Engine Radiator with no shroud provision... What to do?

[FastDriver]

So, I decided that I wanted a Griffin radiator to use in any of my cars if I ever need to take out one of the radiators already installed for repair. i.e. right not, Black Jack has a Ron Davis radiator, which is something like an $1k radiator now, and I want to pull it out & take it to an old-school radiator repair shop that can test & weld it back up. Anyways, I decided on a higher-end radiator and bought this one:

The trouble is, if the top of the radiator, the aluminum doesn't extend up such that you can drill it for mounting the shroud. Are my choices really down to bracket fabrication, welding the provision onto it, or buying Griffin's shroud & fans? This sucks unless there's some off-the-shelf bracket available.

 

[FastDriver]

For reference, here's how my Mark VIII fan is currently mountend and you can see why that won't work with the Griffin:

 

[gkomo]

I had a Griffin radiator in my old Fox. I don't remember having to fabricate anything as i ran the OEM shroud and mechanical fan. Maybe their design has changed (this was like 15+ years ago) because that's weird. I can't tell from that first photo but is the top of the radiator completely flat? Or is there a slight lip of aluminum but just not tall enough?

 

[gkomo]

Looks like others have had the same question. No where to mount the stock shroud:

https://www.corral.net/threads/griffin-radiator-help-for-foxbody-mounting-and-fitment-questions.1420526/

 

[FastDriver]

So, your old griffin might be like the one in Grover, which has the provision this one lacks. That's why I didn't look closely when I ordered it. I didn't even know this was a thing.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I think ai have the same one in my T-Bird. Built an upper bracket to hold it in with tabs on it for the Mark VIII fan.

You will have to excuse the crappy photo as its from 2014. I can get a better picture if you would like. I may even have the drawing for the bracket but I will have to look when I get home.

 

[gkomo]

I wonder if you could just bend some aluminum stock as a bracket (almost like a twisted "L" with a hole drilled in the short part) under the radiator hold downs? Might not be 100% secure though without some way of bolting/gluing them down.

 

[Noobz347]

Your new bracket doesn't have to attach to the radiator in any way.

Make yourself a plate that goes all the way over the top of the radiator and provides you with the mounting surface you need for the shroud.

You can do a similar thing for the bottom. Attach to anything that is handy, sturdy, and [not] the radiator.

Hell if you wanted, you could make the whole thing install/remove with PiP pins.

 

[FastDriver]

Thanks, guys. Ugh. The point if getting this damned thing was to make taking the Ron Davis for repair easier, and only subsequently have something on the shelf to replace on any of the cars, when needed again. Should've just got some local POS radiator off of bookface.

 

[limp]

Check out DeWitts... It will not be cheap but it will be very nice... Pic of the radiator they build for an LS swap into a C2 Corvette..

 

[rednotch]

I've used the old flex a lite style that mounts on the core support before for different fans, not sure who still sells em but they used to be everywhere and cheap, probably have a few in the parts shed kicking around. only pic I could find on Google was from flex a lite now lol.. https://flex-a-lite.com/direct-fit-black-magic-xtreme-electric-fan-for-1979-1993-ford-mustang.html

As for high dollar radiators better off sticking with a lifetime one from the parts store these days, cooling a 5.0 ain't that hard if you have airflow, hell I've used cheapy Honda half rads on some cars where weight was a concern without issues.

 

[RaggedGT]

Could you use the plastic tie straps like you would use for an external cooler?

 

[Noobz347]

A flat piece of sheet metal in any finish you like that is wide enough and tall enough that you can corner bend them for tabs.

This would use your existing fan and shroud and also extend your shroud over the entire surface of the radiator.

Your existing fan and shroud mount over this plate. Cut-to-Fit.

If you need hardware for the shroud, weld bolts in facing the rear of the car.

 

[Kid wita 5oh]

Could you use the plastic tie straps like you would use for an external cooler?

Exactly what I was going to suggest, they work great, I have used them many times over the years to install fans, or secure broken shrouds

Quick and easy.. sounds like what he is looking for

 

[nicholase]

Can you return it?

The point if getting this damned thing was to make taking the Ron Davis for repair easier, and only subsequently have something on the shelf to replace on any of the cars, when needed again.

Yeah, that sucks you have to build something unique for a "spare". I'd second the suggestion to check out DeWitts if you can return the Griffin. I have one in my fox and it's really nice. I'm running the factory shroud and it fits fine. So if that's what you need for an attachment point for your fans, the DeWitts will work fine.

A little more expensive but same ballpark.

 

[2000xp8]

If you bought this new, i'd just return it.
Honest question, do you really need a spare radiator?
$500 seems like a lot to just throw on a shelf.

 

[FastDriver]

I returned it. Well, no one needs a spare radiator. But, I don't need the car to be down for 2 weeks or whatever it's going to take between dropping the Ron Davis off 2 hours away, at the closest shop available to me that does these kind of repairs, and having the time to get back out and pick it up again. But you're right. If I find a $50 radiator that works, even a stock one on Facebook marketplace, I'll just nab it.