Using the P-body radiator in a GLHS
As it turns out, the P-body radiator from a Shadow that was equipped with an intercooler will easily fit in an L-body GLHS car such as the 86 Omni GLHS and 87 Charger GLHS with just a little modification.
{The Daytona radiator from a T2 equipped car is about 1.5" wider...I don't know it it will fit but I suspect that it would. You might have to move the AC condenser over an inch though.}
I recently started to try to complete the restoration of one of my 86 GLHS cars and came up short one GLHS radiator! Of course most of us already know that factory GLHS radiators are getting really rare and NOS units just don't exist. If I even had an original GLHS radiator, if it needed to be re-cored that is a job for a genuine radiator shop and is going to cost you $350 or more. There are also some aluminum radiators from Turbos Unleashed but quantities are very low and by the time you read this, they might also be all gone. So what do you do?
You can have a completely custom radiator built, like from Griffin Radiator, look to spend upwards of $500! Or, if you can find the more plentiful P-body (Shadow) radiator from a turbo intercooled car, you can have a virtually stock appearing radiator.
There were really only two steps to making the Shadow intercooler style radiator work in the GLHS:
1. If you want the top of the radiator to be held just like the factory GLHS radiator, you need to find an (old) regular omni radiator and remove the top or bottom frame rail to obtain the portion of the rail that has the small vertical mounting pin for the upper passenger side of the radiator. All I did was take this piece off the old Omni/Charger radiator, cut it to an appropriate length, notch it as shown and drill two mounting holes. Then, install the factory fasteners and bolts that hold the auxiliary fan. (see pics 1 & 2)
2. Remove the inboard bracket bolt from the passenger side bottom of the radiator. Using a same thread size shouldered bolt that is about 2" long, cut off the hex head and install the bolt in the empty hole and use a locking washer and nut to hold it in place.
I made my 'pin' from a shouldered bolt that was 2" long and fit the hole and that was the same size thread as the bolt that came out of that hole. The 'pin' needs to protrude from the bracket about 1" to hold the rubber foot.(See pic)
Once you complete these two simple steps, the radiator will fit and look almost exactly like the original GLHS radiator.
