69 351w Radiator Upgrade?

69shocktower

Active Member
Nov 5, 2003
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Dakotas
My 69 Mustang coupe has the standard 18" x 21" radiator, inlet & outlet on passenger side. It's never cooled as well as I'd like. This has 1 review saying installed easy on a 68 Mustang but yeah, just 1 review. Just want to make sure on stock the top is the inlet and the bottom is the outlet. I have measured and have the space for this but not sure about the inlet being in a different position. Will I need to find a new hose to fit? Thanks,

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sdk-338-3hf
 
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Go with the 24 inch ,you can buy the mounting brackets .It has a clamp type bracket for the top and a cradle bracket for both sides of the bottom .You can order the correct one for a 351 ,all the mounting holes are there you just bolt it in .

By 24" do you mean the Scott Drake on the link I posted? If not can you be more specific?
As far as mounting brackets I found these for the one I posted.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sdk-c7zz8a193al/overview/
 
There were two different radiator sizes used in the mustangs ,the smaller radiator that bolted directly to the radiator support and the heavy duty radiator that has a clamp at the top and saddles on the frame rails that the radiator sets in .The one you have sounds like the smaller radiator . Check out Mustangs Unlimited or National Parts Depot and you will find the 24 inch clamp in radiator and the mounting brackets . I am having troubles posting pics or i would post them for you .
 
There were two different radiator sizes used in the mustangs ,the smaller radiator that bolted directly to the radiator support and the heavy duty radiator that has a clamp at the top and saddles on the frame rails that the radiator sets in .The one you have sounds like the smaller radiator . Check out Mustangs Unlimited or National Parts Depot and you will find the 24 inch clamp in radiator and the mounting brackets . I am having troubles posting pics or i would post them for you .

Mustangs Unlimited has a great selection! I forgot about them years ago. Thanks. They have a 20" 3 row, a 24" 4 row that's 3" thick and a 24" 2 row. I will make sure what I have and measure again. Thanks!
 
I'm in the middle of the swap now. My car came with the 20" 2 core radiator but has always had the bracket on top and saddles on bottom so don't know if it originally had a 24". It is only a 2 owner car but it was "worked on" in the 80's. In California which would explain the crappier replacement parts if they were replaced.
 
So I tried to slip in the 24" radiator today. My stock fan is too close or wide or both. Doesnt clear the inlet or the trans cooler lines. They dont seem to make a fan less than 17" wide. Or with a shorter base that I can find. There is a 2" fan spacer that if I put a replacement fan on if possible to use just a spacer as a base might give enough room. My stock fan/base is 2.75" from the pulley to the fan. Help?
 
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You can go aftermarket fan spacers for just about any length you need .Summit should have a smaller fan if needed ,and spacer .

I'll have to go with a 16" fan to clear everything. Do the stock fans come off of there base? I've removed my fan several times but always seemed to be 1 piece that doesn't separate.

Also why wouldn't my stock fan fit with 24" radiator if they were also stock?

Thanks,
 
I measured and it does sit higher. It is definitely not a clutch fan. Here is a pic. Looks like just 4 bolt holes so I am guessing it doesn't come apart? So if you have no fan to start with. What would one use to mount a aftermarket fan on a pulley (whatever you call the base or column that is between the fan and the pulley)? Just spacers like the parts places have? Thanks,

fan.jpg
 
Yeah ,that spacer comes off .It is probably just stuck to the fan .You can buy them all different lengths ,you probably want about 1 inch away from the radiator when bolted up .You can get a good stainless steel flex fan from Summit and i think you could get the fan spacer from Auto Zone .You will need the radiator bolted in and your fan so you can measure for the spacer needed .
 
If my fan comes apart and I can put a 16" wide fan on it should be perfect distance from radiator without changing length. Just need smaller diameter to clear the hose and lines on the bottom. Thanks!
 
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I was able to get plenty of room with a 1.5" spacer and the 16" wide fan. I had to get generic plastic clips and screws for the fan shroud as the ones I ordered from mustangs unlimited and universal ones from local store wouldn't fit. Will figure that out later. Now she cools like a jewel!

tumblr_od0f5iCrm61tmedlpo1_1280.jpg
 
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