Hey all, so I have a '69 Waggy with the Buick 350 V8 engine and A/C. A bad motor mount caused the fan to slice out a big chunk of the radiator. The frame and tanks are still in great shape so I figured I'd take it to a local shop to be completely re-cored. It looks like it's been done at least once before due to having a sticker on it from a radiator shop in another state. I'm not sure to tell by looking at it how many cores it has but it's quite thick.
What is the stock configuration for the Buick 350 FSJ radiators as far as # of cores and size? And should I stick with that setup; or is there is a cost effective way to upgrade the radiator core from the stock design while still using the stock tanks?
I don't expect to need a TON more cooling than stock, I just figure it's always a worthwhile area to upgrade. It has been pretty hot here the past couple summers and I don't want to have issues when sitting in traffic or heading up to the mountains. A lift and 31" or 32" tires will be in the Wag's future and I'd like to be able to tow at least a pop up camper up mountain passes without running warm. That's why I figure if there's a practical upgrade than can be done to the stock radiator I may want to go for it. I definitely don't have the budget for a custom aluminum radiator but then again I don't expect to need that much of an upgrade. And I'm trying to retain as many original parts as I can on this rig anyway.
Should there be a fan clutch on a '69 Wagoneer with the Buick 350? It has A/C, but I am not sure if it is factory or was added later (I'm leaning towards having been added later). Currently it has a solid spacer on the cooling fan.
Unfortunately my original shroud was damaged beyond further repair when the fan hit the radiator. I've been reading about how no one makes a replacement shroud, and no originals really exist anymore as fragile as they are. Ultimately I will probably just convert over to an electric fan setup as I prefer them over mechanical fans anyway. That being said, has anyone found a shroud than can be made to fit the Buick 350 powered FSJ's? Is the shroud for the AMC powered Jeeps really that much different that it can't be make to work?
What is the stock configuration for the Buick 350 FSJ radiators as far as # of cores and size? And should I stick with that setup; or is there is a cost effective way to upgrade the radiator core from the stock design while still using the stock tanks?
I don't expect to need a TON more cooling than stock, I just figure it's always a worthwhile area to upgrade. It has been pretty hot here the past couple summers and I don't want to have issues when sitting in traffic or heading up to the mountains. A lift and 31" or 32" tires will be in the Wag's future and I'd like to be able to tow at least a pop up camper up mountain passes without running warm. That's why I figure if there's a practical upgrade than can be done to the stock radiator I may want to go for it. I definitely don't have the budget for a custom aluminum radiator but then again I don't expect to need that much of an upgrade. And I'm trying to retain as many original parts as I can on this rig anyway.
Should there be a fan clutch on a '69 Wagoneer with the Buick 350? It has A/C, but I am not sure if it is factory or was added later (I'm leaning towards having been added later). Currently it has a solid spacer on the cooling fan.
Unfortunately my original shroud was damaged beyond further repair when the fan hit the radiator. I've been reading about how no one makes a replacement shroud, and no originals really exist anymore as fragile as they are. Ultimately I will probably just convert over to an electric fan setup as I prefer them over mechanical fans anyway. That being said, has anyone found a shroud than can be made to fit the Buick 350 powered FSJ's? Is the shroud for the AMC powered Jeeps really that much different that it can't be make to work?
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