Pontiac - Street No question too basic here!

          
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-24-2019, 01:47 PM
1stGenFB 1stGenFB is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 266
Default Radiator recommendation

I have a 69 Firebird with a stock 350ci 2bbl motor.

I know these things tend to run hot.

What is a modern replacement that will do the job

Thanks

  #2  
Old 11-24-2019, 01:52 PM
1968GTO421's Avatar
1968GTO421 1968GTO421 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Travelers Rest, SC
Posts: 1,286
Default

I run a Rodney Red and it's been great so far. Friends tell me Cold Case radiators are really good.

(Just scroll down to near bottom of this page)

__________________


"No replacement for displacement!"

GTOAA--https://www.gtoaa.org/
  #3  
Old 11-24-2019, 02:15 PM
shaker455's Avatar
shaker455 shaker455 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NH
Posts: 4,471
Default

Champion truie 4-core alum Radiator:
Here's the one for your car:

https://www.championradiators.com/product/MC370

__________________
Carburetor building & modification services
Servicing the Pontiac community over 20 years
  #4  
Old 11-24-2019, 02:33 PM
JSPONT's Avatar
JSPONT JSPONT is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: ROCKY POINT NY
Posts: 2,917
Default

The cold case are good and they look stock. They are polished, but you can paint them if you want

  #5  
Old 11-24-2019, 03:20 PM
BLUE TA's Avatar
BLUE TA BLUE TA is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: CENTRAL OR.
Posts: 171
Default

hi, I just put a cold case direct fit in my 74 TA. works great so far. fits good looks stock. BLUE TA

  #6  
Old 11-24-2019, 04:12 PM
OCMDGTO's Avatar
OCMDGTO OCMDGTO is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ocean City Md
Posts: 1,198
Default

Another vote for Cold Case, been in my car a couple years. Did fine on a couple road trips in 90+ degree heat.

__________________
Chris D
69 GTO Liberty Blue/dark blue 467, 850 Holley, T2, Edelbrock Dport 310cfm w Ram Air manifolds, HFT 245/251D .561/.594L, T400, 9" w 3.50s 3905lbs 11.59@ 114, 1.57/ 60'
  #7  
Old 11-24-2019, 04:56 PM
grivera's Avatar
grivera grivera is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Just south of Baltimore
Posts: 4,914
Default

Is your bird running hot now or you're just expecting it to? Many other parts to the cooling system that can cause issues:

Make sure radiator flows well and isn't clogged; water pump divider spacing; spring in lower hose; AC car upper baffles between radiator support and nose; lower air baffle (also AC cars)

More reading here: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=395910

If you still want an aluminum radiator the suggestions above are all great. The Summit Racing aluminum 2-row radiator is in my 69 - has worked great for me:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...rd?prefilter=1

__________________
Will Rivera

'69 Firebird 400/461, 290+ E D-Ports, HR 230/236, 4l80E, 8.5 Rear, 3.55 gears
'64 LeMans 400/461, #16 Heads, HR 230/236, TKO600, 9inch Rear, 3.89 gears
'69 LeMans Vert, 350, #47 heads: Non-running project

Last edited by grivera; 11-24-2019 at 05:01 PM.
  #8  
Old 11-24-2019, 10:54 PM
millennium200 millennium200 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: western NC
Posts: 101
Default

Rodney Red, 14 yrs no problems on my 75 TA

  #9  
Old 11-25-2019, 05:20 AM
Kenth's Avatar
Kenth Kenth is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The Kingdom of Sweden
Posts: 5,481
Default

Any radiator replacing a 50+ year old clogged unit will work.
I would look for a radiator shop replacing the cell package keeping the original tanks.

__________________
1966 GTO Tri-Power
1970 GTO TheJudge
http://www.poci.org/
http://gtoaa.org/
  #10  
Old 11-25-2019, 07:32 AM
chrisp chrisp is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: upper dublin Pa.
Posts: 2,940
Default

Make sure you have upper & lower baffles & Champion makes a very good low cost lifetime warranty. https://www.championradiators.com/Po...1967-1968-1969

  #11  
Old 11-25-2019, 08:11 AM
DOC DOC is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: St. Johns FL
Posts: 1,072
Default

Many good ones out there. I personally have a Champion in both my Pontiacs. One for over 15 years, Other for > 5 years. No issues with either

  #12  
Old 11-25-2019, 09:09 AM
RocktimusPryme's Avatar
RocktimusPryme RocktimusPryme is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Bedford, IN
Posts: 2,178
Default

I just did the Cold Case to my 67. It dropped about 10 degrees off an already decent aluminum radiator.

__________________
1967 Firebird 462 580hp/590ftlbs
1962 Pontiac Catalina Safari Swapped in Turd of an Olds 455
Owner/Creator Catfish Motorsports
https://www.youtube.com/@CatfishMotorsports
  #13  
Old 11-25-2019, 11:40 AM
Formulajones's Avatar
Formulajones Formulajones is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,847
Default

I did a bunch of testing with the Cold Case in front of a 571ci Pontiac that I documented on this site somewhere. Basically fan setups that made drastic differences. In the end I found the Cold Case to be an excellent radiator for the money. For $350 I don't think the performance can be beat, and that's coming from someone that has used $600 radiators in a couple other cars here. Plus the stock appearing tanks are a bonus for me. Once painted it fools most people.

I just bought another one recently and installed in my sons car this past weekend. Not for cooling issues, but because I've been impressed with the quality and appearance of the tanks so when it was time for a new radiator in his car, I simply went right for the Cold Case. Will be doing a 3rd one in another car here in the near future.

  #14  
Old 11-27-2019, 03:38 PM
gpmodelj70 gpmodelj70 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 197
Default

An original style cooling system will work just fine if all minor issues are right...my 70 GP is 400 0.060 over with stock cooling system...will go all day in stop and go traffic with AC on and not overheat...but obviously any performance enhancements will require something else.

__________________
Marriage is defined by GOD, not by popular culture!
  #15  
Old 12-03-2019, 12:44 PM
quicksilver97ta's Avatar
quicksilver97ta quicksilver97ta is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oak Leaf, Texas
Posts: 1,923
Default

Subscribing

__________________

68 Firebird, trying a q-jet now. 434/10.5:1/997's/240-242 HFT/4L80E/2800 Yank/3.42's/ Vintage Air/ 13.0 @105 mph
70 Lemans, 350/350, A/C, mostly stock
14 Ram CC, 5.7 Hemi, 8-speed, 3.92 lsd
97 Trans Am, HPP Aug 2012 http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...tiac_trans_am/ ***Sold***
  #16  
Old 12-03-2019, 01:04 PM
GTO JONES's Avatar
GTO JONES GTO JONES is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: PRESCOTT VALLEY, ARIZONA
Posts: 404
Default

My choice, is Cold Case, stock shroud and clutch fan, keeps the 571 ci Pontiac cool.

  #17  
Old 12-03-2019, 01:11 PM
Tom Vaught's Avatar
Tom Vaught Tom Vaught is offline
Boost Engineer
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: The United States of America
Posts: 31,303
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenth View Post
Any radiator replacing a 50+ year old clogged unit will work.
I would look for a radiator shop replacing the cell package keeping the original tanks.
I had a radiator shop in Michigan (Superior Radiator in Mt Clements Mi), a few miles away, that does a lot of Circle Track stuff, build me a 4 core high fin count Brass Radiator. Looks stock and cools very well. They used my upper and lower tank.

Tom V.

__________________
"Engineers do stuff for reasons" Tom Vaught

Despite small distractions, there are those who will go Forward, Learning, Sharing Knowledge, Doing what they can to help others move forward.
  #18  
Old 12-03-2019, 02:45 PM
Formulajones's Avatar
Formulajones Formulajones is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 10,847
Default

That's getting so much harder to do now. Thanks to the EPA and the chemicals those places use, most of the rad shops have closed up now. The last one we had in town closed about 10 years ago.
I might, and that's a big might, be able to find one in Phoenix but the effort and the 200 mile drive back and forth almost isn't worth the trouble. I know of a few around the country but they are mainly in the restoration business end of it for those that need to save their expensive original tanks.

If you're lucky enough to have a shop in town that still does it, that's great. But those places have been drying up the last 20+ years and continue to disappear and it doesn't make economical sense for me to ship one across country for a driver type of car when a nice aluminum piece is only $350.

  #19  
Old 12-03-2019, 03:17 PM
BLUE TA's Avatar
BLUE TA BLUE TA is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: CENTRAL OR.
Posts: 171
Default

hi, just before I bought my cold case I went by a radiator shop in town. I know the owner so I got a fair price to recore my oem rad. 475.00 to recore it. that's why I went cold case. BLUE TA

Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:20 AM.

 

About Us

The PY Online Forums is the largest online gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts anywhere in the world. Founded in 1991, it was also the first online forum for people to gather and talk about their Pontiacs. Since then, it has become the mecca of Pontiac technical data and knowledge that no other place can surpass.

 




Copyright © 2017