I always lean towards a starting point of a stone stock system in very good shape. After all, a brand new GTO in 1968 could drive through Arizona with the AC on, with hood insulation, sitting traffic and not over heat. And they could probably do the same when they were four years old. Otherwise there would have been a huge outcry.
I think a lot of us live in fear of overheating because 35 years ago we hopped up our cars, added headers, lower gears, pulled off OEM parts that "seemed" unnecessary and we ended up with an over heating car .... usually we thought it was because our car was now so bad-azzz that it needed modifications to make it run cool. It was actually because we just screwed up, or didn't maintain the absolutely adequate stock cooling system.
Those stock four row radiators are huge, and in good condition, with shrouds, air dams, sealing panels and the right fan can cool just about anything.
My 2011 GMC truck with HD cooling (5.3) has only two electric fans ... on 90+ degree days ... in 6 years, I've heard ONE fan come on maybe a dozen times. I've heard TWO fans running maybe twice (while towing). It's amazing how that truck can run right at 220 on hot days with no fan running at all, even with the AC on.
(with the caveat that I don't know if they are multi-speed fans ... they might have a low speed option, if it does, it's VERY quiet)
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