Radiator Aluminum

[jenk35]

My mark IV is complete as of last week...apart from one thing. It went through its enhanced inspection before I'd added the radiator aluminum, with the lower edge of the radiator secured with zip ties as instructed in the manual. The mechanic who prepared the car for inspection didn't like this set-up and fabricated a bracket along the lower edge of the radiator. The bracket keeps the radiator and front-end wiring firmly in place, but the bolts on the bracket and a slight change in the angle of the radiator means that the radiator floor and side aluminum panels no longer fit.

I'd be very happy not to modify and install these panels. However, are they necessary to guide all the air flowing through the front-end through the radiator, rather than some flowing around the sides and below it? Will this result in the car operating at too high a temperature?

I hope someone can help. Thanks!

[AC Bill]

Could you not just trim the side and bottom aluminum shrouding to fit?

There was a set angle for the rad to be mounted, included in instructions from FFR, when I built mine. I installed the bottom support brace I made, with that in mind. Even then, I still needed to do a little trimming on the side aluminum pieces to fit good around the quick jack framing.

[jenk35]

The mechanic just did his own thing and came up with an angle which seemed to work, not knowing about the aluminum panels. I think this would need more than a bit of trimming, probably fabricating from scratch.

[JohnK]

You will lose some air flow through the radiator by not having the side pieces in place, as some air will flow around the radiator rather than through it. Whether this causes issues with overheating is really an individual thing. Do you have a fan shroud? This should take care of low-speed cooling, as the fan and shroud will pull air through the entire radiator. Not having the side pieces will be more of an issue when moving. If it runs cool while driving, then you should be OK.

As far as radiator angle goes, the FFR-recommended angle is 51 deg. Another option is to go with Mike Everson's (Replicaparts) radiator surround, which is a nicer-looking (IMO) piece and guarantees that almost all air entering the nose goes through the radiator. (To get *all* the air through you'd also need the top blank-off plate). To use Mike's surround you'll need a radiator angle of 58 degrees.

[Avalanche325]

My nose aluminum was the only thing that just didn't fit in my car. I made new ones.

I would say that you should install them. You could modify the brackets that your mechanic made rather than the aluminum.

[GoDadGo]

As usual I've gone 180 degrees against the common path and have a custom lower radiator mount and no panels to direct the air towards the radiator.
I have NO aluminum to channel the air through the radiator; however, I do have the fan engaged to run 100% of the time.
Underhood temperatures are cool, I don't have issues with overheating, nor do I have any issues with carburetor vapor locking.
I had one fan running 100% of the time on my old C-4 so I went down the same path for my Chevy Cobra.
My feeling is that the fan can be more easily replaced than the engine.

Beloved Sold C-4:
https://youtu.be/svZX2BMSDEs

Naked Cobra:
https://youtu.be/PCngiKoopkA

Cobra After Paint:
https://youtu.be/A0Jb1tjjtPU

I truly see now why Mr. Kleiner calls me Heyoka!

[AC Bill]

I do have the fan engaged to run 100% of the time.

The only issue with that, is if your driving in cooler temps with an older EFI set-up, it may run cooler than is ideal. The ECM may run in closed loop.

[Norm B]

None of my radiator inlet panels fit correctly. Made my own.

[rich grsc]

Choose your poison, modify the panels, or modify the mount.

[jenk35]

Many thanks for all your suggestions! I think I'll refabricate the panels.

[GoDadGo]

Choose your poison, modify the panels, or modify the mount.

Ditto!

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Try Eversons part with Breezes top piece to seal off the radiator intake. Have gone 5 daily driver Carolina summers without a shroud for the fan.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazine.com-vbulletin/850x566/80-overflow_f3449505b6b66e5517a39e55a1b7ac1fc1195b6e. jpg
Arrow is for a overflow that was replaced with a MOROSO tank answering a question in another thread.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazine.com-vbulletin/850x566/80-caif_6bd00dad4e7f08ab265846ae1b046b62f582dd5e.jpg

Brake ducts feed the footbox vents & oil cooler duct is my induction system cool air intake.