Aren't we all, right? https://www.championradiators.com/product/AE161-161FS14 So, I found this via flipping through the internet... looks legit, 2 rows of 1" tubes. Any thoughts? The car it's going in is a 72 Skylark with a 520-540hp 455, no a/c. I already have a fan controller to use as well.
that's a low price with fans and all ..... I been eyeballing the cold case only bcs the tubes are 1 1/4"..but just radiator is in the mid $300 range...
I've installed the AE161 on my Wildcat - chose the AE161 over the CC161 - for the 1" tubes. The fan shroud and fans were easy to put together, it's a beautiful unit & fitted very neatly. Not much room at the top when bonnet is on - close fit. I don't know if it is space is the same for your Skylark. Here are some pics from my post - maybe that'll give you a better idea. Haven't tested it yet though, they advertised cooling up to 650HP... I'm nowhere near that, but will be testing it soon to see if those fans do the job. You will have to make custom mounts.
I used a radiator from auto city classic on my '55 Chevy and it's a decent radiator and they are priced really well. They have GM A body car radiators as well.
I know someone that used 2 of those champion radiators in 2 different cars and was pleased, never had a problem with cooling or leaks. He was not using the electric fans, so I can;t comment on that. I went through 2 leaky griffins (I do not recommend griffin, it's widely discussed that their quality has seemingly gone downhill in recent years) before going with a BeCool (1-1/4" tubes) and so far so good. I'm using a lincoln mark viii electric fan on top of that, my cars never had a heating issue to date. I'm pleased with the setup. Radiator and fan cost was around $400 combined iirc.
Don't get a Cold Case Radiator for our Buick, they are to wide when I purchased one for my 71 GS. I live not far from them so I returned it and brought with me two Buick OEM radiators to compare the difference. For some reason they had a prototype radiator in their showroom which was the exactly like the two Buick OEM radiators. So Cold Case offered me the prototype radiator to me and installed it in my 71 GS and it fit just like the original. Please measure your old radiator against Cold Case Radiator specifications. As I stated the Cold Case Radiator is to wide to fit in our radiator support! George
