What about this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-1-...6294c0&vxp=mtr

 

Picked this up local, almost same as the Chevy truck with short fill neck so hope it moves enough heat

 

It should... from what i've read the aluminum is much more efficient than the old copper/brass ones (which is why they are thinner)

I still need a way to fill the gap between the rad and the fan shroud.. that's on my list before summer kicks in..

So far i've had temps up to 80deg outside and the engine temp is stable, no more than 199deg w/ a 190deg stat. average is between 190-194

 

They sell self stick weatherstrip at Lowes and auto parts stores,

Working on this today

I have a read shop that can fix the direct fit , forgot about them probly need to price that as a backup

 

So took out old read cut off feet and they fit perfect on bottom of this, set it in place seems perfect

Top hose lines up, bottom clears the bracket on pass side u guys cut off( that's to mount steering box for left hand drive)

It does stick up past the read support but the hood closes no modds

Both sides use 5/16 flare, this concerned me since the rover lines are like 1/2" ?

I adapted them up to 3/8",brass fitting from parts store, guess I need to force the hose onto the rover line

Went back to the rad supplier, they pulled the truck rad navy used and it also comes 5/16" on right side and comes with the adapter I bought to go to 3/8"

The truck rad. Is 2 core but they look small with a lot of wasted space, looks like in the end my single core probly will flow the same, the end bowels are the same size

Showed them my brass one that is 4 core they could not believe how small the core tubes are

Now the bad

This is 1" narrower then stock so my electric fans are no go, to use the clutch fan I will need to cut up the shroud some for same reason

Storms came so I will address this tomorrow

 

$250 for a new direct fit EBay one is starting to sound better and better.

 

I have to agree. Starting to wonder if all this research and adapting is worth it. Wouldn't the replacement aluminum one settle the brass vs aluminum argument? Eliminate all the cutting/fab work? These replacements would have to work substantially better to be worth all this trouble.

 

I guess doing mods for the sake of doing them can be fun, but I have too much other stuff on my plate. That's one reason why I had my original radiator re-cored with a HD core 7 or 8 years ago and it's been fine. No issues whatsoever. And copper is a better conductor of heat than aluminum is. Almost twice as good at 215 degrees.

The reason so many people have issues is they don't properly maintain their cooling system.
A rebuilt with a HD core, proper maintenance and, if you're OCD, a coolant filter Gano Auto Coolant Filter Company and you'll be good for many many years.
As mentioned, these vehicles run stock in conditions a lot more extreme than what you'll find in the US and do fine in the cooling department.

As for plastic tanks, people get fed up with the plastic bleeder plug crap and replace them with brass, but it's a good idea to replace the tanks with plastic?

 

My direct fit plastic broke the oil cooler when I pulled it for the engine job

I am not doing anything I can't undo so...

I have a few more things to look at before I am all in with this, just looking to simplify the system , lower hose setup is rediculas IMO

 

I thought it was fairly simple to do. As for it's cooling capacity and realiability, I ran a mid 90's Astro van rad on a 1ton K5 blazer with a LT1 TPI 350 & 700R4. Used that rad as a temp fix (friend had the van in his yard) as the old 85 GM copper rad had rotted out. That rad is still in that truck till this day, 9 years later! Friend I sold it to in Nevada still wheels the shyt outta it..