47-55.1 Radiator support

[8man]

I was looking at the radiator support, getting ready to build the brackets for it and I compared it to this picture in the S10 how to write up.
Radiator pic by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

The one for the 48 didn't have a piece on top.

So I pulled out the one for the 54, and it doesn't have a piece on top either.

Alright, i went to a couple of build threads and checked out their radiator install, and they had a straight piece across the top.

Where can I get one of the pieces I'm missing. I guess the first step is to know what it is actually called, because checking a couple of parts sites has not helped me out.

Thanks.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by 8man

I was looking at the radiator support, getting ready to build the brackets for it and I compared it to this picture in the S10 how to write up.
Radiator pic by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

The one for the 48 didn't have a piece on top.

So I pulled out the one for the 54, and it doesn't have a piece on top either.

that picture is of a GMC, it has that round piece on the top. the chevy doesnt. here is what a chevy looks like






I have a GMC and mine is missing that piece. I just used a piece of flat stock with some gussets to close out the top.

[mr48chev]

Stock Chevy Core support looks like this one. The early ones that had the three point cab mount had the bolts that held the support to the crossmeber in the middle rather than to the sides like the late 49 and later did. This being a late 49 or later.

[8man]

I've got two and neither one has that piece on top. Also neither has that X bracing.

I guess I'll have to make something.

[joedoh]

its not uncommon for chevys not to have that piece. come to think of it my gmc didnt have that piece. pretty common to remove that part to remove the radiator.



its funny, my last GMC had that round top piece, but didnt have the sheetmetal closeout. this one has the closeout but not the round piece.

just measure, and make a top piece. you'll be fine!

[mr48chev]

All Chevy core supports came from the factory with the top piece but a lot of them got removed along with the cross braces to pull and engine with no welder available to put them back with.

I've got two 1-1/2 ton radiators still in the core supports that they removed radiator and all to pull the engine. They unbolted the grills and then unbolted the core support with radiator in it and pulled the whole thing.

[8man]

Thanks guys. I'm the poster boy for buying someone else's project in pieces. This would have been a LOT easier had I taken it apart, but buying pieces doesn't teach how they went together.

Funny story about the 48, the old radiator is still bolted to the two side bars, but there was no top bar or X brace, and to top it off, the PO has cut the bottom off to try and fit it to a Camaro clip. So I really have a project on that one.

When the new radiator comes in, I think I can fab something for the top bar, and I've welded a temporary brace on the bottom until it's ready to fit to the front clip.

I appreciate the help.

[e015475]

The part I think you're missing is the sheet metal close-out for the GMC. Here is a picture of mine for my '49GMC.



i bought it from DeadZoneTruckn in Tucson - mine was missing from the box of parts I bought too.

The core support shown in one of the previous posts is for a Chevy truck (as stated). A GMC does not have the cross bracing that the Chevy does, and the radiator fits deeper into the core support to accommodate the longer GMC engine. I imagine that the curved top piece and the sheet metal close out together give enough rigidity to the GMC core support to keep it from 'racking' without the cross bracing.

If you are going to skip the sheet metal closeout and fab a new top piece, I'd think about putting some bracing rods in your GMC radiator support

[8man]

e01475, Thank you for the help.

I have 2 Chevys, the picture of the GMC radiator is from the S10 How To. I posted it because it showed the support at the top very well. With the S10 swap I'm doing, I think I'll just fab something for the new radiator.