury 383-Radiator-cooling system

[Ollie <satellite1965@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Butch,
Ain't we having fun? Your story did not put me to sleep, was laughing to 
hard.......kinda like......been there done that. Not laughing at 
you......with you!!!! Its better than crying !!!!!!!
Fixing to do a big radiator overhaul soon on MS Cruiser. I got a nice custom 
build aluminum radiator, overflow tank, electric fan for sale my self. Will 
cool a 440 in the north woods but not Mississippi with air.
Keep having fun!!! (as our buddy Rich K. would say)
Ollie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Butch Edison" <waedison@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2010 11:00 AM
Subject: Butch's 64 Sport Fury 383-Radiator-cooling system


> I'm going to post notes about 3 or 4 things I've been working on to get 
> this
> car ready for Hot August Nights. You can learn some from my mistakes...
>
> Cooling system: The car overheated,seriously. It had an electric fan on 
> it,
> but that barely kept the temps manageable in the typical 70 degree weather
> we see in Puget Sound in the summertime. I had a new S-383 in 64, drove it
> in Nevada for 3 years with no overheating, so know that Ma Mopar had
> originally designed a reliable cooling system. My solution? Cool Cruising
> water pump, restoration fan shroud and fan from Mancine, air dam 
> replacement
> as it was missing, new hood to radiator seal. The radiator looked the same
> to me as one I have in another 64 SF, so I took the car to a local 
> radiator
> shop for cleaning thinking that was the problem.
>
> $$cha-ching...radiator shop says the system's pretty clean, no thermostat 
> in
> the car so they put one in. Also, the lower rad fitting is crooked, needs 
> to
> be straightened if I want to use the reproduction hoses and spring clamps 
> I
> provided. I think "hmmm, maybe it got smacked sometime in it's past, so
> okay, let's do that."  $$ cha-ching.  I get the car back, drive it home, 
> and
> it's overheating even worse! So, I'm thinking water pump may be going bad.
> Get the new hi-perf Cool Cruising water pump ($$ cha-ching), Mancini fan
> shroud and clutch fan ($$ cha-ching), used air dam ( you know..$$$). I 
> start
> putting it all together and think, "Well maybe the cores in the radiator 
> are
> actually clogged. Back to the radiator shop and they say, no need, it's
> clean, but it seems like a 2-core rad isn't right for a big block Mopar.
> ARGGGGHHHH....WRONG RADIATOR! So, I'm now running out of time. What to do?
> Radiator shop...." Well, we can put in a high efficiency 3-core in that 
> rad,
> the top and bottom stay the same, that should do it. You can hear the cash
> register from where you sit $$$$$$$ CHA-CHING !!!!  I say go ahead, or 
> this
> car isn't going to be cruising Virginia Street in Reno....
>
> Get the radiator back, guess what? Now the Mancini resto stuff won't fit!
> Again, wrong radiator, by about 1/4" The fan shroud will fit on my other 
> SF,
> so I know the Mancini kit is right.
>
>
> Good news: The car runs cool, right where it should 190 degrees. It will 
> go
> on the trailer Tuesday for its ride to Reno. Why not drive the car there? 
> No
> A/C, no cruise control, etc.
>
> Bad news: I now own a Mancini resto kit that is no use to me unless I buy 
> a
> correct radiator, which will then leave me with a very nice, one-off, high
> priced 3-core rad that is not correct to the car, but cools like a dream.
>
> Question you may ask if you're not asleep by now... why didn't you just 
> swap
> the rad, fan, and shroud off your other SF? Answer only makes sense to me.
> That car runs VERY COOL with a big 440 in it. This winter, it's going to
> receive a very correct 426 Max Wedge that Dan Dvorak is building for it. I
> don't want to screw with something that works AND until I started to put 
> the
> Mancini kit on my car, did not know I had an incorrect rad in terms of 
> size.
> Thought all along it would accept those parts.
>
> So...... I may still get the correct rad for the 383 and try to sell one 
> of
> you a VERY nice 3-core rad, OR I may just try to sell one of you a brand 
> new
> Mancini after market fan shroud and clutch fan.
>
> More to come...torqueflite...and exhaust systems...both were adventures..
>
> Biggest lessons learned.... I should have started WAY earlier on these
> things. I could have made better and cheaper decisions but the clock was
> ticking by the time I got around to taking things apart.
>
> /Butch/Ferndale, WA
>
>
> ----
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> directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and 
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> recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect 
> your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content 
> signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!
>
> 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and 
> http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.