C15A radiator mount and conversion

[harrygrey382]

I'm hoping someone might help me with some info here. I've just got my C15A down to the workshop and tackling the radiator issue. I pressured up the original and there are several million pin sized holes everywhere, and some whoppers. So it's not a goer. I could get an ally one from the US but I have roughly 0 money to spend right now and I want to get this going or it's going to become really stagnant.

I have a VGC radiator, shroud and mount frame out of an HJ45 landcruiser. It's a bit shorter, a bit wider (still narrower than the engine bay though) but I'm thinking as the HJ45 has a 3.6L diesel should still cool pretty well. But I'm not sure how far from the fan to mount it...

Could someone either put up some pictures of how the radiator mounts (I took it out about 15 years ago so have no recollection!) or measure the distance from the fan to the back of the rad? Can anyone see any problems with this conversion (hose placements are OK)? It's 510mm wide - is there anything that will fowl? I should try and drop the front section over it but that's not a right-now job

[hrpearce]

Harry the fan blade to radiator is 15mm and 510mm would fit as long as the thickness is roughly the same. If you want to keep your mount for future use you will need to make up a special one for your replacement.

[harrygrey382]

Thanks Robert. I actually had a fairly productive evening - the mount frame for the cruiser rad is very 'blitz like' - overly heavy gauge steel and very well braced. And amazingly the original shroud is an exact fit to it, just had to re- drill 4 out of 6 bolt holes. I got the bottom mount done using the proper cross member holes so it's almost done. I'll use the landcruiser method of bracing the top back to the chassis each side. It sits a lot lower than the original but the only issue I see is filling will be slightly more awkward when it's all in. Just need to sort out some hoses then it's ready for a good temperature test run.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Harry

Please keep us posted on how this works, if it does can you give us some more information on the year model etc of the Landcurisier. As this may be away of breathing some new life into other Chevy CMPs short of having radiators made.

Cheers Phil

[David Dunlop]

Is it possible to have the original rad recored, or are the upper and lower tanks too far gone? I had that done at a local rad shop for a C15A many years ago and the cost was a fraction of finding a complete new replacement rad.

David

[hrpearce]

Hi Harry do you have photos of your progress you can share.

[harrygrey382]

My tanks are good enough for a recore, but the nearest good rad place quoted $1000 which made it a bit unattractive. I'll keep it and if I ever have a spare grand I'll do it.

Cruiser is an HJ45 - that's the first diesel one with the H 3.6L, 1977 this one I think. They changed to the 2H 4L in 1980 and had a slightly different rad. I'm sure it could also be made to fit it's just the manager said to have anything I wanted out of this HJ45 wreck so that's why it's a donor. And it seems like it must've had a brand new just before its demise!

I'll try and get some photos up, but as my wife has the camera and is away (hence the blitz rush - I could say blitz blitz even) I'm limited to the laptop webcam...