57' Radiator bracket

[Solo57Bird]

What connects to the backets on the "U" shaped radiator part? There are two bolt holes on the left and right, but I cannot tell what this bolts to as there is just an open bracket on the frame this sits over. is there some part or other bracket I am missing? I hope this makes sense.. please see pictures to help illustrate. Thanks so much.

[Joe Johnston]

The picture should enlarge if you view on a PC and click on it.

[Solo57Bird]

Thanks so much for the reply. I have a few manuals for my 57 Tbird, but I can not find this specific bolt/part and what it connects to. I appreciate the picture you attached.. I have one as well from when I started pulling the whole thing apart 2 years ago. The problem is, in your picture and mine, it doesn't show what the heck the bolt is connected/bolted to. Is there another backet/piece or something that goes under it and sits in the slot that is attached to the frame? No idea as I can't tell from my old pictures or from yours.

[289ace]

I just wandered out to the shop to check my car, and there some square spacer/shim pieces between radiator support and the frame. The spacers are ~.25" thick each, there are 2-3 per side, and It looks like they might be used to set the proper height of the radiator support. I can upload some pics later if it would help.

[Solo57Bird]

Awesome 289ace. If you can send some pics that would help greatly. I bagged and binned all my parts when I took the whole thing apart but that was 2 years ago and ohh boy... where did I put all that stuff and I hope I really did label it all well :)

[swatson999]

https://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dl ... Z50000051c

[Solo57Bird]

Does this look like them? not sure how these go back in and why it has a nut and bolt

[MarkR]

In conjunction with Joe’s photo….The radiator mount is also the front body mount. In the photos you can see that the body attaches to the radiator mount at the inner nose panel and then the body mounts to the frame just in front of the upper A arms. Your steel shims and bolts are used here. The diagram is on page 54 of your Thunderbird Parts Illustrated manual.

[Solo57Bird]

That help a lot. Thank you so much

[hutch3]

Solo; I am not sure what you are asking, hasn't stopped me ion the past so I will plow on. If you are asking what the bolt and nut attach to and are for, then the answer is given that it is a mounting bolt for the frame, one of ten or twelve. If you are putting the radiator back in and want to know how it attaches, here is m take on that as I just finished putting the radiator in two days ago---finally. On the radiator there are two flanges on the side of the radiator, one at the front edge and one at the rear edge. The front edge flange uses two bolts into captive nuts on each side, the rear flange is used to attach the fan shroud to the radiator and uses bolts and nuts. The 'U' shaped support attaches to the front of the car by (I think) three bolts per side into captive nuts on the 'U' shaped support. That is all the help I can be at this time, and I do hope it helps and not hinders.
Hutch3

[289ace]

Solo, Sorry I didn't get the pics posted as I needed to hit the road and I am just getting back to the thread, but it looks like MarkR took care of it.

Thanks Mark.

[MarkR]

One more note……to be factory correct the U shaped radiator bracket should be on the body before paint or painted body color at some point. On a large number of very nice restored birds it’s painted black which looks great in my opinion.