New radiator in my 1973 Cadillac Superoir Hearse

D

Darren Bedford

PCS Member
I bought a new rad for my car from a parts shop in Michigan when I was there for a couple car shows a month ago.

Today was a nice sunny day. No wind and warm enough to work outside.

I took out my old original rad and matched it up with the new replacement rad that was suppose to be a exact match rad for a '73 CC Cadillac.

For the most part it was. Here are some noted differences:

The original had a 45 degree bend up on the lower rad hose pipe. Replacement was just straight without the rise up.

The replacement had the upper transmission hole about 3 inched lower than the original. Luckily I had a copper transmission line that was able to flex out of the way and be re-attached in the lower hole.

The upper rad hose tube, the overflow tube, lower transmission line hole and the heater hose tube were all in the correct locations.

The thing that is worse about the replacement rad... it is thinner with it's plastic end caps than the original with brass tanks.
The replacement rad needed a 1/4" shim to get snugged up.
What I did was cut two pieces of the upper rad hose, that I was replacing anyway, and used that as the shim.
It worked perfect and the rad is in there nicely now.

Another thing that doesn't look so nice is that the top of the rad is just a grooved piece of aluminum, not a flat solid top like the original.
Doesn't look right and I'm sure it will be a trap for dirt.

The card that was in the box with the rad is in the photo below.

It says EXACT FIT ! it fit but far from exact fit !

Check out the photo. I guess it is shiny and new and the car is running again so all is good.

Don't believe everything you read or have been told by a counter guy.
...but enjoy the drive !

Darren
 

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not exact

Darren,
Been there done that. I got a new radiator off evilbay early this year. When it arrived, like your's the lower hose neck was not at a 45 degree angle as the original. The sway bar wasn't going anywhere. So we tried the shim thing only to decide that the hood would now smash the upper tank. Then the trans cooler line fittings were not the correct size. So back it went. I called and the guy in Arizona insisted he has sold many of these for 61 Cadillacs. I told him the commercial chassis and all. He insisted his radiator was a good replacement. To his and his company's credit he took it back and paid the return shipping to boot. My next radiator order will be sent with pictures and measurments. Another thing with the new aluminum rad was the upper tank was wider so we had to make new hold downs for it.
Glad you got your's to work.
Mike
 
I'm glad you got to tell these stories, Darren and Mike. With this in mind I think I'll just either have my '76 Victoria radiator rodded or recored. I put an actual temperature gauge in the '76 prior to the Kingston ONT Meet, and it's wonderful peace of mind compared to the idiot light, which on '74-'76 lines up directly behind the steering wheel where it can't be seen anyway!

It seems that on long hard drives with the a/c on in the summer time, the needle on the gauge begins to inch into the red. It doesn't overheat or anything, but is hotter than I'd like. I think before the Milwaukee meet I'm going to have to have the radiator worked on. Thanks again for posting, Darren! Oh.... your same problems can easily happen with aftermarket air conditioning condensers too.
 
when ever I need a new Rad I NEVER get a replacement.......I ALWAYS get a recore. There is a guy In Trenton, Ontario who still recores rads....A lot of rad shop now just replace instead of reparing them. All the new rads have plastic ends and can't be repared. This guy will make you a rad with copper and steel the old fashion way.
 
Any radiator shop that is known for doing quality work can install a new core using the original tanks, and when it is done, no one will be able to tell the differance. Sometimes, they can even increase the number of "rows" in the radiator, depending on the size of the tanks. There is no doubt that the replacement aluminum radiators will cool more efficiently. These cars were reliable when new, and if you do the proper maintenance to maintain it the way it was intended, then you will have many happy highway miles.
 
if your going to get a replacement one get the all aluminium one. they make one with out the plastic tanks. the all come from china so why mess with the crimped on tanks when you can get a all metal one welded. that was what I got for the 73 S&S and it went right in. I checked on getting it re-cored and the new core was 100 bucks more then the whole radiator before the labor. so we did the replacement on that car. it's one of those you need to ask and is it worth it to you things. that one wasn't worth trying to keep all origional.
 
I have gone threw this 100 times with all my cars. The replacement radiators never fit right. Really the replacement everything usually does not fit right. If you ever need to replace you radiator it is in my experience that you are better off having the old one redone. If you must replace it go with edd's advise on the all metal aluminum radiator.
 
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