Custom Radiator Mount

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

OK, imagine for a minute your truck has NO front clip.  How would you go
about securing the radiator?

Prev owner welded some tabs the frame rail, shoved the GM Diesel
radiator in place with rubber strips jammed in there, and then used some
small strap from the top of the radiator to the top of the firewall to
keep the top secured.

I'm using a stock 3-row Scout radiator.

right now, I'm making my shopping list for the steel shop.  My idea is
thus:

About 4' of 3.5" C-channel.  Mount it "open face up".  Drill the ends
and use the stock front body mounts to secure it to the frame.  Radiator
is 2.75" wide on the bottom.  3" C-channel is just over 2.5"
internally.  So 3.5" should be about 3" internal, give or take.  I'll
use some rubber pads to take up the gap, and provide a little more
cushion.

2' per side of 1.5x1.5x1/8" angle.  Stock flange is 1.5" wide.  I'll run
'em flush with the stock mounting flange, with the "angle" going towards
the front of the truck.  Bolt the radiator to this, and weld this to the
C-channel at the bottom.

Now the fun part is getting the top secured when you don't have a real
core support.

One thought is a piece of 1"x1/8" thick strap, bolted to the top of the
angle on the side of the radiator, run it down at an angle to a
convenient spot on the frame.  Bolt to another short piece of angle,
which I then bolt to the frame using an existing hole, thus making a
triangle of sorts.

*OR* I just run the 1"x1/8" strap all the way to the firewall and bolt
it there.  It might get in the way at times tho'.

The idea is to make this *removeable* with as little "pain" as
possible.  

I also need to figure out how I'll go about securing the A/T cooler to
the front of the radiator in this scenario.. I'm really not fond of the
"zip-tie-to-radiator" approach after having to change a radiator out
already (on my '77 w/ an A/T cooler for the p/steering).

I guess I could use C-channel on the sides, or another piece of angle to
bring a "flange" forward of the radiator, then weld or bolt some steel
strap from one "core support" to the other, and secure the cooler to
that.. might be the best route.  Now to figure out what I need for THAT
part of this..

I think I've decided to use some 4" wide by 1/4" thick strap for the
seat mount.  Drill 3 holes on one "side" of the strap and secure the
seat to it.  Do the same for a second piece and the other side of the
seat.   I'm using the wider strap so I can U-bolt it to the
cross-tubes/seat mount of the rollcage and get access to the bolts.  The
seat doesn't *quite* fit between the two rails, and I don't want the
U-bolt bolts to be UNDER the seat where I can't get to 'em. ;-)

Sub strap goes to the front seat bar, lap belts to the rear seat bar,
and shoulder harness to the back bar, which is just a little below my
shoulders, but a few inches back from the back of the seat.

Cage is in, needs bolted.  Almost finished the front 4.88s last night. 
Tonight it gets a column, TC bolted up, maybe the brake booster & m/c,
and then I head out to put the gears in the front axle.. and if that
goes well enough, I reinforce the spring perch on it (ground a little
much) and then install the bare housing..

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout