Guys, wondering if any of you Novaholics have some proof of an aluminum radiator that came on some early Novas. A friend of mine has some pics of a 62 or 3 Nova 6 banger. It had a really strange aluminum radiator in it and some stickers on the rad support from GM about the fact that servicing was different due to the alum rad. I can't find any reference in Chevy literature or repair guides. Any help wouold be appreciated. Thanks, JIm.

Guys, wondering if any of you Novaholics have some proof of an aluminum radiator that came on some early Novas. A friend of mine has some pics of a 62 or 3 Nova 6 banger. It had a really strange aluminum radiator in it and some stickers on the rad support from GM about the fact that servicing was different due to the alum rad. I can't find any reference in Chevy literature or repair guides. Any help wouold be appreciated. Thanks, JIm.

To my knowledge the Corvette was the first, and for the longest time the only car to have an aluminum radiator. It could have been removed from a 'vette and installed by someone years ago.

Back in the Green days (before Orange anti-freeze) it took special care and special radiator caps to run aluminum radiators. Once the factory switched over to aluminum (to save weight and improve CAFE numbers) then all the vendors changed over to an aluminum formulation.

That said, aluminum and old antifreeze equals electrolysis because after about 18 months the anti-freeze becomes acidic (still offers anti-freeze protection), but your motor is now a battery that is consuming the aluminum parts. Need to change more frequently than in the old green days, though it has never been "green" to the environment (highly toxic). Should your favorite coon dog accidentally ingest anti-freeze, the only way to save their life is with straight whiskey (Cutty Sark not Drambuie) and it will take more than a dram to do it (according to my vet, the alcohol keeps the anti-freeze from turning into a gel in their liver which is a painful slow death).

Big Dave

Back in the Green days (before Orange anti-freeze) it took special care and special radiator caps to run aluminum radiators.

Big Dave


I just picked up a Griffin aluminum radiator that I'm going install this weekend. Based on Big Dave's last note, am I going to have to change to 'orange' anti-freeze? And, will I need some other kind of radiator cap?

Thanks for any advice...

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Nashville, TN

Hey There!

I actually just ripped out the radiator out of my 68 Nova. I believe it's still sitting in the back of the garage. If you'd like i could take a look.

Let me know!