core supports 2wd vs. 4wd

[72hiboy4x4]

I noticed this tonight in the Ford Pickup Sheetmetal Interchange Checklist.
http://www.fordification.com/interchange_body.htm

Radiator core support - All '67-'72 F100 thru F350 core supports are physically interchangeable, but there are differences:

Core supports for trucks originally equipped with a 6-cylinder engine have a smaller radiator opening vs. the V8 trucks. A 6-cylinder core support can be modified to fit a V8 radiator.

'73-'79 F100 thru F350 core supports are cosmetically different but will physically fit. Several holes will need to be drilled to mount the '67-'72 grille mounting brackets. F600 supports can also be made to work with a little additional work. Click here for more info.

Aren't the 4x4 core supports (and radiators) different?
I know the 2wd radiator bolts directly to the core support, and IIRC, the 4wd radiator bolts to brackets spot-welded to the core support.
I never noticed this until I offered Heep70 a '73 2wd core support, and his differed in the mounting brackets.
this means the radiators won't swap between 2wd and 4wd trucks without changing the brackets.
I'll try and get pics tomorrow from the 2wd and 4wd trucks I have here

[heep70]

Aren't the 4x4 core supports (and radiators) different?
I know the 2wd radiator bolts directly to the core support, and IIRC, the 4wd radiator bolts to brackets spot-welded to the core support.
I never noticed this until I offered Heep70 a '73 2wd core support, and his differed in the mounting brackets.
this means the radiators won't swap between 2wd and 4wd trucks without changing the brackets.
I'll try and get pics tomorrow from the 2wd and 4wd trucks I have here.

[/quote]

You are correct. The 4x4 vs 2x4 rad supports are different like you explained.

[FORDification]

Mike: Thanks for the reminder. Yes, you are correct....I completely neglected to add that, and I should. However, since I don't have access to a 4WD support for comparison, I'd like to use yours if they turn out. I've got/can get shots of a 2WD support.

Hey....wait a minute....talk about a brain fart! The '75 core support I'm using now was removed from a '75 Highboy. Here's a comparison shot of the '70 2WD and the '75 4WD supports. This is the only 4x4 support I've got access to, but it's the same brackets you mentioned as the '67-'72 supports, right?



So why are they different anyway?? At the moment I can't think of the reasoning.

[heep70]

The bottom pic, YES

The 4x4 support has the long brackets the rad actually bolts to, and the 2x support has none that the rad bolts to.

[basketcase0302]

Another old thread but good topic!

72highboy4X4,

I know the 2wd radiator bolts directly to the core support, and IIRC, the 4wd radiator bolts to brackets spot-welded to the core support.

I was having problems finding the right bottom radiator hose for my one ton, (the size of the hose where it clamped to my radiator was way too big).
This past weekend l1k2gadd noticed that i in fact have an econoline radiator that the PO bolted in place. Ok....
So we started comparing radiator mounts.
Really cool to have that many bumps in one place to compare things with!
My mounts on the F-350 were different that the F-100's mounts.

So the F-250 4 X 4, and the F-350 both have the "super cooling" mounts?
I got some pictures of my mounts I'll try to upload in the next day or so.

Basketcase

[BobbyFord]

Also if the truck has the super cooling option the core support is different with a larger radiator opening.
Correct?

[fordman]

no i dont think so. at least not wider.

[basketcase0302]

Fordman,

That's kinda my same question on another thread.

When you described the one radiator ya'll have being taller height wise than the others, (that maybe it hung down lower than the F-100's).

Is the "super cooling" maybe just the taller height of the radiator, with our different 4 X 4/F-250/F-350 mounts?

Jeff

[fordman]

yes the super cool is a taller rad from the books we have in the shop. i'll try and get some measurements from the book. i think it is 4 inches taller but dont take this as correct until i reverify it.

[two-bit]

When i did the core support swap on my '72 F-350 2WD. I had to cut those mounting brackets off my old '72 support and bolt them onto the '78 support that i got.

I think its not necessarily a "super cooling" thing. Because my F-350 has a "stock" 3 core radiator. I have seen a couple of these trucks,(F-350 cab-chassis) that have only "stock" three cores in them. They all have the same mounting brackets though. '68 to '79.

They are easy to remove and remount. I finished mine in about 30 minutes.


Two-bit

[basketcase0302]

Fordman,
Thanks, the measurements will help, I would still like to see a picture if someone had one for the proper radiator that fits these mounts:


two-bit,
How could you remove the above type mounts withput removing the entire radiator support? Mine appear to be "spot-welded"?

Jeff

[FORDification]

[basketcase0302]

Keith,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

The old addage, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

"Super-cooling" defined good enough for me for sure!

Fordman, the measurements would still be good if you get a chance.

Jeff