background. the car is a 39 chevy coupe with a stock hood, bbc 454, walker cobra z radiator with a/c condenser, (walker states that this rad. is for bbc's) I have there cooling componets electric fan, hi-flow water pump, stock size pulleys, elec. fan kick on @ 175. drove it down to the nats last year on the back roads 55-60mph with no problems. over the fall last year, I put the hood on. been driving it locally all year no problems. the temp stays at 210 on hot days, less on cold ones.
headed for the nats. thursday evening, it was 85 degrees out, and the first time I have ever drove on the interstate after driving on the interstate for 30min. @ 73mph 2600rpms the temp climbed to 220-225 ! I turned the a/c off, cranked the heat on hi, slowed down to 55mph & in 10min. the temp. was back to 210-215. if i speeded-up to 70 & drove that way for 20-30 min. the heat would go back up to 220-225. if I left the a/c off I could go maybe 40min befor to got that hot!. & when is got that hot ,the gas line would try to vapor lock.
finally I got on the 2 lane highway drove 55mph w/ a/c on low & the car would stay at 215 degrees. what the hell is going on ?
talked to vernon @ walker rad booth, first thing he said it was the elec. fan, needed theirs, after I told him I had theirs, he never gave me a anwser to why it was running hot, but said it was NOT!! the radiator???????????
does it seem like arad problem to u guys?
would get hot at lower speed at that nat.s if drove slow for 15-20 min. turn the car off & the elec. fan would have the car cooled down in 10 min.
could it be the hood is trapping the heat under the hood?, don't really want to alter the hood any!, or is it a rad problem. thanks for any help.