TR-4 cheap aluminum radiator page
(click on thumbnails below for larger picture)
For a less expensive alternative, you can purchase a Griffin aluminum radiator, 19" x 22" from http://www.carshopinc.com/ for about $180.
This link should take you directly to the Griffin radiator page. http://www.carshopinc.com/index.php?cPath=88_90&sort=&filter_id=243526 Otherwise, from the main Car Shop page choose cooling, then radiators, and then select the Griffin manufacturer.
Part number 125182x is the Chevy style radiator with top inlet on drivers side, part number 126182x is the Ford style radiator with top inlet on passenger side. Either will work, but the plumbing is a bit easier with the Ford style one. The pictures below are of the Chevy style radiator.
The inlet and outlet sizes are larger than the stock TR, so hoses need be sized accordingly. A helpful tip is to have a muffler shop make a steel adaptor from the radiator size to the motor size - that way you can use straightforward elbow fittings to adapt the radiator. You may be able to get away with $5 to $15 worth of work from the muffler shop.
You will need to fabricate lower radiator mounts from heavy sheet steel. The stock upper mount can be modified to work. You'll need to fabricate a new shroud from the grill to the radiator. The shroud is very important to adequate cooling.
After the install, the radiator cap is usually lower than it was with the stock radiator. There are a couple of approaches to filling the system. Uncle jack had an additional radiator neck welded to the top of the thermostat housing. This makes it very easy to fill the system completely. Be sure to plug the overflow in that housing if you do this mod. Otherwise, all of the water will come out of the overflow due to the pressure of the block side of the cooling being higher than the pressure of the radiator side of the cooling system.
The approach I use to getting the system full is to take the plug out of my plugged up bypass line in the water pump and filling the pump up through that hole. That makes sure the pump is primed and I can then fill through the radiator with the motor running.
After this installation, you may find that you want to run a thermostat. I have run at 140 to 150 degrees on a cool day, and run 160 degrees when it's 90+ degrees out.
Pictures of a completed installation:
Detail of lower outlet plumbing. Note that water pump bypass line plug is visible on right center of picture.
Other end of lower outlet plumbing. Note that the steel pipe is necked up before rubber elbow. Muffler shop did this for $5.
Lower mount shots
Birds-eye view - upper hose, upper support, shroud...
