OK: I'm a bit bummed..............

[1962larksedan]

Bummer #1: Received my 1963 Lark V8 radiator off eBay: fits perfectly but, despite what the seller told me,it's for a stick shift application..........no tranny cooler nipples on the bottom tank. Oh well; I'll gripe to the seller about it but will keep the thing since it was inexpensive and will install an aftermarket AT cooler.

Bummer #2: The so-called 1964 Ford Ranchero V8 rear end I bought locally ain't: the backing plate width is a 1/4" wider than the Stude Dana 27 I pulled out earlier today (no biggie) but, the axle flange to flange width is ca. 1" wider. I'm guessing this thing came out of a ca. 1976 Granada but the seller may not have known it since he pulled it out from under his Ranchero. I'm using it regardless since the dimensions are close but still.............

[Roscomacaw]

Only cars with a Heavy Duty automatic would have the cooler tank in the radiator. Standard auto cars wouldn't have had that tank. So unless the seller presented it as a rad for a HD auto, he wasn't fibbing.

[1962larksedan]

Only cars with a Heavy Duty automatic would have the cooler tank in the radiator. Standard auto cars wouldn't have had that tank. So unless the seller presented it as a rad for a HD auto, he wasn't fibbing.

Fair enough. Nothing was stated about it being for an HD application.

[kmac530]

Sorry for your disappointments. Stinks when you get all excited and it is not what you thought it was gonna be.
The radiator is what it is. You could have asked not only is it an auto car, but does it have the trans cooler LINES connected. That may have cleared that up before you bought it...asking the right questions are important.

As to the rear end, Is it wider because the brake drums are wider by 1/2" each? If the flanges are only 1/4" wider but the overall width is 1" wider then it sounds like the drums are 1/2" bigger shoes on each side. Not neccesarily a bad thing.

[warrlaw1]

If you have the Dana 27 out, why not go to a Dana 44?

[irish]

Only cars with a Heavy Duty automatic would have the cooler tank in the radiator. Standard auto cars wouldn't have had that tank. So unless the seller presented it as a rad for a HD auto, he wasn't fibbing.

That's right, not all automatic transmissions were water cooled. The borg-warner automatics (non-HD anyway) used in Studebakers and other makes were 'air-cooled' not water cooled automatics.

[warrlaw1]

The rads with tranny coolers posed some threats, too. If there is an internal leak, you'll have more than tranny problems. Your idea to go with an external cooler makes a great deal of sense. Good luck.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Easy deal to fix.
Take it to a decent radiator shop and have them add a lower tank trans cooler.......

[1962larksedan]

The rads with tranny coolers posed some threats, too. If there is an internal leak, you'll have more than tranny problems. Your idea to go with an external cooler makes a great deal of sense. Good luck.

Easy deal to fix.
Take it to a decent radiator shop and have them add a lower tank trans cooler.......

I'm going to follow warrlaw1's advice.

Concerning my rear end: I ordered up a pair of shock/U joint mounting plates to fit the former's 3" axle tubes and will get the U bolts locally.

And I grabbed the rear parking brake cables off the engine donor car's rear end (1974 Chevelle with 9.5" rear drums); they seem to line up almost exactly with the rear sections of the original Stude cables between the backing plates and frame mounts. The GM ones are maybe 1" longer which should not hurt anything. Still need to figure out a center cable but it's just a question of measuring to match something up.