I did a search and could find my answer. What I am looking for is if a rad for a 454 is the same as a 350. I know the 454 is a 4 core vs 3 core for a 350, but I need to know about hose diameter and location.

I only ask because I have a 79 GMC daily driver with a 350/sm465/205 and the stock 3 core rad went. I'm looking for a 454 to swap in this winter so if I'm buying a new rad I'd rather buy the 454 rad so that I am ready to go when I do the swap. I don't want much hassle adapting the 454 rad to the 350.

The rad in the truck now is 3 core and has 1 5/8" hose fittings on top and bottom. My spare rad has 1 5/8" on top and 1 7/8" fitting on bottom but is only a 2 core so I'm reluctant to go to the work of installing it.

The radiator you need:
Go to your local autozone or go to thier website and get a 4 core radiator for a 1978 Chevy 1 ton C30, 454 with air conditioning.
It is the biggest, 4 core stock radiator I have found yet. It runs somewhere in the $180 dollar range from them. Checker/Shucks/Kragen lists the exact same radiator part number matching for almost twice the same price.
Cause C/S/K has a 5% price beat guarantee, do your homework, show them that Vatozone has the same radiator for less then their price, and C/S/K will give it to you for like $160 something.
Its a great radiator, my big block runs at 175* all day long, even in the hottest weather.
Making it work in place of your old rad should be very easy. Not much, if any in the way of mods.

will the brackets be the same or are they different as well. just a thought. it would be easy enough to make work either way.

will the brackets be the same or are they different as well. just a thought. it would be easy enough to make work either way.

i swaped the other way around. if its that huge radiator that also comes with the diesals. i swaped that out for a stock one.

did it like 3 years ago something was different about it. i think the top brackets had to be moved or replaced but all the hoses were the same

I had to make my own upper bracket when I swapped in the big 454 radiator. Wasn't very hard to do.

The jumbo 4-core rad is a cu730 and takes the hoses from the small block (in my case, 1983 hoses). It uses different upper brackets to hold it in place since the rad is significantly larger.

Alex.

thanks for the info. I guess I'll order the big one and make my own top bracket

there are 3 types of large rads, as you allready know.

the 4 core sbc rad is shorter and has a angled top retainer that bolt to the inside of the core support

the big 454 rad is 4" taller and has a flat top retainer that bolts to the top of the core support

the big diesel rad is wider and tall and has individule mounts at each end that bolt to the top of the core support. i think it may also be only 3 core and thinner.