Thread: radiator for 1937 Dodge Truck w 350 engine

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Hi. New to the forum. I have a friend who is rodding a 1937 Dodge truck (I believe that it is one step larger than a pickup). He will install a 350 Chevy emgine (300-350 hp) and would like to know how to cool the engine relatively inexpensively. He can purchase a NOS 37 Dodge truck radiator (thicker than a pickup radiator-2" thick I believe). Will this cool the above described 350 engine? Are there better alternatives working with a $400 budget?
Any help here would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Rich

Originally posted by shuntich
Hi. New to the forum. I have a friend who is rodding a 1937 Dodge truck (I believe that it is one step larger than a pickup). He will install a 350 Chevy emgine (300-350 hp) and would like to know how to cool the engine relatively inexpensively. He can purchase a NOS 37 Dodge truck radiator (thicker than a pickup radiator-2" thick I believe). Will this cool the above described 350 engine? Are there better alternatives working with a $400 budget?
Any help here would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Rich

its hard to give you a for sure answer on that rich, depending on the motor, what kind of load youre going to pull,what kind of fan and shroud youll have. if everything is right and with a new rad. it will probably be ok. sounds like its a little light though.

What are the size limitations where the radiator fits.??? Lots of aluminum radiators on the market in your price range.

PRC radiators will make you one, for around 400

I haven't gotten as far as needing a radiator for my 37 Dodge PU yet, but 2 things I have been looking at are the Modine radiators for the 37 era Chevy and Ford Hot rods which look like they might fit. As an alternative, I have used modified cross flow radiators (stood up on end and the radiator fill hole moved to what has become the top.

Originally posted by Mike P
I haven't gotten as far as needing a radiator for my 37 Dodge PU yet, but 2 things I have been looking at are the Modine radiators for the 37 era Chevy and Ford Hot rods which look like they might fit. As an alternative, I have used modified cross flow radiators (stood up on end and the radiator fill hole moved to what has become the top.

hadnt stood a cross flow up yet, but i gress it works, but where i come from you can get a rad. for 400.00. most any shape and size you wont.

Group: Thanks for all of your suggestions. I passed them along to my friend. If you have any more ideas, please send them in.
Thanks again for your speedy replies.
Rich

does he still have the motor that came out of the truck if so what motor is it?

Originally posted by 54Belvedere
does he still have the motor that came out of the truck if so what motor is it?

I had one of those once. It came with a flathead inline six. I can't remember the displacement, though. It never had it running so I can't tell you how well or poorly it may have cooled.

I've been through this on my 37 1/2 ton Dodge pickup. My goal was to find a radiator that would function well without "breaking the bank". To do that I specifically avoided the aftermarket radiator companies and researched replacement radiators. After spending an evening going through the Modine catalog, I found one radiator that would fit between the stock grill shell / core support structure of my pickup (Modine #2301, 66 Mustang 289 with automatic & A/C (3-row)). The nice aspect of my find was that I realized that many firms make replacement radiators for this application including 4-row, brass or aluminum. In fact, there are several websites that specialize in aftermarket early mustang parts and most have several radiator options to chose from. My radiator was purchased from NAPA 4 years ago for $135.00 (a jobber's rate). Beats the heck out of the $400-600 radiator options I found before my search!

54 Belvedere: I'm sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your post. I've been busy and out of town for a while, but that's no excuse. My friend sold his original in line 6 cly. engine several months ago. Again, my apologies for not responding sooner.

Originally Posted by earlymopar

I've been through this on my 37 1/2 ton Dodge pickup. My goal was to find a radiator that would function well without "breaking the bank". To do that I specifically avoided the aftermarket radiator companies and researched replacement radiators. After spending an evening going through the Modine catalog, I found one radiator that would fit between the stock grill shell / core support structure of my pickup (Modine #2301, 66 Mustang 289 with automatic & A/C (3-row)). The nice aspect of my find was that I realized that many firms make replacement radiators for this application including 4-row, brass or aluminum. In fact, there are several websites that specialize in aftermarket early mustang parts and most have several radiator options to chose from. My radiator was purchased from NAPA 4 years ago for $135.00 (a jobber's rate). Beats the heck out of the $400-600 radiator options I found before my search!

HI, Looking for help on how you mounted the Mustang rad in your rad support. I'm also building a 37 Dodge pickup and come across your post and was hoping you could help me out. Thanks!

You might have a long wait, that thread is from 2004, 12 years ago!

Originally Posted by redwood16

HI, Looking for help on how you mounted the Mustang rad in your rad support. I'm also building a 37 Dodge pickup and come across your post and was hoping you could help me out. Thanks!

Redwood16,
First, welcome to the forum! Glad you're here and hope you choose to stick around.

Second, you've responded to a thread from 2004, a dozen years ago, and I think the only member in the discussion way back then that's still active is MikeP! The good thing is that he's one of the best tech guys around, and is talented at adapting salvage yard parts to alternate uses. You'd be much better off starting a new thread, which tags with a current date, asking your question; but Mike may see this and jump in with a life line.

Best luck with your build.

Man I got ALL excited when I read the title.....I'm just about to point on mine where I need to get a radiator my 37 and was hoping someone else had already done the research for me ......then I read the date. Oh well.

I can't be a lot of help at the moment about as far as I've gotten is taking a couple of rough of measurements and looking at universal hot rod radiators (aluminum) to see whats out there.

By the way, welcome, I for one would really like to see and hear about what you're working on.


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