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mrwrstory

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Just wondering if the Chevy small block would have been any easier? Seems like things interchange with GM better.

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I bought all the Mopar stuff in 2002 & 2003 when I was a little less smart.:o...and had more money. I say less smart partly because I was planning a quick turn around. Ha! I learned, "no such thing for me!" I also (and still have) had a Red Ram Hemi almost ready to go but I thought the small block Mopar would be more expedient and still be Mopar. Kinda like the popular Ford in a Ford promo,...geez what was I thinkin?:confused:

Puttin a Ford in a Ford, a Mopar in a Mopar and maybe even a Chevy in a Chevy is frought with challenges of cost and installation equal to putting a vintage engine in an old car. In hindsight (which is now approaching 20/20) that's probably what I shoulda done in the first place.:D

So, these days, while watching my limited resources, I'm trying to stay more focused on using what I have.

Although,......I have a pretty nice little 283 sittin in the corner. Should I be lookin for a Chevy to put it in?????.....nah!:P

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i like that smaller alternator,,what is it off of ?? and does it use an internal or external regulator ?

It's for a GM, internal fan, 160 amp and 'tho not small, is smaller dia. than the Mopars,...therefore the need to fab a bracket. Single wire or two, your choice.

Exceptional customer service too. http://www.qualitypowerauto.com/catalog.php?item=122

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Don Coatney,...or anyone else who would like to chime in,....I'm trying to visualize the relationship of the

radiator/core support to the fender flange at the hood interface,...where that all comes together,.....

w/o going up in the rafters to retrieve the fenders and mounting them.

I have circled the area on Don's pic,....(Don, would you kindly take another pic focusing on that area in a plan view :o)

CoatneyRef.jpg

Don, I understand that your core support is "reversed",....but still in the same location front to back. And, I see

that you "nibbled" some at the notch in the fender flange. It looks as if that's to clear the core support

brace/fan mount. If you did not have that brace/fan mount in place, and the stock radiator mounted in the

forward location, would you still need to "nibble" the fender flange?

JonRef3.jpg

This is a friend's P-15 with an aftermarket Aluminum radiator that is 1" narrower than the stocker.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY/ALL INPUT

Edited by mrwrstory
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Here are some fresh pictures. The reason I had to nibble the fender flange was to allow room to drop the radiator core into place. The radiator bracket was already installed in the car but there was no room to allow the core to drop in without a bit of nibbling. I am pointing to the outermost part of the core in picture #3 below.

MVC-004F.jpg

MVC-005F.jpg

MVC-006F.jpg

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Wow!!!!!!!!!! THANKS! That's just what I needed. I'm thinking since I don't have hardware on the front of the radiator, that I can drop it in place. And, if it doesn't clear, I have very little nibbling to do.

Nothing like a picture. Thanks so much.

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Got the most challenging part of the exahust roughed in. Waiting for mufflers from Summit to finish the

first issue of the exhaust system. I plan to build headers one day.

IMG_5921.jpg

Upon visiting the local radiator shop where I was expecting to order a radiator custom built to match the original

unit. I came away with an aluminum alternative. It's an off-the-shelf piece for a 49-54 Chevy pickup with a 350.

It's "Made in the USA", is repairable and will easily cool 400 HP and,... I like the natural aluminum look. The cost

was about the same as copper/brass. Some modest modifications to the core support are required.

IMG_5931.jpg

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IMG_5927.jpg

The radiator needs to be dropped down in the core support about 3/4". I should have it pretty well wrapped up

and installed tomorrow and I will post pics of the finished assembly.

IMG_5939.jpg

Edited by mrwrstory
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Does that new aluminum radiator have provisions for a transmission cooler? If you dont mind me asking what was the cost?

Just this morning, w/my first cup of coffee, I was reading the latest R&C. Flashed on the U S Radiator ad which I've seen it many times but never explored. Turns out they are the source my P-15's replacement. I probably would not have discovered this solution w/o visiting a quality repair shop.

http://www.usradiator.com/chevrolet-truck-1948-54-v8-aluminum-radiator.html

Yes, it has a trans cooler and it cost less than $400.00 w/Calif tx.

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Everything looks PRO.

Thanks!!!,....however the diff. being a pro would do what I've done in the fraction of the time,.....and get paid for it:D

Here's a quick pic of a nice discovery. In getting the radiator lowered to yield hood clearance, the bottom holes

nicely lined up making the layout of the remaining mounting holes to be drilled quite convenient.

Img_5974.jpg

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Planned "first fire" is Super Bowl Sunday morning. Getting down to the short strokes and the excitement grows. I'm now waking up in the middle of the night, thinking through the myriad details and worrin I'll forget something critical to the goal. Worrin I'll discover the need for one more important part after the parts store has closed. However, I am fortunate to have a coupla hot rod buds, within 200 yards in either direction, with stashes of essentials.

Since last posting I have; mounted the external trans cooler, bent miles of trans cooler lines, patched together a workable exhaust system, customized radiator hoses, installed the battery, mounted temporary gauges, done some preliminary wiring, and checked and tightened all the nuts and bolts I could find.

Between now and Sunday the tasks are; finish enough of the wiring to start the car, prime the oiling system, gas the tank, prime the fuel lines, install and time the distributor, bolt down the intake for the last time, install plugs and wires, reinstall the radiator, fill the cooling system, partially fill the trans,.....and I'm sure a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now.

I'll post a few more "pics of progress" prior to the big event. Wish me luck! And, I will post pics of start whether it be purr or pyrotechnic :D

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I would love to be there---it`s so exciting to be this close---kinda like when your Dad gave you the keys the first time----good luck....Lee

You're welcome to join us if you can be here by 9:30am. I'm serving Bloody Marys. It's forecast to be warm so wear shorts :D

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Milestones today. Upon opening the box of ignition parts, I realized I was in over my head. Called upon good friend Kenny who took the better part of the day exploring competeing schmatics before sorting it out. He was able, via various probes and diagnostics, to confirm that we had ignition w/o actually trying to fire the engine. On my own, I would have been dead in the water.

Did enough wiring to turn the engine. Primed the oiling system to 70+ psi. Excitement happened when a geyser of gasoline spewed from the open carburator supply line when turning the engine over. Good news is,..... a major fuel leak was discovered which would have generated plenty of excitement and necessitated a shutdown if we had actually started the engine.

Saturday, will see the final induction system install, final cooling system install, timing the dist., installing plugs and wires, and revisiting the myriad details anticipating the big day,....Sunday am

Img_6049.jpg

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