Be Cool Radiator installed (pics)

[71Dragtruck]

A few members have been posting lately about aftermarket radiators. I finished up installing my Be Cool rad last night. I had to do a bit of modification to the stock brackets to make it fit. Nothing major, alot less than I thought I was going to have to do to begin with, just opened them up with a grinder. Worst part was geting my fan setup to fit with the BB and long water pump combo I run.

[68racer]

More great information! What part number is the rad? Are they big block rad brackets? Have you modified the frame? I can't see the front v plate 'spreader' in the chassis. I took mine out and welded in a k tube to stiffen the frame. I run more engine set back so it will be easier to fit a big rad.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Now that's tight

[71Dragtruck]

It is a part #60058, it is a exact fit model for our trucks, this one does not have a internal tranny cooler. The brackets I had were for a 3-row stock rad, I had turned it into a 4-row and ran it with the same brackets. Yes my cross member has been removed and replaced with a tubular one under the rad support.

[Flat 67]

Nice work......two questions thou. I hardly ever see it done but can the fans fit in front of the radiator to give you more room? Also, I see you are not using that 3" piece of hose from the water pump to the intake manifold, will that cause any cooling problems? Thanks ......Flat 67

[71Dragtruck]

You could use the fans as pushers, but they are alot more efficient as pullers. My truck doesn't see very much street driving, maybe the odd spin around town. I asked around about the hose, and didn't really get a straight answer as to it's purpose, so I took it off to see how much differance it made. I really didn't notice any, but maybe someone with more of a daily driver has tried without. It maybe warms up to operating temp faster now, but I also went to a perfomance themostat at the same time?

[yote1234]

nice! can you tell me where i can get one for under 600.00?.....thanx,dave

[71Dragtruck]

Originally Posted by yote1234

nice! can you tell me where i can get one for under 600.00?.....thanx,dave

The one I have without the built in tranny cooler is $499 at Summit, and one with a built in cooler $599.

[yote1234]

yea,thats what i have found 600.00 + shipping..guess the mortgage will have to be late this month! hehehehe.

[bskylerj]

Looks good. Let us know if you see a temp difference using this. What were you running before? Thanks

[71Dragtruck]

I just installed a new Ultra Lite temp gauge, so I'll let you know what it runs now when I drive it next. Not sure what it ran before, just had the stock gauge hooked up. I know, expensive motor and stock gauges? Slowly replacing them as time permits ( I HATE WIRING ). Be Cool say's something like 20* cooler or your money back, think that's what it is. It's supose to be rated good for up to 1000HP with they're electric fan setup. All I know is It's alot lighter, and one big ass rad.

[4x4Poet]

Why use the long water pump vice the short wp? I see that it allows for all the accessories to be completely in front of the block. Purpose?

Beautiful engine bay, btw. Stunning BBC!

Got a little tip. First, you ground 3-row rad brackets to fit?? Buy some 4-row rad brackets, for crying out loud! (Not the tip. ) I bought some 4-row rad brackets from LMC way back. They came galvenized silver. I thought you might like to know since they would blend well with the alum rad. Won't blend then with the core spt, though. Personal preference rules.

[71Dragtruck]

I had 2 days to install, and being from Canada, venders that have parts like that are more rare. I have a few odds and ends to get over the next month, so I'm going ask about the 4-row brackets then, in their cataloge ( Scott's Super Trucks ) they only list different rubbers not brackets. So to get the job done in the amount of time I had to do it, ( no time to wait on parts in the mail ) I ground what I had out, and if it ruined them I could have gotten a replacement set for free here in town from a local. More than likely what will happen in the end is I'll build a set out of aluminum, that sit nice and flat against the rad and support, and won't have the mounts for the plastic shroud sticking up. As far as the long water pump, If I were buying all new again all at once, I would have went with all March stuff for short pump or electric pump. But as it worked out, I was all set up for a long pump with my pullies and brackets, the only new part of the rad install was the rad.

[4x4Poet]

Understandable. Thanks for taking the time to detail that out.

[MadDog]

Wow, that looks very nice.

[Hart_Rod]

Can you get that radiator with different size inlets? I'm running a 5.3/4L60E and it has 1 1/4 inlets instead of the 1 1/2.

Rob

[71Dragtruck]

Not to sure on that one, guy would have to call BE Cool. Wonder if you could come up with a different hose for it, some I've seen are a different size on each end.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by 71Dragtruck

Not to sure on that one, guy would have to call BE Cool. Wonder if you could come up with a different hose for it, some I've seen are a different size on each end.

I'll give them a call. Prefer to have th right ends, just in case they have to be replaced. I don't want to be stuck somewhere because of a specialty part.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I'll give them a call. Prefer to have th right ends, just in case they have to be replaced. I don't want to be stuck somewhere because of a specialty part.

A simple, cheap alternative are the tailpipe reducers available @ most auto supply places.

I used one for the lower hose on my 68 when I swapped the original 2-row radiator for a 3-row 'high-efficiency' that was from my 78 elcamino. The lower radiator outlet was a different size vs. the 6cyl's water pump outlet. I used the reducer to adapt the hoses (bottom/water pump end of the hose is stock 68; top/radiator end of the hose is stock 78 camino). Worked for years w/o issue & cost was less than $5.

[409biscayne]

71
Hot , er cool swap . Looks great , like everything else in that engine bay . I'm jealous.
409biscayne.

[71Dragtruck]

Originally Posted by 409biscayne

71
Hot , er cool swap . Looks great , like everything else in that engine bay . I'm jealous.
409biscayne.

Thanks, been alot of different parts under that hood over the last 19 years, and I'm sure it will change again.

[71Rat]

71dragtruck, where did you get the electric fans from and also what modifications did you have to make to them to fit well? im trying to find a way to keep my bbc in my 71 cool and i also have a long water pump.

thanks for the input simply an amazing truck you have!!! great work!!

[fast_dev]

i was once told that the little hose from the intake to the pump is to bleed off pressure at higher rpms and not let the coolant push too fast, same as the small extra hole in the pass. side of a small block water pump. not needed with an electric pump as water speed and pressure is not affected by engine rpm. Dev.

[kelsfine69]

Originally Posted by 71Rat

71dragtruck, where did you get the electric fans from and also what modifications did you have to make to them to fit well? im trying to find a way to keep my bbc in my 71 cool and i also have a long water pump.

thanks for the input simply an amazing truck you have!!! great work!!

I also want to know. The fans i have now have ties thru the rad to hold them on and when i get my Be Cool i dont want to do that. Is the fan shroud a custom made piece?

[BB72CHEVKT]

I was going to run the same set up on my 72BB but after seeing the LWP set up being so close it has me wondering. I have the same radiator and have purchased most everything for the LWP set up including an aluminum water pump, chrome alternator brackets and chrome pulleys. I did not realize it was so tight. Thanks for posting.