As some of you know, I'm working on an engine swap - GM V6/T5 into a 66 Datsun
Roadster - and I'm
at the point of figuring / fabricating the radiator mounting.
A 4 row, 14 x 18 x 2.75" aluminum radiator came with the car and I'd hope to
use it rather than buying another.
It appears that I have two choices given the space available.
I can either mount the rad upright in front of the engine, with the bottom
down between the frame rails, but offset about 6" to the passenger side to
clear the steering gearbox. This would require the fabrication of an
elaborate airbox to seal between the rad and the front of the car. Could
use either an engine driven or electric fan (pusher or thin puller).
The other option is to mount it tilted back at an angle of 35-45 degrees
with the bottom almost level with the frame rails, just behind the grille,
The airbox for this would be much simpler to fabricate - basically a flanged
box cut at an angle. This approach would require an electric puller fan
mounted on underside.
I put a page on my server to illustrate
http://home.neo.rr.com/mark2000/images/datsun1600/radiator/radiator.htm
The links below have a lot of other in progress photos as well.
I know that quite a few vettes had the rad tilted back, and I seem to recall
that several older sports cars like the Cheetah, etc. did the same.
My questions are: does anyone know of any problems that might be attributed
to a tipped back radiator? Is there a limit to how angled it can be (i.e 30
deg is OK but 45 is not)? Anything else (i.e. trapped air, etc)?
Mark Sedlack
OROC
Cuyahoga Falls OH
66 1600 http://home.neo.rr.com/mark2000/images/datsun1600/
77 280Z http://home.neo.rr.com/mark2000/images/datsun1600/Z/Z.htm
/// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
|