The Dodge Challenger Message Board

I ordered a 440 radiator for my small block Challenger thinking it would be more than adequate to handle my car's cooling requirements (coupled with an electric fan). It is a two-row. I was surprised that it was too wide to fit in the car properly - the mounting holes for this radiator are significantly outboard of the holes for the original radiator.

I have a 26 inch radiator that I can re-core. However, I would like to find out if the bigger radiator is really for a Challenger - I ordered a 440 Challenger radiator but I am wondering if they sent me an incorrect radiator.

Do the big block and small block Challengers have different mounting supports? This is a possibility I had not considered.

I measured mine for somone else a while back. Wish i had written it down. I will lift the hood tonight and see if I can get an idea. But with it in the car it may not be very accurate.

I didn't get a chance to look at the car last night Duane. Sorry.

Dave,

Whenever you get a chance is fine. I checked my Paddock catalog and Year One on line; I saw 26 inches for big block as well as small block Challengers. This weekend I will measure the radiator I got to see if the core is longer than that (I have it stored with a friend I won't see until Saturday); I think it is . The mounts definitely extend beyond the mounting holes on car, but are still very close to the edges of the core. I will also check to see if I can find a part number on it and trace it back to the manufacturer (Milodon, I think) to verify what car it should go to. I am guessing it belongs on a B-body but lets see what your measurement is.

I hope you enjoy your car this summer! My wife and I start construction on a new house in a few weeks - this one will at last give me a two car garage. I have not even seen my car in months - it is out of the rain with a friend in Baltimore; but by fall I should have it back and indoors. In the meantime, I hope to get the radiator squared away and replace the power steering box, which won't stay centered on the highway. Plus get a mini-starter; the original doesn't like headers and is slowly going downhill.

Thanks again!

It was hissing down with rain just as I got home tonight. How I wish i had a garage too!

However my good pal Dave McBride has come to your rescue with this infomation.

"the rad bolt holes are 28" apart horizontally. The vertical spacing driver side is 14.5" and passenger side 10.5"

I hope that helps.

Dave,

Thanks! I will do some measuring of my own this weekend: both radiators.

Duane

Well, it has been over a month - turns out the radiator I ordered is a 26 inch big block Challenger radiator and won't fit my car, which has to take a 22 inch radiator. I am looking at ordering a new, 3-row 22 inch radiator from a company called U.S. Radiator in California. I would be running the 22 inch with an electric fan. I prefer to avoid putting more holes in the core support to hold the 26 inch. I gather that it is possible to put in a 26 inch radiator, though; any suggestions on how it can it be done? I assume it would be necessary to use some sort of spacers; also, positioning the radiator so it does not hit the battery tray etc. Would it even be worth doing this for a 2 row 26 inch radiator?

I suspect that three rows will be better than two even if the three row is smaller. A lot depends on the size of the tubes that make the row too. Bigger is better. Two big tubes will beat three smaller diameter tubes.

Check out the technical infomation on this site.
http://www.stewartcomponents.com/

I put a BeCool radiator in my 74. Seems to have a pretty good reputation.
Also has a good guide to fit your specific application...
http://www.becool.com/