Desert cooling radiator option 1966

[Peter L.]

    Currently working on an unrestored '66 Mustang convertible with a desert cooler radiator. No fittings for auto trans. Oddly enough, it is in fact a Dearborn car with air and 4-speed. There was some question on the Mustang forum in regards to it being original. The car, however, has a D.S.O of 24, Jacksonville, so perhaps....... I'm not claiming it to be original, but it would be nice to know.
Can post photos if anyone is interested.
     Pete.

[SFM5S000]

Big bad rad has arrived.  Very pleased with this fantastic artifact.  Like the Arc of the Covenant.

Hello deathsled,

Until Computerworks (Ron) fixes the uploading function for photos, can you (if you haven't already) create a "My Gallery" and post pics of this NOS Desert Cooling Option radiator?

Thanks,
~Earl J

[deathsled]

I will do so when I get home this evening.

[deathsled]

Uploaded three pics in Gallery with stamped numbers.  I hate to strip the whole thing out of the cocooned plastic wrap but if more pictures are desired, please advise and I'll strip her down.  No outlets for auto trans on this one.  It was purported to be a desert cooling radiator optioned for 1966.  Anyone see any deficiencies or discrepancies with this assertion, please let me know.  I was only three years old when this thing was made so what do I know.

[Bob Gaines]

Uploaded three pics in Gallery with stamped numbers.  I hate to strip the whole thing out of the cocooned plastic wrap but if more pictures are desired, please advise and I'll strip her down.  No outlets for auto trans on this one.  It was purported to be a desert cooling radiator optioned for 1966.  Anyone see any deficiencies or discrepancies with this assertion, please let me know.  I was only three years old when this thing was made so what do I know.

It was not a available option on the GT350.

[SFM5S000]

Uploaded three pics in Gallery with stamped numbers.  I hate to strip the whole thing out of the cocooned plastic wrap but if more pictures are desired, please advise and I'll strip her down.  No outlets for auto trans on this one.  It was purported to be a desert cooling radiator optioned for 1966.  Anyone see any deficiencies or discrepancies with this assertion, please let me know.  I was only three years old when this thing was made so what do I know.

It was not a available option on the GT350.

Well deathsled did say somewhat jokingly his car is a "day eleventeen car so making the car the way he wants it isn't so tragic" as the item is a "bolt on".

~E

[2112]

I would use that radiator in a heartbeat for a driver's car.

[Bob Gaines]

Uploaded three pics in Gallery with stamped numbers.  I hate to strip the whole thing out of the cocooned plastic wrap but if more pictures are desired, please advise and I'll strip her down.  No outlets for auto trans on this one. It was purported to be a desert cooling radiator optioned for 1966.  , please let me know. I was only three years old when this thing was made so what do I know.

It was not a available option on the GT350.

Well deathsled did say somewhat jokingly his car is a "day eleventeen car so making the car the way he wants it isn't so tragic" as the item is a "bolt on".

~E

Earl,of course that is his prerogative to make his car the way he wants. That intent was not expressed in his post and I was responding to Deathsleds direct question of if anyone see's any deficiencies or discrepancies with the assertion that the radiator in question was a option . In the context of on a Shelby forum and in the forum category of 1966 GT350/GT350H the assertion that it was a option does not apply to GT350 . I wanted to assure you that I was not imposing my will by steering him away from anything.  I didn't want others who may read this later to get the wrong idea that it was some kind of factory option for a GT350 which it is not. It is all is good . 

[deathsled]

I agree with Bob. My sentence was poorly worded and the record has to be kept straight on all of these cars and life in general. Bob is our court reporter to all things Shelby and we need him and men like him to keep the record accurate. There is an aftermarket rad in the car now. That's getting shelfed. My interest was to verify that this is an original desert cooling rad optioned for 1966 that did not include Shelbys of course.
Or better: Is this a desert cooling rad or a mirage? Lol!

[SFM5S000]

Bob, my mistake. I didn't read well enough through deathsled's reply. I shall now bow out gracefully and not push the issue further. You are correct.

Cheers,
~Earl J

[Bob Gaines]

Bob, my mistake. I didn't read well enough through deathsled's reply. I shall now bow out gracefully and not push the issue further. You are correct.

Cheers,
~Earl J

I sure wish I could get the same comment out of Special Ed 

[deathsled]

Reviving an old post, I spotted another Mustang with the desert radiator (no it wasn't a Shelby and no representation express or implied is to be inferred that I ever thought or believed this radiator to ever have come on a factory Shelby), but an earlier post had intimated that my desert rad might have been a kit, however there is yet another Mustang I just spotted online with the desert cooling option and the stamping on mine mirrors the stamping on this convertible.  The letters are much crisper and defined than in the earlier posting on what was contended to be an NOS kit.  Here is the photo of the other radiator compared to mine.  And the site where I found it. As an addendum to Herr Speegle's earlier post, the lettering and numbers on that rad are indented with a negative space whereas the numbers on these two in this post are raised.



The site: http://www.forristalls.com/1966%20Emberglo%20Convertible/1966_ford_mustang_emberglo_conve.html

The problem I have now is that if, in fact, this is THE rare factory desert radiator, do I put it on big red and enjoy a cooler driving engine that is gradually using up this radiator or do I put this radiator under glass and pray to it periodically as a a rare artifact bestowed upon me as a divine piece of automotive history.  (Partly kidding of course, but scarily partly serious).

[Side-Oilers]

Richard,
You could install it, go for a drive in the desert (none very close to IL, however)  and let us know if it's better than the aftermarket rad.    

[deathsled]

That sounds like a good option. Trailer 843 over to Needles, CA and drive on.

[J_Speegle]

........... As an addendum to Herr Speegle's earlier post, the lettering and numbers on that rad are indented with a negative space whereas the numbers on these two in this post are raised.

Could you help me find where I posted that the markings on the top or side strap were indented?

Thanks - If I did write that it needed to be corrected and not how the examples I posted were, marked

Thanks for adding another example of this fairly rare (not very popular) option for Mustangs to the thread. Think this is the first time I've seen one on a Dearborn built early Mustang