The radiator cap is very important for cooling system efficiency. The reason that the engine overheated with a bad cap, is because the cooling system is maxed out on cooling efficiency, and needs all the help it can get. My '67 will overheat quickly with no cap or a faulty one, and it all comes down to heat. A better fan, and some other goodies, will help the engine survive with even a faulty cap. With the heater core in the circuit, it is possible it wouldn't have overheated, and the cap wouldn't have been caught until it puked coolant on the ground, and the puddles got annoying. I didn't mention it in my posts, because it had been mentioned already, and there was the concern about coolant circulation. I am glad you discovered your problem.