My '64 Valiant ragtop is suffering from a clogged-up radiator...

My local radiator shop tells me it's going to run about $200 for a recore.

Is there a source for new radiators that's any cheaper, or am I doing good at the recore price?

(I just bought a new radiator for my '72 Chevy pick-up and it cost only $140)

Thanks for any leads !

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De Soto Frank

I've looked many places for various 63 to 66 /6 radiators...NO luck. Pay the $200 for a recore and get it over with.

A recore doesn't necessarily fix things. I had mine recored a while back. Naturally, after the "warranty" ran out, I spotted small leaks in both the top tank and the lower outlet. You might consider going to a better radiator.

Check your local junkyards. I may just live in a state ripe with old cars, but here in western Oregon there are dozens of places with old enough donors. Wildcat Mountain Mopars would DEFINITELY HAVE IT, but it might be just as expensive from those boys as it would be recore... I got one out of a local yard for a 67-74 dart for $25 in good condition, and we pulled one for a 59 ford for $50.

PS: I Realize they are not new, but if your buget can't swallow an aftermarket or recored part... the JY is prolly a better choice.

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When in doubt, empty the magazine.
'72 Dart Swinger /6 - My Yard Dart!
'01 Ranger P/U 4x4 X-cab
We buy and sell MOPARTS & Ford Parts!!!
http://www.usironauto.com

Get one for an Aspen / Volare. It's close to a bolt in on early A-bodies. However, I don't have a fan shroud on mine - I'm not sure what to do with those.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

yeah, the aspen/volare one is good, it fits with simple mods for mounting... 2 core runs great for mine, it`s a little bigger overall measurments than the stock

Aspen /Volare -

What years, and do the mods have to be made to the RADIATOR or the CAR ?


Thanks !

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De Soto Frank

i think '76-'80

car does not have to be modified... well, I had to move my horns, i put them under the front passenger fender, in the wheel well...

and i made a bracket to bolt the radiator on the pass side (it bolted up with original bolts on driver side)

Eddie has a square tank Volare radiator; it fit the opening perfectly and was full width instead of losing 4 inches off the passenger side. I set the rad in place, drilled hoes in the flange to match up with the original bolt holes, and bolted it in. I did not have to touch the horns. The extra capacity never hurts...

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O==\=/==O

"A mechanic is Somebody."
- Jim Preston

I needed to drill holes in the radiator mounting ears, bend the mounting ears a bit to clear the aftermarket fan the previous owner installed (stock ones have more clearance and I might switch back soon, or go electric), and bend a new transmission cooler like. That was pretty much it.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Thanks, guys...will check it out !

Well, I went to my local parts jobber, looked in the "big book o' radiators", and wound up ordering a # 433-517 ( the last three digits are the important ones), which is listed for '73-'75 Duster /Dart.

The core is almost identical in size to my OEM radiator. The mounting flanges are a bit wider, paricularly on the passenger side, but the new rad drops right into place, no problems. I was able to use the upper driver's side mounting hole as is, the remaining three I marked using an awl through the captive nuts in the core support, and drilled new holes in the radiator flange.

The new rad also has a tranny cooler (not needed on my car), and there are threaded bungs in the upper tank for sensors, if anybody is running electric fans...

The upper outlet doesn't quite line-up with the water outlet from the engine, and the lower outlet comes straight-out, instead of being a 45 deg up and to the outside like the stock. So, a trip to "Home Desperate" and some 1-1/4" copper 45's and 90 deg street elbows rectified that issue.

The end result was a new radiator with a "lifetime" warranty for $140 plus shipping.

The car runs much cooler on the highway, although I still a slight increase in temp on the dash gauge when I turn on the headlights...

I'll squirrel the stock rad in the loft of the garage until I have the spare $ to have it re-cored.

Thanks for the tips !


De Soto Frank