how low is too low on a radiator?

[johnnygringo]

got a very clean radiator off of crestliner and was wondering the best way to get it to the heighth we want

pics show where i measured to and that puts it 5 and a 1/2 inches off the ground...which seems low

so should i...

lower the mounts on frame?
lower the mounts on the radiator?
chop it and if so anybody here do it?
go with another?

http://antonyl.brinkster.net/mahoney/DSC03888.JPG

http://antonyl.brinkster.net/mahoney/DSC03890.JPG

[MBL]

Chopping the Rad is something that is maybe not the easiest or cheapest thing to do...or from what I am told. I think the trick is to find someone willing to do it for a reasonable price. You might do better to use a mustang rad and add bungs to it. Thats what I am doing with my T.
tim
MBL

[flt-blk]

That's plenty of clearance, I probably have 3.5" and have
never hit anything big enough to do damage.

If you're worried about it build a little nerf bar to
protect it.
TZ

[Crestliner]

The t-bucket I just sold had the radiator that low.

[Smokin Joe]

Yea, flt-blk, but it's pretty hard on that poor lizard!

[DrJ]

Roth's "Outlaw" has the radiator that low, behind the fiberglass nose.
I think If I was running it that low I'd weld up a "gravel shield" mount for it as thick as the frame metal that encased the front of the bottom tank.
I'd do this because I have a lower A arm on my '60 Elky that is bent in about an inch from hitting something and I ran over a cinder block on the freeway once with a '71 Caddy and the block disintigrated when it got hit with the front cross member, but if the first thing it hit had been the radiator.... well, you get the picture.
Make a "box" under there for a mount.

[Eyeball]

My roadster is set up similar.

My radiator does not hang below the frame but the grill shell does.

I have around 2.5"-3" clearance on it and have not hit yet.

One thing you have going for you is that the axle is in front of the radiator so it will start up hill before your radiator does.