Reply to "radiator overkill"

For your stated application, you want a radiator with a radiator shrowd to control air flow when the fans are operating and to mount the fans about an inch off the radiator core. You also want 2 very high volume fans, and finally a lot of water circulation at low rpm. I believe it is proper to mention, the proper high flow thermostat should be verified to be in use. The wrong t-stat leads to overheating.

The way to get the low rpm water flow up is with an Edelbrock or Flow Kooler water pump.

Radiator core design can also aide in improving coolant flow. For a given radiator thickness, say 3 1/2 inches, it would be better to have a core with 2 rows of 1 1/2 inch wide tubes, than to have a core with 5 rows of 1/2 inch wide tubes.

I believe the $1000 radiator you are referring to is sold by Collector's Choice. I happen to know their radiator is manufactured by Ron Davis Radiators. It looks like a good set up, but I'm not sure of the core configuration.

Hope the pointers help.

Your friend on the DTBB, George