Summit/Northern Radiator Mounting - Summit 380100 ok?

[70vert]

quick note - just did some measuring and ordered up some rectangular and square bar stock to serve as a channel to mount the radiator on, a spacer to place the radiator squarely in the center of the core support opening, and a base to secure the fan to. The tabs on the center channel of this radiator are too short to be much use, and are too short for the included plastic mounting tabs for the fan. I should be able to drill through this bar stock to attach the fan to, top and bottom.

I'll find some way to attach it to the strut rod support and/or frame rails, and then to the top of the core support on top.

Ordered this for the bottom, to sit on top of the strut rod support on each side, between the frame rails, in a 24" length:

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=14629&step=4&id=1268&top_cat=60

and this one for the top:

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=7033&step=4&id=1270&top_cat=60

 

[jbuening]

Do you have the stock lower radiator mounting brackets? You may be able to fit the stock into the channel of those brackets and bolt it to them. There is a hole in the center of the channel that you can use a bolt/machine screw.

With my radiator, it was a bit wider than the factory radiator. I removed the channel portion from the brackets and bolted on new 1"x1/8" aluminum that was bent into channel shape. Since your radiator is shorter, I can see the need for the blocks to raise it up a bit.

 

[mtaqua]

Griffin Thermal Products 1-55242-X - Griffin Aluminum Circle Track Radiators - Overview - SummitRacing.com

This one fits between the rails, but thicker. Haven't mounted it yet (will soon).

 

[70vert]

I have to look for those brackets

I was going to rest the aluminum blocks on the strut rod supports and go from there - I had spaced it out so the radiator would be almost exactly in the center of the core support opening. If I use the brackets on the blocks, it might raise it up too high, but they could come in handy, even flipped upside down, possibly. I might mount them close to the end of the blocks, so I can fit a nut inside there. I don't want it to look too Home Depot, of course - this is where I might try to do something classy and unique to fasten it on there. Could be anything.

mtaqua, I'm sure that will work fine. Your flanges might be as short as mine are on that Griffin, but if you're just going to sit it in the saddle mounts they should be fine.

The nice thing is that these blocks will give me something to fasten the fan to, and since you can order the blocks in all kinds of sizes, from 2x2 to 2x6, you can customize the height that way. Might work for someone else too, especially if the flange doesn't give you enough space to mount your fan.

 

[70vert]

Okay, here are photos of the assembled radiator w/AL channels

With a 2x6" section on the bottom and 2x2" on top, it sits on the strut rod crossmembers perfectly and the radiator is in the middle of the core support. Drilled a bunch of holes in the aluminum stock (for lightness, lol!) and to use hose clamps to strap the thin radiator flange to the channel through these holes. Made slots in the flange with a drill and the holes with a hole saw. The AL channels sit on rubber bike innertubes and all the hose clamps are tight. Now these channels can sit in any type of fabbed up bracket that can mount to the core support or the strut rod crossmember. I'm going to let the shop that's finishing up the new engine install figure out the last bit, but they think the channels should work fine even though they call it the "hovercraft" due to the thin dual fans.

It's a little Home Depot, but it works and it should get the project done. If I had to do it again I'd get a longer box section and cut it to the exact width so the fan tabs didn't need those extra angle brackets you see on two corners rather than just the 24" long box section I got. And I'd get some aluminum welding skills so I could weld the aluminum flange to the box sections, but at least this way it's reversible.

I probably have one of the widest, thinnest radiator/fan combos out there. 2,600cfm rated fan. It's never been started up though, so if I end up with a bad fan, I'll be pissed.