towing with (and cooling) a 66 gs

[nailhead66]

I've got a 66 skylark gs convertible (401 nailhead). I'd like to occasionally tow a very small vintage Airstream trailer. The car seems to already run on the warm side under a little load (read: going up mountains and/or using the factory AC). Question: assuming my current cooling system is stock (i.e., original radiator and fan set up), what are some of my options for making this car run a little cooler? Bigger radiator? Additional pusher or puller fan?

thanks.

a.m.

[DizzyDale]

Dear Nailhead66,Is your car equipped with a clutch fan?if so ditch it,Make sure the rad is in top condition,2 bottles of Purple Ice and 50% mix water and anti- freeze.diz

[YellowLark]

Here's another popular cooling additive:

http://www.redlineoil.com/products_coolant.asp

[Turbo Loyd]

[color:\\"blue\\"] At one of Chicagoland's tech sessions, Tony DeQuick indicated radiators lose about 7% efficiency a year due to deterioration/corrosion of the solder joints between the tubes and fins. Something to keep in mind when driving around with an older radiator.

He also indicated a fan is adequate if at an idle a dollar bill will stick to the grill and not slide off.

A surfactant or water wetter generally does not work with antifreeze well, but works great without antifreeze mixed in.

Get a thicker radiator (ie four core) when replacing the old one and make sure you have a seven blade fan with a clutch fan mechanism having a thermostat lockup. These will engage the fan at highway speeds if the temperature at the center of the fan is high enough.

Make sure there is a shroud between the radiator and fan blade. The center lone of the fan blades should be at the edge of the shroud for maximum efficiency

If you do not have an air dam under the radiator, add one. It helps to draw the air through the radiator at highway speeds and prevents the hot air from migrating forward to the inlet of the radiator when idling in traffic.

Be sure to add a transmission cooler ahead of the radiator. It will pull a lot of the heat out of the fluid before it enters the cooler within the radiator. Be sure to add this cooler out of the path of air into the radiator or you may lose more efficiency.

Just some random ideas I have used in getting my Regal to run cooler.