Lou's 65 Comet Build

[DesertRat]

Lou your car is truly breathtaking. I bought a 25" big block radiator for my Comet and the vendor I bought it from painted the whole thing black for me at no charge. I had worries about cooling the 347 stroker earmarked for the build.
Your build is an inspiration for me. It shows how to do it right. Thaks for posting.

[A/FX]

A little off subject but-
I am kind of curious as to why aluminum radiators are so popular. Being more of an old school thinker I have always used copper/ brass radiators with excellent results. My belief is that if you design the cooling system with components that are proven to work and are compatible the car will run cool.
I have a Copper/ brass high efficiency radiator, a shroud, an original FoMoCo flex fan, a high volume water pump, a recovery tank, the correct size pulley’s, and a high performance 180 thermostat. My never runs over 180. I am sure the aluminum heads are a factor as well as a free flowing exhaust.
My other thinking is that aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair as a copper/ brass can be fixed by just about any shop that can solder.
Obviously this is just my opinion.
Jim

[Boss/Cyclone]

A little off subject but-
I am kind of curious as to why aluminum radiators are so popular. Being more of an old school thinker I have always used copper/ brass radiators with excellent results. My belief is that if you design the cooling system with components that are proven to work and are compatible the car will run cool.
I have a Copper/ brass high efficiency radiator, a shroud, an original FoMoCo flex fan, a high volume water pump, a recovery tank, the correct size pulley’s, and a high performance 180 thermostat. My never runs over 180. I am sure the aluminum heads are a factor as well as a free flowing exhaust.
My other thinking is that aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair as a copper/ brass can be fixed by just about any shop that can solder.
Obviously this is just my opinion.
Jim

I have changed over all my older cars, except my Shelby, to aluminum because they seem so efficient and cheap. For my cars that ran hot I saw immediately results, temp climbed till the thermostat opened and then held steady at that spot. A few of my radiators are 20 years old and have never required a repair so I can not speak to the ability to repair. I do have the aluminum one in my Cyclone that has an original looking tank which I recently painted black. I am not against brass radiators, I just have had great experiences with the aluminum ones so far.

[Joe Travers]

A little off subject but-
I am kind of curious as to why aluminum radiators are so popular. Being more of an old school thinker I have always used copper/ brass radiators with excellent results. My belief is that if you design the cooling system with components that are proven to work and are compatible the car will run cool.
I have a Copper/ brass high efficiency radiator, a shroud, an original FoMoCo flex fan, a high volume water pump, a recovery tank, the correct size pulley’s, and a high performance 180 thermostat. My never runs over 180. I am sure the aluminum heads are a factor as well as a free flowing exhaust.
My other thinking is that aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair as a copper/ brass can be fixed by just about any shop that can solder.
Obviously this is just my opinion.
Jim

I think it all depends on intentions for the car & driver. My 4 core brass radiator works great when ambient temps are below 90F. Having decided to pull the A/C, I don't plan on driving it when temps get over that anyway unless I have an emergency. My intentions are hot rod, not daily driver. Hot rods don't like hot air anyway. Anyone running A/C driving in a desert needs all the help they can get if making big horsepower. One reason I pulled the A/C, extra load on the cooling system.

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

It's all looking great, Lou!

I was the same way when I put the aluminum rad in mine. My grill is totally black except for the corral and the center emblem, and I didn't like the way the bright aluminum showed through the grill, so I took it back out and lightly sprayed the front of the core satin black. I left everything on the engine side of the rad the polished aluminum. Just wondering, you're not concerned about the screen blocking off part of your air flow? I would think it would probably be the equivalent of blocking off around 30% of the area of the front of the rad.

Jim

Thanks Jim.

Na not worried about the air flow. Used screen before without issue.

[Lou's Comet]

Lou your car is truly breathtaking. I bought a 25" big block radiator for my Comet and the vendor I bought it from painted the whole thing black for me at no charge. I had worries about cooling the 347 stroker earmarked for the build.
Your build is an inspiration for me. It shows how to do it right. Thaks for posting.

Thanks Doug. I was going to paint the core black but actually this was easier, and I don't have to worry about paint flaking.

Lou

[Lou's Comet]

A little off subject but-
I am kind of curious as to why aluminum radiators are so popular. Being more of an old school thinker I have always used copper/ brass radiators with excellent results. My belief is that if you design the cooling system with components that are proven to work and are compatible the car will run cool.
I have a Copper/ brass high efficiency radiator, a shroud, an original FoMoCo flex fan, a high volume water pump, a recovery tank, the correct size pulley’s, and a high performance 180 thermostat. My never runs over 180. I am sure the aluminum heads are a factor as well as a free flowing exhaust.
My other thinking is that aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair as a copper/ brass can be fixed by just about any shop that can solder.
Obviously this is just my opinion.
Jim

I went with aluminum because the price was right and figure they are lighter. I don't think I will have a problem plan on running a shroud and good fan. The last couple copper/brass rads I had repair were pricey and was only one local shop that I could find that still repaired them. If the aluminum one does go bad I will just replace it. Wasn't much more than getting one repaired.

Curious about your fan. I have been trying to decide what to run. Been looking at a aluminum one like Boss has, but I didn't know ford had a factory flex fan. What years/models did they use a flex fan?

Thanks
Lou

[A/FX]

A little off subject but-
I am kind of curious as to why aluminum radiators are so popular. Being more of an old school thinker I have always used copper/ brass radiators with excellent results. My belief is that if you design the cooling system with components that are proven to work and are compatible the car will run cool.
I have a Copper/ brass high efficiency radiator, a shroud, an original FoMoCo flex fan, a high volume water pump, a recovery tank, the correct size pulley’s, and a high performance 180 thermostat. My never runs over 180. I am sure the aluminum heads are a factor as well as a free flowing exhaust.
My other thinking is that aluminum radiators are more difficult to repair as a copper/ brass can be fixed by just about any shop that can solder.
Obviously this is just my opinion.
Jim

I went with aluminum because the price was right and figure they are lighter. I don't think I will have a problem plan on running a shroud and good fan. The last couple copper/brass rads I had repair were pricey and was only one local shop that I could find that still repaired them. If the aluminum one does go bad I will just replace it. Wasn't much more than getting one repaired.

Curious about your fan. I have been trying to decide what to run. Been looking at a aluminum one like Boss has, but I didn't know ford had a factory flex fan. What years/models did they use a flex fan?

Thanks
Lou

The fan I am using is the OEM ‘70 Boss 302 fan that came in my engine when I bought it in 1972. It is five blades, steel frame with stainless steel flexible blades. It does not flatten out completely at speed but it does flex from its static position.
This picture shows what it looks like.
Jim

[comethead]

I have been trying to decide what to run. Been looking at an aluminum one like Boss has, but I didn't know ford had a factory flex fan. What years/models did they use a flex fan?

Thanks
Lou

Hey Lou I think I have a stock Ford flex fan somewhere here. If you want it it’s yours.
Im running a lightweight nylon fan on both my Comet and Falcon. It’s rated to 8k RPM. When I accidentally revved the Falcons 302 to 7200 RPM the fan didn't take off to outer space so I think its plenty strong haha!
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/flx- ... gJnyPD_BwE

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

I have been trying to decide what to run. Been looking at an aluminum one like Boss has, but I didn't know ford had a factory flex fan. What years/models did they use a flex fan?

Thanks
Lou

Hey Lou I think I have a stock Ford flex fan somewhere here. If you want it it’s yours.
Im running a lightweight nylon fan on both my Comet and Falcon. It’s rated to 8k RPM. When I accidentally revved the Falcons 302 to 7200 RPM the fan didn't take off to outer space so I think its plenty strong haha!
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/flx- ... gJnyPD_BwE

Joe

Thanks Joe!

Really appreciate the offer, I think I am going to try this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C ... 0DER&psc=1

Thanks again for the offer

Lou

[Joe Travers]

Im running a lightweight nylon fan on both my Comet and Falcon. It’s rated to 8k RPM. When I accidentally revved the Falcons 302 to 7200 RPM the fan didn't take off to outer space so I think its plenty strong haha!

I run the 17" Flex-A-Lite on my stroker. Fits the shroud and light as a feather.
Figured it would take load off the water pump.

Joe

[comethead]

I have been trying to decide what to run. Been looking at an aluminum one like Boss has, but I didn't know ford had a factory flex fan. What years/models did they use a flex fan?

Thanks
Lou

Hey Lou I think I have a stock Ford flex fan somewhere here. If you want it it’s yours.
Im running a lightweight nylon fan on both my Comet and Falcon. It’s rated to 8k RPM. When I accidentally revved the Falcons 302 to 7200 RPM the fan didn't take off to outer space so I think its plenty strong haha!
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/flx- ... gJnyPD_BwE

Joe

Thanks Joe!

Really appreciate the offer, I think I am going to try this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C ... 0DER&psc=1

Thanks again for the offer

Lou

That’s a nice one Lou. Other than looks I wonder what the difference is between Derales “Heavy Duty” and their “high Performance” fans?

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

That’s a nice one Lou. Other than looks I wonder what the difference is between Derales “Heavy Duty” and their “high Performance” fans?

Joe

From their site the heavy duty pulls more air at low speeds and 10,000rpm limit. The high performance is for limited space and rated for 8,000 rpm.

My buddy started using the nylon fans like you use and he loves them. The one he has that I seen was a little loud, but he says one solved a over heating problem he was having on a Shay he was working on.

Lou

[SASSY]

This blade may be the same as Jim's. It was on my '71 351C. Old 3 core copper out of a Galaxie no shroud never a problem.
I think the blade was stock to motor but who knows what I did back then,,lol.

[Jims65cyclone]

This is an aside, but what was the purpose of the non-symmetrical placement of the blades on those fans? Seems like it would throw the balance out of whack.

Jim