From Watered Down 914's, Beating a dead horse but it's my dead horse! Options

[BRAVE_HELIOS]

Hey all, Sorry I have not responded sooner. I've been away for a few weeks in Europe celebrating my 25th anniversary and visiting with family in Sicily!

Anyway; I did have some time to review things and have found some interesting things indeed.

First, for the time being, I am going to assume my plumbing is mostly correct. So...

1. I found that my RH manual from 1992 and Ed Ducey's V8 Conversion manual both call for 1 inch diameter hose from the t-stat to the rad inlet and 1.25 inch from the rad outlet to the WP. I have 1.25 inch to and fro. Would this make a difference? IDK, but it's cheap enough for me to try it and see what happens.

2. From the same informational sources; I found that the 350 CID engine requires 525 Sq inches of rad surface (350 * 1.5). Also noted, they both recommend a minimum of a 2 row, double pass rad of the correct sq. inches. The rad in my car by comparison is a cross flow (single pass), 2 row, 426 sq in. rad. My rad (15.5 x 27.5) is around 20% smaller than what the sources recommend!

3. The sources mention that the valance/bumper opening for air to the rad should be a minimum of 1 sq. foot (144 sq inch). The opening of my Chalon front bumper is 21 x 5 inches or 105 sq inches. That is around 27 % smaller than what is recommended! Don't really know what to do with that other than to hack the opening bigger and deal with body work and paint! Would such a smaller opening make a difference?

4. Therefore, besides replacing my 1.25 inch hose from t-stat to rad with 1 inch (doing so will allow less volume and greater pressure for that side... may that make a difference?), I am looking at a rad that is a 2 row, double pass unit that measures 28 x 19, which yields 532 sq. inches. There also a 31 x 19 rad (2 row/double pass) that yields 589 sq. inches. Either should fit, angled as mine is now although the 31 inch would be a tighter fit between the headlight buckets.

A question though... which will have better cooling, having more than a two rows (like a 3 or 4 row) single pass rad or a 2 row, double pass unit? It might be possible to get a 3 row, double pass rad but I think those are really pricey. The sources both say the 2 row double pass rad of the correct area for a 350 is sufficient but old school in me says 3-4 row single pass could be better.

Any suggestions?