Griffin Radiators

[Col Mustard]

I had Ron Davis build my radiator with a SPAL fan. Who ever you decide to go with, here's a link to SPAL. They have a nice product line up. www.spal-usa.com

 

[way2nosty]

afco

I bought an AFCO for my truck, you can buy them per model. and at $180 they are pretty cheap, they are all tig welded aluminum single core with raised fins. and as far as the electric vs mechanical fan conversation, I have both, a regular clutch fan and an electric configured to push either one could cool my smallblock but it is always nice to not overheat.

 

[kgb]

Besides radiator look into other ways to keep the engine cool. Coated headers do a great job, Stewart high flow water pumps are awesome. When I built my Astro I did all that and had to put a cover over the grill cause it ran almost too cool.

 

[richpblaze]

Be Cool radiator and a Zirgo fan

 

[Shawn]

Well I called Ron Davis this morning I'm still in shock..... The original radiator for this motor was 23"x31"x3". The guy I spoke with said I should run a 19"x31"x3" with the shroud and two 14" pullers. What I don't understand is that is almost the same size and the stock application so why go aluminum? I figured I could use a smaller radiator based on the aluminum vs. copper heat exchange.... am I wrong....

 

[EZRhino]

Uhhh....19x31 IS smaller than 23x31.......


???

EZ

 

[Shawn]

Uhhh....19x31 IS smaller than 23x31.......


???

EZ

Really??

 

[Caleb]

this is what speedway motors claims

2 rows of 1" aluminum tubes (out cools 5 rows of copper)

also check out this article from Novak (good info)...according to the article you should be able to get by with a 19x24 aluminum radiator.

 

[Shawn]

this is what speedway motors claims


also check out this article from Novak (good info)...according to the article you should be able to get by with a 19x24 aluminum radiator.

hummm, going off there formula I would need a 31x19. 454+50+= 504 inches of core. a 31x19 in radiator has 513" of core....
A 19x24 has 380...

 

[EZRhino]

Really??

Uh yes....you realize that I was answering your own question, right buck-o?

Shawn says:

Well I called Ron Davis this morning I'm still in shock..... The original radiator for this motor was 23"x31"x3". The guy I spoke with said I should run a 19"x31"x3" with the shroud and two 14" pullers. What I don't understand is that is almost the same size and the stock application so why go aluminum? I figured I could use a smaller radiator based on the aluminum vs. copper heat exchange.... am I wrong....

If the guy you talked to says to run a 19x31, which is smaller than the original brass/cooper, then you CAN have the aluminum at roughly the same cooling capacity despite being smaller. Not sure what more you are cornfused about.
EZ

 

[Caleb]

hummm, going off there formula I would need a 31x19. 454+50+= 504 inches of core. a 31x19 in radiator has 513" of core....
A 19x24 has 380...

I forgot to add the 50 to it...but you should still be able to get by with a 19x27 (454+50=504/19=26.53)

how are you figuring out the core of the radiator (isn't it supposed to be LxW)?

 

[Shawn]

My order has been place. Thanks for eveyones help.

 

[Caleb]

My order has been place. Thanks for eveyones help.

which one did you end up going with? (just curious)...and why, if you don't mind (was it the CS, the product, a combo, etc?) ...I know I'll be getting another radiator in the future for another project, thats why I ask

 

[Shawn]

which one did you end up going with? (just curious)...and why, if you don't mind (was it the CS, the product, a combo, etc?) ...I know I'll be getting another radiator in the future for another project, thats why I ask

I hate to even talk about it... the cost was just over wellming. I went with the Ron Davis because of the quallity, the built in shroud and dual 14" fans. I know the Cruiser will keep cool with this set up. The turn around time is 3-4 weeks. I'll post a pic when it arrives.

 

[Caleb]

I hate to even talk about it... the cost was just over wellming. I went with the Ron Davis because of the quallity, the built in shroud and dual 14" fans. I know the Cruiser will keep cool with this set up. The turn around time is 3-4 weeks. I'll post a pic when it arrives.

deffinitely post a pic when it comes

 

[I Lean]

I'll be very interested to see how much air the dual 14's move. (cuz as I mentioned, I have yet to see a high-dollar fan move as much air as my $35 one)

 

[Shawn]

I'll be very interested to see how much air the dual 14's move. (cuz as I mentioned, I have yet to see a high-dollar fan move as much air as my $35 one)

Each 14 puts out 1720cfm. The thing I like about the dual is that it covers almost the whole radiator vs just the center.

 

[anvil]

How many CFM a fan can move is meaningless without knowing the pressure it is moved against. For fans the pressure is usually measured in inches of water. Manufacturers rarely list enough information to compare apples to apples. It would be interesting to see a good independant study on fan flow and actual HP required to drive them. I'm talking something better than what flex-a-lite pays Hot Rod Magazine to write about them.

 

[Jate]

I think you will be quite happy with a RD radiator. Everyone I know who has one is very happy. I looked very hard at them and would have bought one except I bought a Fluidyne Racing radiator from a NASCAR. It was brand new in the box and I got it off of eBay for $225. I bought a dual electric fan that came off of a Chrysler Intrepid or something like that. It is almost a perfect fit and only cost me $35 on eBay. I have not really pushed it to the limit so I can't say how good it will work down in Moab in July or August but so far it has worked great!

Good luck with your project. A 454 in Toyota is radical. I want to check it out when you are finished!

JT