26 inch radiator support question

[cudadave72]

As some people may know I am going to do a complete resto on my engine bay this winter. My car is a 72 and has a 22inch radiator/support in it currently. Since there are some rust issues with the support my local mopar guru suggested that we take the 22inch one out and replace it with a 26 inch one. Sounds like a no brainer but here are my concerns... First the one in it now is original and has the vin stamped in it, second if I do go to a new support is it cool to cut out the part with the vin # and weld it in to the new part and lastly was a 26 inch radiator avalible in 1972??

[Alaskan_TA]

I'd leave it. 22" radiators came on some 440-6 cars, so you may not need any extra cooling depending on what you are going to run.

Moving the VIN to the new one would be VIN tampering & a felony.

26" radiators were available in 1972 models.

If you do decide to change it, leave your whole top support intact & just use the lower portion of the new part to avoid the numbers issue.

Changing something like that would be enough to call it a custom vs. a restoration since it would not be returned to 'as built'.

[cudadave72]

So if I leave the entire top of the support intact then I'm ok on the vin?

[shadango]

I have a 72 and the 22" support.....I installed a 26" rad just fine with the help of the kind folks here........it overlaps on the passenger side a bit, behind the supoort, but I still have that extra capacity....

Where is your VIN # stamped on the support...cant find any VIN on mine... 

[cudadave72]

Mine is on the side of the rad support facing the drivers side of the radiator. Took a while to find it as I have seen several with the number stamped right on top of the support.

[Chryco Psycho]

you can replace just the right side panel which gives the correct location for the 26" rad with out tampering with the top support

[moper]

you can replace just the right side panel which gives the correct location for the 26" rad with out tampering with the top support

Bingo...

[dixiedog]

I had the same issue, I used two aluminum plates and made a bracket for each side with threaded holes.  It bolts to the original and the radiator bolts to it.  Worked good, looks good and really wasn't that big a deal.  Danny