Cooling a Chevy V8 in a wagon

Andy FitzGibbon

Precision Fit
May 22, 2018
951
West Virginia
First Name
Andrew
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1956
Hi all,

My new '56 wagon has a Chevy 350 and an old, unidentified cross flow radiator, the core of which is a few inches wider than a stock unit. The radiator is in need of replacement, and I'd like to put something in that fits a little better. Is one of the new stock size 3 row aluminum radiators big enough to adequately cool a V8?

Thanks,
Andy
 
I would say No ....i think radiators are built according to the size of the motor they were originally designed to handle.....so a 4 Cyl radiator is not going to be able to keep up with a V8 engine.
i also have a 95 Chevy 350 ..TBI engine in my 51 truck that came with it when i bought it ....and i had to do lot of research to find the correct sized suitable radiator for it.

what i wound up with is a radiator off Fleabay from PRW ....it is a 19 x 25 GM performance aluminum racing radiator .....20150821_223001.jpg20150817_113014.jpg...i then fabbed up a mount out of 3"x3" angle iron i had laying bout.....20150822_143627.jpg...some paint...20150822_145633.jpg...then mount was through bolted to front crossmember and the radiator bolted to that...20150823_095707.jpg....20150823_095729.jpg...Radiator mount dimensions.jpg...20150821_223102.jpg.....idea being nothing bolted to fenders or grille
i can remove entire front clip if necessary without removing any wiring.., hoses,... brackets ,...and be left clear acess all way around



i put that in but not real sure if 2 or three row i do know it works fine with my 95 TBI 350 and have not had any cooling issues yet... and I live on the edge of Hell ...in Phx Az..!! ..The Heat is coming..!! i had to cut the stock 4 cyl shroud back to make room for it to fit. IMG_20170128_094535937.jpg.....then added a pair of 10" electric fans..IMG_20170128_094547853.jpg...and so far in the last several months of driving it to local weekend car show and around town,.. have not any issues with cooling....though i need to get a digital gauge and see where my actual temp is sitting at?

so i would sit down and do your research ...go to your local Radiator shop and talk to them tell them what you what to do ...they do this for a living and am sure they will point you in right direction .. then decide how much you want to spend ...New prebuilt aftermarket...or custom made stock sized for V8? lot of options out there then decide which is best for you and your wagon.

Good luck let us know how it goes for ya..!

Larry
 
Last edited:
I used a Howe Aluminum racing Radiator and a Volvo 2 speed Electric fan with a custom shroud on my wagon with a SBC 383 stroker engine.
 
Back
Top