bigscaht Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 So Im in the market to get a new radiator for the monte..getting ready for summer ay know...... so I was lookin at the aluminum ones from summit & Jegs which are both 299.....then I saw this on ebay..what do you guys think? link they also have one that comes with 2 electric fans but its a smaller radiator..2 row!..I dont know..I could sure use the other 100 bucks for other parts...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I seem to remember that I have heard good things about Champion. I have also heard that the 3 row alu radiators are a marketing gimmick and they actually cool worse than the 2 row... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreese Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hey Scott,  Might want to give these guys a try  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-77-CHE...sQ5fAccessories  I run one of their radiators behind my s/b and it works extremely well. Kept my car cool on the street, highway and track. Factory fan, fan clutch and shroud and the engine temp never got above 190 even here in the deep south.  Gonna run it behind my new engine and am not worried about it keeping it cool.  David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigmatic Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hey Scott! Â I have a champion that I am putting in my monte and should be around 400hp also running electric fan and should keep it cool. I have a friend that runs one in his 88 chevy truck around 450hp and drives it all over town with A/C and never gets hot. Oh and this is the 2 row as well. Looking at it closely it looks like a quality item...I will let you know...engine is going to be fired up this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Cool thanks guys....I was kinda leary because they are so much cheaper than the summit/jegs units..y'all make me feel a lil better...tryin to get ready for summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy's Auto Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 If quality means more less function, go with Champion. They work well but in all honesty, my 17 year old daughter can weld cleaner than the Indonesion sweat shop workers can. Â But lower your expectations and you will not be so let down. Besides, what do you expect from an 11 year old little girl working 18 hour days for rupies? Â Either way, in a late sleepness night all jacked up on holistic medicine, I bought the Champion 3 row for my faster than you 81 Malibu. It fit, it cools, and it does what it is supposed to do. The quality of the welds, the extra bungs, and the sharp flashins was truly the difference between it and the Griffin I bought 14 years ago for just under a grand. The Champion was $255 shipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 The Champion Radiators are actually made in China, not Indonesia... Â It appears that the US made similar Radiator is about double the price... Â I would probably still chose the Made in USA product, $150 would be worth it to me... Â Also, check this out: Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicDragon42 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I put a Champion in my '71 402 Monte last Spring and I have been very pleased with how it fit, the quality of manufacturing and how it cools. I would recommend the Champion without desitation. Â Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I went with the 2 row and installed the electric fans on it. Best upgrade you could do. And cleans up the engine bay nice! Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Sounds like I'm gonna bite the bullet and get the two row wit the fans....thanks for all the advice guys..pics to come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 ok so I got the 2 row radiator but chose not to get the fans cuz I want to keep my stock fan shroud..I like that big thing! lol but now I need some kind of catch/recovery can since when I got the car it never had one..what size do you guys recomend..I found this one at summit... link it kinds matches the radiator...jus gotta figure out how to mount it..what do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 From the factory they did not come with one that I know of. That one in your link is fine for the car, I have the exact one but it's the round version. I can't really help on where to mount it as I have electric fans and luckily for me there was threaded holes right where I needed it... Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Hi Guys, Â Been reading this thread and am also looking to upgrade my radiator. My 402 tends to run hotter (up to 230 degrees) during Summer on really hot days. Currently have a original factory installed HD 3 core radiator in her with factory fan & fan clutch. Planning on retaining fan shroud, fan & fan clutch. Anyone have pic's that show how this Champion radiator looks when installed, modifications necessary and can provide performance info? I have A/C but is not currently operable that I plan on making so this Spring. With the A/C running, I'm afraid engine temp will rise even further on those hot days. Don't mean to steal this thread but it is relevant to my situation and from some of the info I have read, sounds promising! Any help detailing this Champion Radiators performance and fitment would be greatly appreciated. Â All have a GREAT day........ Â Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballubet Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I have the same overflow tank as Bill does. You just need to find a place it fits and mount it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 i got the radiator but havent had a chance to install it yet but its the same dimentions as the stock radiator and mounts the same way..no mods needed..i to am goin to go with the fan shroud and original type clutch fan..hopefully Ill get to it this weekend and ill post some pics... and as for the overflow tank..isnt it supposed to mount lower or higher than the radiator???? how does that work???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Here is a pic of my radiator resevoir bottle. It should be somewhat lower than radiator. The resevoir bottle operates based on pressure and vacumm. The expanded water pressure in radiator forces excess water into resevoir and adversely draws water back into radiator via vacumm when water level in radiator drops. Basically maintains radiator water level when engine is cold and when hot. You will have to determine at what level water you will need in resevoir. To little and radiator will draw all of it and to much will cause resevoir to overflow. Â Â Looking forward to seeing how your radiator fits up & how it performs! Not sure, but based on Champions info, I'm guessing a 3 row is in my future. Â Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Brichta Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Here is the link to the 2 row radiator that I put in my 70 El Camino. Nice quality and works great with stock fan and shroud.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-1969-1970-1971-1972-Chevelle-Aluminum-Radiator-/320668004189?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3AChevelle&hash=item4aa94d6f5d  Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 well I heard the 3 row is a gimmic so I got the 2 row one which should work way better than the original..I guess....weather permiting ill get to it this weekend..thanks for the catch can info now I can order one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 ok so i got a chance to get the radiator in the car..havent filled her up yet but it fit jus like the original no mods necessary..I still have to get a catch can and figure out where to mount that...but here are some pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Nice! (I have seen better welding, though ) Â It appears that there are a few spare bolts on the tranny cooler side which could hold a catch can? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigscaht Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 yeah the welding could be much better!!!!! but u get what u pay for. I think those spare bolts are open holes I guess for some other cooler..mabye an oil cooler or something..they arent dead holes tho!..the screws that go in them have a thick rubber o ring on them...not sire what they could be for cuz their too big for the tranny lines on our cars...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 not sire what they could be for cuz their too big for the tranny lines on our cars...... Like Andreas said...use them some how to mount your catch can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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