F-body radiator

[joesscamaro]

I feel like I've seen a thread where someone said they installed an f-body radiator while running an LS1, but had issues with overheating. I tried searching and came up empty. Does anyone know if the f-body radiator is sufficient? I know the mounts will have to be modified for it to fit. I ask now because the sales that are going on and I feel I need to go a different route...now is a good time to buy one. Thanks in advance.

[68c10airstream]

My 68 ls swap i did what might be the only one out there. Here it goes; 2001 5.3 stock clutch fan from the 2001 donor engine and all belt driven stock items, 2001 stock suburban hd cooling radiator 2001 stock motor mounts and fabbed my own mount brackets.

The radiator required trimming off the top stock mounting ears (unsightly), getting 2 more stock 67-72 radiator mounts to use to extend as needed to fit the radiator.

I had to notch out/trim the d/s side vertical radiator plate back because this large radiator occupied more room on the d/s side than a stock radiator.

I was able to use the 68 fan shroud, 2001 fan clutch, 2001 radiator. fan blade clearance to shroud is maybe 3/4" but doesn't rub.

Advantages to doing this are;
Stock 2001 radiator is reasonable and replaceable on the road anywhere.
If the stock radiator can keep a suburban cool with front and rear ac load it will work for me!
If fan clutch fails it locks up, fan roar and max cooling. This works for me!


I should add that making my own mounts i positioned my 5.3 as low as possible inc. using an "F" body oil pan that sits about 1/2" above the steering center link when in the straight ahead position. This allowed me to remove the stock motor mount perches from the frame and using the stock 2001 motor mounts. I can mount the stock a/c compressor down low on the p/s where it was stock. Also no header clearance problems because no frame bracket perches in the way.

Dirty dingo slider i believe have clearance issues with the stock a/c compressor bracket, but not my stock 2001 mounts. You don't even hardly see them! A long answer but the details are innerrelated

[joesscamaro]

Hey, I appreciate the response! I've got a '00 Z28 parts car that I'll be using, hopefully, everything out of. This is going to be my first go at this, so I'm just going to have to go by trial and error and figure things out on the fly. I plan to literally pull the engine and trans and all other goodies right out of the car and fit them to my '65 truck. I'm sure with the right amount of fabrication any of the Camaro parts will work. I did buy the Dirty Dingo slide mounts already, so it sounds like I may have to figure out a few fitment issues along the way. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out what may or may not work. Thanks again for the response.

[Shon]

stock fbody rad and fans here, no problems keeping it at the temps I want.

[joesscamaro]

That's good to hear...thanks for the response! Can you post any pictures of how you've got it in there? I'm curious

[Shon]

Originally Posted by joesscamaro

That's good to hear...thanks for the response! Can you post any pictures of how you've got it in there? I'm curious

at first I made some clamps to hold it in place from aluminum. Since then I have had a cover made that covers the whole radiator and matches the filler panels.