22 to 26 inch radiator conversion with no cutting/welding...

[HooToTheCore]

Hi all. Don't know who might be interested, but I mounted a 26 inch radiator on my Challenger's 22 inch radiator support without any cutting or welding. I did this by making an adaptor plate for the passenger side. I used 16 gauge stock from Lowe's. Attached are the measurements and pics of the adaptor in place.

I used JB Weld to attach the bolts for the 26 inch rad mounting holes (cannot get a wrench on the head of the lower bolt after installation). Primed and painted black.

 

[HooToTheCore]

Hi all. Don't know who might be interested, but I mounted a 26 inch radiator on my Challenger's 22 inch radiator support without any cutting or welding. I did this by making an adaptor plate for the passenger side. I used 16 gauge stock from Lowe's. Attached are the measurements and pics of the adaptor in place.

I used JB Weld to attach the bolts for the 26 inch rad mounting holes (cannot get a wrench on the head of the lower bolt after installation). Primed and painted black.

View attachment 26960 View attachment 26961 View attachment 26962 View attachment 26963

A couple more pictures with radiator in place...

 

[DetMatt1]

Looks like you did a nice job. What prompted you to make this change and did you get the result you were after?

 

[HooToTheCore]

Looks like you did a nice job. What prompted you to make this change and did you get the result you were after?

I changed to a 26 inch radiator because I swapped the 318 for a 440. I hope to have no cooling problems with the 440 (I plan to eventually add AC). My 440 installation:

 

[aussiemark]

This is a great idea if you are planning on putting the 22" radiator back in the future, but if you were going to leave the 26" one in for good wouldn't it be better to trim that section out to provide extra air flow through the core?

 

[sportster2000]

I did the same thing except I made spacer for the two bolt holes that were already in that location. If I didn't make spacers then the radiator fins would be hitting the core support.

 

[DetMatt1]

Looks like the ac is already there, you're quick! (I see it's not plumbed) I was thinking the same thing that Mark was in that you now have a 26" wide radiator but with only 22" of it exposed to air flow. You probably increased your cooling capacity a little but you're not going to get the full benefit that you could out of that 26" without opening the core support to the same size as the rad..
Your engine room looks great though.

 

[moparleo]

Yep. The whole point of the 26" radiator is more cooling capacity which means more airflow to the radiators surface area. Since this car is obviously not original, why not do the a/c, cooling system upgrade the proper way ? It still can be done cleanly.

 

[HooToTheCore]

Yep. The whole point of the 26" radiator is more cooling capacity which means more airflow to the radiators surface area. Since this car is obviously not original, why not do the a/c, cooling system upgrade the proper way ? It still can be done cleanly.

A couple of reasons I did not replace the passenger side radiator support. I am keeping the original 22" radiator and the matching number 318 engine and 904 transmission. I'm also keeping the original driveshaft. This all for the next owner (after I die).

 

[HooToTheCore]

A couple of reasons I did not replace the passenger side radiator support. I am keeping the original 22" radiator and the matching number 318 engine and 904 transmission. I'm also keeping the original driveshaft. This all for the next owner (after I die).

I only lose about 2.5" of radiator fin exposure. This affects cooling at speed a bit, but I have a shroud, so the cooling difference at idle is negligible. I would expect, for any engine, cooling at idle to be the most demanding. I also wanted a stock look with the radiator tank (no aluminum box) and I needed the upper hose to be on the passenger side and lower hose to be on the driver side (opposite of 318).

One other thing. I had the engine bay painted and did not want to redo any of that.

 

[Randy H]

Thanks for posting this in 2014. Does it keep your 440 cool? I need to do this with a 900 horsepower hemi. Think it would work or should I replace the passenger side core support for the airflow?
Thanks all!

 

[HooToTheCore]

No heat issues with the 440. Been driving it regularly since the engine swap. I couldn't tell you how a high HP hemi would do.

 

[moparlee]

No heat issues with the 440. Been driving it regularly since the engine swap. I couldn't tell you how a high HP hemi would do.

Are you using a 2 core or 3 core and have you run it with the AC yet?

 

[Randy H]

Thanks! I have a be cool twin fan set up that works for this engine and will try your bracket and see. If not, will have to replace passenger core support to be sure.

 

[HooToTheCore]

Are you using a 2 core or 3 core and have you run it with the AC yet?

I have not run it with AC yet, so there's that. The radiator is an older mopar replacement, not sure if it is 2 or 3 core. It doesn't have a modern recore.

 

[HooToTheCore]

Thanks! I have a be cool twin fan set up that works for this engine and will try your bracket and see. If not, will have to replace passenger core support to be sure.

That's the good thing about my mod, it is cheap and can be easily swapped out if it doesn't work.

 

[Jeffrey Goodin]

This was perfect! I installed a 26" Champion Rad with a single 16" Fan no shroud. 44 with Stock Hipo Manifolds and 2.5 Exhaust. We just fired it up a week ago I will update once I get on the road.

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

I’m going to go out and build one of these in just a few. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Oystercopy]

I'm in this same dilemma with a 440 and a 22" rad. I opted - at least for the interim - to order the fan shroud and will be installing a clutch fan with 7 blades soon. We had it out tonight and she overheated and not even hot outside. The instant I got out of the drive through and back on the road, she cooled down instantly, so I'm pretty sure its just an air-flow problem.

 

[Bobby Sixkiller]

I built the bracket just like shown above. Installed the 26 inch radiator from champion. Used a clutch fan from a motor home. Don’t have a shroud yet. Never see temps over 170 on the gauge. Checking with a temp gun the hottest spot were 186. That’s not bad for 92 degrees out. Should stay cooled in hotter weather I will put a shroud on when I can.