Yep it's that old subject again, how to keep the coupe from overheating? Or to be precise what is the best radiator to use. In my first coupe I had a Skoda 120 radiator up front and that worked a treat, however that was 20 plus years ago and i very much doubt such an item exists. So I few years ago I went into my local dismantling centre armed with dimensions to fit coupe and found one from a 1.6 Ford Escort suitable. Forward 10 plus years and currently restoring a coupe found a slight problem, the bottom hose is not at the bottom but up about a third of the height of rad and is inline with sub frame cross member. If I lower rad to clear sub frame rad is too low. This has made me wonder weather the radiator would function if I simply inverted the unit so inlet is a third down and the out let is at the bottom (if that makes any sense)? Or is there a perfect radiator that gifts perfectly???

I have a Fiat Cinquecento one in mine. Fits well.

I can't think of any problem with mounting most radiators upside down, that is what i have done with the Toyota rad fitted in mine, the original Cox instructions recommended a standard Mini rad mounted on its side if I remember correctly.
John

I used one of the early Metro twin pass radiators along with a Davies Craig electric pump.

It was so effective that I was able to incorporate a laminova oil/water intercooler to cool the engine oil too.

http://www.gtmdrivers.com/forum/post25721.html?hilit=combo&sid=4465a7988454de698ad20b00b5b2a7e2&sid=4465a7988454de698ad20b00b5b2a7e2#p25721

Some info here

Neil

Cheers guys. Looked at Fiat Sciento and very nearly bought a beautiful shinny aluminium one for not much money, however was about to press buy and noticed it was only suitable for a car with 56hp! Would have fitted perfectly aswell. I have therefore just bought a Golf rad suitable for 1.4 to 1.6 litre models, cost less than £30. However it will be tight for height, does anyone know whether the angle of rad will effect it's efficiency? It arrives tomorrow or day after so I will see how well it fits.

Considering that the Cox GTM ran a Mini rad up front which is smaller than the Fiat one I doubt it will over heat, I got a Golf one and just could not get it to fit, too tall.
Also the hp rating for a modern car rad is not really relevant as the parameters are totally different.
Let use know how you get on with the golf rad, I'd be interested to see how it fits!

I think the important think, is to make sure that all the air coming into the front, flows through the radiator core.

In the standard Allegro setup there is quite a gap the air can escape around the radiator.
I ducted the air into the radiator.

Then the air needs a way out, other wise you build up a high pressure area and again no flow goes through the radiator core.

This high pressure makes itself known around 110mph upwards range, where it creates quite an alarming front end lift effect as it trys to escape.

Once it, (the airflow) hits the forward edge of the floor pan, which is lower than the height of the front end splitter/leading edge, it can’t go anywhere except down under the floor or squeeze itself out sideways. Creating slower airflow, a higher pressure and forcing the front end upwards

Road cars are fine obviously but if you intend to do some track/drag or high speed driving a suitable air exit should be considered

Oh I'm well aware of the lift.

I have panelled out the underside of the front sub frame and added outlets on the wings.

I did think of looking at diverting some of the under floor air outwards rear of the wheels.

Not sure there is a straight long enough for me to get to that speed According to Guessworks calculator I will top out at 109mph at 7000rpm, I doubt very much I'll get near that on track.
I was intending to try directing the airflow to the wheel arches as much as possible

And still only at 6000rpm

A week later and Golf rad hasn't arrived, FedEx have lost my rad somewhere in Chorley! How a delivery from Newcastle to Kendal in Cumbria goes to Chorley is beyond my understanding. Anyway it was always going to be a tight fit so maybe a blessing in disguise and have had to cancel the order. So to cut along story short I am now waiting for a Vauxhall Combo/Tegra one to arrive, much lower and a touch longer. Wish me luck.

Good luck!

If you have picked the one I use you will be fine it fits like a glove trim the top posts off and mount of the top of the rad and make some brackets that use the posts at the bottom of the rad, very similar to how the allegro rads are fitted to a coupe. A little trim to the bonnet bracket may be needed to get the position really good and to get the bottom hose on.

Neil