I disagree. The cooling systems were equally designed across the board and were adequate for the times. I do see a lot less cars on the side of the road with over heating issues these days. I'm certain technology has come a long way but for 1970. They cooled as designed. I wouldn't doubt most systems that you encounter these days that are 50 years old weren't maintained.
Gonna shoot some small holes in this, and agree... Belts and hoses... won't make as much sense to folks who didn't live then... but belts and hoses got a lot better.
Won't find 50 year old stuff running OEM style equipment... all the plastic stuff gets to a point where it just all wants to fail. The PITA of my 99 has been keeping up with whatever failed next without cooking the engine. If I cared about something new enough to have plastic in the cooling system, I'd think about finding metal replacement parts... vs the cheapest crap I can find ASAP.
The cooling systems were barely adequate in some cases... and left room for improvement. The number of different radiator part numbers is amazing to think about. Newer thinking would be to just produce a few numbers that would handle the load of more than whatever they were spec'ed to...
The 318 in my Polara had the block tanked and the puny 19" rad recored with a shroud added so that most of the time it stays nice and cool. The temp gauge will go right of centre if idling in heavy traffic on a very hot day. So I agree with your assessment that in cases like my Polara, the design is barely adequate.
polara71 wrote ... I disagree. The cooling systems were equally designed across the board and were adequate for the times.
Steve was working for Chrysler engineering when the systems were designed, and he says that the C-body fusie cooling systems were barely adequate -- if that -- and were much worse than the systems on equivalent GMs.
PS: It is my understanding that the front area of some formals had to be redesigned because of cooling issues.
I've read Steve's writings where he said the cooling systems were the best of the times when taken care of. I don't doubt he said what you quoted.
To support my view, why would anyone bother to try to make a 22inch radiator work on a big block? These were built to whatever capacity they felt they needed... Why use the 26 in the hot small blocks or a 28 in Imperials?
I'm not saying the cars couldn't function in their intended lifespan, but you were begging for problems driving a no A/C car in 100*+ weather, high altitudes or 40 years later... a little over build would have been nice. Increasing the confusion with different sized pulleys/water pumps is another thing that screws up folks chasing problems that should boil down to one failed part or deferred maintenance.
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My BB does have a 22" radiator and it works just fine, no shroud, no over heating issues. I do not recall being in city traffic for hours in 100 degree Temps but I have been In stop and go highway and round town driving in mid summer. No problems. They were certainly adequate bit obviously materials and technology has helped.
