C&R/Shelby Radiator Install

So, I tried my best to take as many pictures of the process as possible so hopefully this helps some of you looking to do this here in the future:

Tools Required:
3/4" wrench
5/16" wrench
10mm wrench
1/4" Drive Ratchet
Short & Long Extensions
10mm socket
5/16" socket
Flat Blade Screw Driver
Channel Locks


Now I had already taken off the front bumper and the radiator cover. There are great videos on youtube showing how to do that. I couldn't begin to do that justice with my photos.

1) So here is what I was starting with, car was already up on jack stands.


2) Use a piece of 3/8" hose popped onto the nipple on the bottom left of the radiator and a bucket to catch coolant. Use a 3/4" wrench to open the stopcock and drain the coolant out of your radiator. Unscrew the lid on the coolant reservoir to make sure it drains quicker. Also, for this install, I already had the supercharger cooling system drained because I replaced the heat exchanger. It made life a lot easier.


3) Once the system is drained, use a 5/16" deep socket on an extension, unscrew both the coolant reservoirs and move them out of the way.


4) Now I unplugged the ECU just to make more room for removing the radiator and installing the new one. Made things a lot easier.


5) Then I unplugged the radiator fan

6) Remove the two screws holding the fan to the radiator. One is kinda hidden just under the upper radiator hose.

7) Now in hindsight, It would have been easier getting the fan out if I'd removed the upper radiator hose, however, it still came out easily enough through the top. Just set it aside because it gets reused.

8) Now you need to removed the bolts holding the A/C Condensor to the radiator. The upper bolts are 5/6" and you will need a long extension with the deep 5/16" socket for the left side and a 5/16" wrench for the right side. The lower bolts are 10mm and can be reached using the 10mm deep socket on both sides.

8b) So those lower 10mm nuts, the stud they are attached to is loosely screwed into the radiator. I was able to grab onto them with my channel locks on the very tip and unscrew them. Otherwise as you pull the radiator out they want to scratch the condensor. To do so you might have to loosen the brackets on the condensor that mount to them.


9) Now that the condensor is loose, remove the upper and lower radiator hoses and the upper radiator brackets


10) Now you should be able to lift the radiator out the top with a little shimmying from side to side. Throw it in the garbage, toss it aside or hold it over your head and exclaim, "I AM ALL THAT IS MAN!!!" and grunt as the residual fluid drains out upon you!

Don't let nobody tell you size doesn't matter.
11) Pull these clips off and put them on the new radiator where its lacking them. I say that because it comes with new upper condensor bolts and clips because the old bolts would be too long and if you screwed them in you'd put a hole in your nice new radiator.


12) Install your new radiator! Start by angling the driver side downward and in first because the lower radiator hose mount needs to pass by the condensor hoses. This is also where when I mentioned loosening some of those condensor tube brackets on the condensor, gave me a bit of extra wiggle room to get it down and in. Once its down and in, make sure the 2 lower feet go into the two lower radiator grommets. Once there it should sit there nicely. Pause, drink a beer ... cause that's what I'm doing in the writeup right now too. (The power of the internet, I went from no radiator to new radiator installed like it just miracled itself into the car. I assure you, it is no miracle and you will likely curse. I know French, Norwegian and German and I cursed in all three on top of English)

13) Install the studs for the A/C Condensor brackets and it might require loosening said brackets (pictured)


This is the bracket you might need to loosen. There is a similar one on the other side.

Once those studs are in, thread on the 10mm nuts but dont tighten them. You'll need to get the upper right one on first and its a PAIN. I used a screwdriver to maintain pressure on the head of the bolt and used a 10mm wrench (remember because they supplied new bolts for the top mounts) to screw it into place. The upper left one is easy peezy, but get that upper right one in first. Then tighten all the rest into place and retighten the loosened brackets.

14) Slide the fan in from above. Make sure it slides into the slots on the radiator and then reinstall the bolts to mount it to the radiator.


15) Reconnect the CPU and the plug for the fan.

16) Trim about a fingers worth of tubing off the upper and lower radiator tubes, since the new radiator is fat. Then attach them using stock clamps or new clamps if you so choose. I did because the old ones are a pain in the rear.


17) Mount the two upper radiator mounts and tighten them down (10mm).

18)Make sure you reconnect the reservoirs if you disconnected them (I did partly). Then mount them back on the fan shroud.

Great write up

I am about to do the same, thanks for the write up

Smokinstang65 said:

13) Install the studs for the A/C Condensor brackets and it might require loosening said brackets (pictured)
View attachment 1564922 View attachment 1564923

This is the bracket you might need to loosen. There is a similar one on the other side.View attachment 1564924

Once those studs are in, thread on the 10mm nuts but dont tighten them. You'll need to get the upper right one on first and its a PAIN. I used a screwdriver to maintain pressure on the head of the bolt and used a 10mm wrench (remember because they supplied new bolts for the top mounts) to screw it into place. The upper left one is easy peezy, but get that upper right one in first. Then tighten all the rest into place and retighten the loosened brackets.

14) Slide the fan in from above. Make sure it slides into the slots on the radiator and then reinstall the bolts to mount it to the radiator.
View attachment 1564925

15) Reconnect the CPU and the plug for the fan.
View attachment 1564926
16) Trim about a fingers worth of tubing off the upper and lower radiator tubes, since the new radiator is fat. Then attach them using stock clamps or new clamps if you so choose. I did because the old ones are a pain in the rear.
View attachment 1564928

17) Mount the two upper radiator mounts and tighten them down (10mm).
View attachment 1564927
18)Make sure you reconnect the reservoirs if you disconnected them (I did partly). Then mount them back on the fan shroud.

Click to expand...

How much did you drop your engine coolant temperature’s?

I didn't really notice a drop in coolant temp but I also haven't really gone out and flogged it. I can tell you that I had a leak and drained the coolant reservoir in the summer and I never had a temp spike. Car ran just fine and never warmed up. The only temp drop seen was from the other thermostat that I installed. Beyond that I haven't been able to get the car to heat past it's normal operating temp.