crossflow v8 radiator mounting

Does anyone have any photos of their lower radiator bracket (for the v8) mounted in the van? I'm looking to recreate something similar in my econoline so any photos of the bracket installed (where it bolts into the van etc) would be very helpful!

Here is the 2nd Gen Chevy/GMC crossflow radiator system,,,,,,uses a surge tank to fill the radiator,,,,a crossmember to hold it up into the top mount,,,,,has a clutch fan and shroud,,,,,,and a BIG doghouse to hold it,,,,,,,

donivan65 wrote:Here is the 2nd Gen Chevy/GMC crossflow radiator system,,,,,,uses a surge tank to fill the radiator,,,,a crossmember to hold it up into the top mount,,,,,has a clutch fan and shroud,,,,,,and a BIG doghouse to hold it,,,,,,,

I have the doghouse and the upper radiator mount welded in it.. missing the bottom one though. Id like to somehow recreate it or something similar. although I'm not sure where it mounts to the frame. Also there are a few things in the way. ( doing this in an econoline)

do you have photos of it underneath the van?

I will look,,,,here is one,,,,,,it just bolts to the frame,,,,right above the front axle,,,,

thanks. does the frame have a welded nut inside it? Have you ever seen the radiator held to the top mount in a different fashion?

Well,,,,,the REAL crossflow radiator does not have any flanges  to mount it or a radiator cap,,,,,,and it mounts in those 4 rubber saddles at the tank seams,,,,,,,peoples like to put aluminum radiators with flanges and just use angle iron to bolt it to the doghouse,,,,,the frame does have welded nuts in it that the crossmember bolts into,,,,,,however,,,,,I hook up towbars by just hooking a kind of ubolt through holes and it works GREAT,,,,,,,you get the idea,,,,,,find or drill 2 holes,,,,,,hook a u bolt through them,,,bolt it up,,,,,

awesome! Thank you so much!... now I just need to make a crossmember, or maybe even find someone on here that has one for sale

you going to put that into a Ford?,,,,not a 100 pound, 3 foot long Chevy radiator????
you got a 2nd Gen Chevy doghouse,,,,,,I got pictures and measurements of a 67-70 2nd Gen Chevy crossflow radiator crossmember,,,,,or are you just putting some sort of crossflow radiator in,,,,,,what do you have,,,,,what are you planning on doing,,,,,

I swapped a V8 into the econoline instead of the small inline 6. I was having some cooling issues with the small radiator in it, and I've always liked the look of the chevy set up so I figured I'd mimic it.

I have the big doghouse from a 69 chevy with the upper mount. I got a big 28 x 19 aluminum cross flow radiator with the outlets in the ford configuration and a shroud and electric fan set up. I also made an aluminum surge tank. So the last piece of the puzzle is this bottom crossmember!

I also ran into some issues with brake lines. but I've re ran those and bent them, and now I'm running into a few issues with the throttle linkage being in the way, but I think I'll be able to maneuver that as well.

to be honest it would be Ideal if there was a way for me to mount the radiator by sucking it up into the upper mounts with some straps and U shaped brackets, I'm just not sure that will be secure enough.

so does the upper mount grab your radiator OK,,,,,,,,will a lower mount squeeze the radiator tight enough,,,,,or too tight,,,,,you kinda have to have the same size radiator for a chevy radiator mount to work right,,,,,I can get you all the measurements of the chevy set up,,,,,to see if your radiator will fit in it,,,,,angle iron or channel iron could make up a lower mount,,,,,,,is the radiator in enough to see where a crossmember needs to be,,,straight across/bent up/bent down?

Yeah the upper holds the radiator snug. Don't have a lower bracket yet but I'm assuming that it will work well because the upper does. I'll take some photos tomorrow and more accurate measurements but I think the crossmember will need to be bent up similar to the Chevy set up

Here is another idea I like to use. This comes from the trailer hitch guys who would weld nuts onto coat hanger or what ever. I like welding the nuts to a strap because they wont try to spin when you tighten them.








Just be sure to get ALL the bolts started before tightening any of them.

M1D

ok here are a few photos of the set up.. excuse the messy wires etc. I'll be cleaning it all up after I know it runs right.

As you can see right now i have two vertical bars holding the radiator bottom and pushing it up into the top crossmember. I'm not certain this is gonna be a good way to support it though.... any thoughts?

thanks again!

you definitely need some sort of a crossmember that grab the tank seams and push the radiator up into the upper mounts,,,,,

so does this 67-70 Chevy van lower radiator mount look like it could work on your Ford,,,,,,,,pictures look best if they are resized  to 640 if you post some,,,,,,,,,,,

looks about right! Ill use those measurements today and see if it'll work. Do you have another one for sale?

lets see if it could work for you 1st,,,,,,then we see if anyone has one,,,,,,,a couple of pieces of angle iron and some channel with some cut open heater hose could get the job done,,,,,,,,I would say the most important thing is to have that radiator sitting in rubber,,,,,,

this thing might still be in Ecology,,,,,,Russell lives near there,,,,,,,



https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t50298-a-2nd-gen-no-door-in-san-diego-ecology

I took some measurements today... they're similar to the chevy crossmember but the tank seam measurements are different so I'll have to make my own version. Thanks for all the help. I'll have to post a few pictures on here when once I've made a new lower support.