I'm looking for a smaller radiator than the Polo unit I have right now. I'm building an MK Indy, with Zetec engine, and I'm making my own bodywork. The nosecone is not particulary narrow; it just continues the lines of the sidepanels. But this doesn't leave enough room for the radiator! It is stuck in the nose, and the nose isn't in its more rearward final position!!! Help!

The main problem is that the bottom of the radiator touches the nose. And I can't get the radiator more to the rear, because the lower exit will touch a chassis tube!

Sooooo, who can help me solve this problem!?!?

My rad's tiny! I'm using one from a Fiat 126 i got down the scrappy. It's small enough that I can tilt it forwards under my nosecone and will be able to totally duct the back of it out the bonnet - so it should get awesome flow through it.

I was a little concerned about using a rad from a 700cc car with a 2.7 turbo, but well, it may be small but it's twin core and about 2" thick with loads of fins. And as mentioned above it will have good airflow which makes a big difference. Oh - and I totally discovered the other day that it's entirely made of copper which must be super awesome for conducting heat away, right? I'm just assuming that the fiat 126 engine is a turd old italian piece of rubish that rejects about 95% of its input energy to the coolant and produces about 3 bhp, therefore requiring an amazing rad. It's probably true.

Liam

piccy...

[Edited on 14/7/05 by Liam]
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I have used radiator from old shape (K10) Micra 1.0. I think this is common for Indy builders. Fits lovely in the MK cone. Hellfire used same on his if you check out his build diary

Honda Civics have some nice little rads. On dialup right now so getting the measurements would be a bother, but they're under 15" each way IIRC, and some will handle some serious power.

Hey Pete:

I just measured. The Civic rads are 16.5" x 15.5". The can be had for under $60 brand new. The model year is 1995-1998. Make sure you don't get the SI model. Those are wide.

--Chris

Thanks for the measurements, Chris.

This from your website, very nice:

Thanks for the responses. "Erwe" told me that the Renault Clio rad is quite similar to the Polo, only slighty more narrow, so I'll check that out first (is convenient because it has the same diameter holes and in more or less the same positions).

Marcel

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Originally posted by Liam
My rad's tiny! I'm using one from a Fiat 126 i got down the scrappy.

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I used a Nissan Micra 1.2L rad (was this different to the 1.0L ?) from a K reg car in my tiger. Very small and copes fine with the 2.0L zetec. Used the original micra fan and fan switch. Car runs at more or less constant 85 - 90 degrees whatever the conditions (using 82 degree stat).