Radiator sealing

saudivette

saudivette

Clueless In Sandland
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Mar 24, 2008
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Aussie expat in Saudi Arabia
Can someone please give me the rough dimensions for the pieces of sealing foam that go between the radiator and the support panel?

I have some high density foam here that I figure will do as good a job as the foam in a kit and it won't take 2 weeks for me to get it!

Just an idea of the thickness and width please...
 
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These are pretty close on my 70 BB:

Sides = 3/4" thick by 7/8" wide

Top = 1" thick by 1.5" wide

Can't get to the bottom to measure, but it looks to be the same as the top.
 
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On our '81 the sides are 1" thick and 7/8 wide.
The Top? ... it is no longer there.

6-29-08009.jpg

6-29-08008.jpg
 
Wayne,

Does yours have the CFI setup. If so the sides are the same, but the top of the radiator support does not go all the way across. I don't know if you going back with that setup or not.
 
SMYDA said:
On our '81 the sides are 1" thick and 7/8 wide.
The Top? ... it is no longer there.
Click to expand...
Thanks John. Just to clarify, 1" thick meaning 1" front to back? That's what the pics look like anyway...

Dirtbuster1 said:
Wayne,

Does yours have the CFI setup. If so the sides are the same, but the top of the radiator support does not go all the way across. I don't know if you going back with that setup or not.
Click to expand...
No Herb, all that shit's gone now - Edelbrock carb sitting on top. I'll run a seal all the way across the top of the rad support...
 
saudivette said:
Thanks John. Just to clarify, 1" thick meaning 1" front to back?
Click to expand...
:thumbs:



V-Twin said:
That's an 82 radiator support you have there in your 81
Click to expand...

:confused: I know the car had been smacked in the left front at one time....maybe it was a little harder than I thought.
What is the the obvious difference between the two years? The dip at the top of the support?
 
The big dimple in the middle, it's for the hood cold air door on 82s (solenoid operated). Those shrouds are not available new (remanufactured), for someone restoring an 82 with a busted shroud it may be worth some money.
 
V-Twin said:
The big dimple in the middle, it's for the hood cold air door on 82s (solenoid operated). Those shrouds are not available new (remanufactured), for someone restoring an 82 with a busted shroud it may be worth some money.
Click to expand...
:thumbs: Thanks for the heads up.
All the air intake ducts were missing when I bought the car......so I never questioned the dimple.

This photo was made day of purchase.
5-3-07005.jpg
 
SMYDA said:
Thanks for the heads up.
All the air intake ducts were missing when I bought the car......so I never questioned the dimple...
Click to expand...
The ducting is part of the hood liner John and if it's an 82 hood, the ducting will line up with that notch in the rad support. There'll also be the cutout for the crossfire air cleaner...

I have two types of foam here that I can use to make the seals. One type is high density, but a little spongy the other type is actually lighter but cannot be compressed anywhere near as much as the first type.

Any suggestions as to what the original is like?
 
There is no duct work in my hood ..... it is an original '81 hood.

The foam on our car is extremely dense ...... it can barely be squeezed at all.
This might be do to age.... :confused:......don't have anything here to compare to.
 
Wayne,

The new foam I got from Zip was pretty stiff. It would not compress much at all on the sides, however the top pieces compressed quite a bit more.

Herb
 
saudivette said:
SMYDA said:
Thanks for the heads up.
All the air intake ducts were missing when I bought the car......so I never questioned the dimple...
Click to expand...
The ducting is part of the hood liner John and if it's an 82 hood, the ducting will line up with that notch in the rad support. There'll also be the cutout for the crossfire air cleaner...

I have two types of foam here that I can use to make the seals. One type is high density, but a little spongy the other type is actually lighter but cannot be compressed anywhere near as much as the first type.

Any suggestions as to what the original is like?
Click to expand...

I have a seal kit here that I could take to a friend that could ID the density of the foam but it would probably be a number like "5lb foam" (meaning a cubic foot weighs 5lbs). I'm not sure if that will tell you anything or not.
 
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