anyone running a Champion radiator ?

[57 3100]

guys,
curious if any of you are using a Champion aluminum radiator ?
i ordered on for my 57, and got it yesterday. a 3 core all aluminum pro series.
http://www.championradiators.com/page/430247590

today i went to install it and was unhappily surprised that although it does bolt up directly to the factory locating holes on the side mounts, the mounts are welded to the sides in a fashion that pushes the entire radiator inbound 1" more than the factory radiator.
not too much of a problem at the top, but my flex fan now hits the bottom of the radiator, and its so close i cant install the fan when the radiator is in. if i take my 1" spacer off the water pump snout, then the fan hits the bottom crank pulley.
setting the radiator right next to the factory radiator the problem is very obvious.
im not too happy with the quality of this radiator. i absolutely hate shipping stuff back and all the run around involved with that. and would also like to have the truck back up and running either this weekend or during next week.
since im a welder by trade, im thinking about cutting the current side mounts off, repositioning them where needed, and rewelding them onto the sides..

i e-mailed the customer service and will wait to see what they say. the price was 240.00 shipped, which i thought seemed kind of cheap, and im now paying for it....
just wondering if any of you had the same problems, or which radiator you guys are running ?

thanks

leonard

[truckerbob56]

I'm running with a champion rad on my 56 gmc with a 350 it fit like a glove but I'm useing a soild fan not a flex fan. It looks great under the hood

[Dan in Pasadena]

How about a 1/2" water pump snout spacer?

[57 3100]

thanks guys....
yea dan i may be looking into that, taking it to work and having the machinist turn it down, but man, there is just no room and im gonna have to modify the side mounts.
will let you all know what happens.. thanks

[OKGMC4]

On mine the mounts were welded in such a way that the bottom of the radiator hit the splash pan. I did end up cutting them off and re-welding them. Still beat the $500 and up name brand units in my opinion but you are right, it should have fit first time.

[mr48chev]

I'd like to know how they cool and then hold up after they have been on a truck for a while. I've got a pair of 1-1/2 ton radiators that I may see if one is good enough to use but I figure I'll have to buy a new one this time around.

With the 250 in my 48 and running a shortened water pump I still have to pull the radiator to be able to take the fan off or put it on. That is with no spacer.

[57 3100]

ok guys, i e-mailed the owner of champion radiator. he was willing to stand behind his product and either give me my money back or modify the radiator to what i needed.
i told him since im a welder/fabricator and have a tig unit here at the house, i would fix it my self. i wrote him a description of what i did, along with pics, for his tech department.
again, i only think this problem arose because of my long water pump, but im sure im not the only 55-59 owner running a SBC with a long water pump. others will have the same problem i had.
in the third pic on this other manufacturers website, you can see the extreme angle of the side mount brackets that keep the bottom more outward toward the front of the truck.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-55-56-57...sories&vxp=mtr

the side mounts on Champions radiator were basically straight up and down.

thanks for the help guys, and i hope to have it all back together by mid week.

leonard