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The rubber washers/spacers that are used in mounting the Radiator to it's cradle on my car are beyond saving. Just curious why both the radiator mounting flanges and the rubber spacers have such a large diameter bolt hole compared to the actual bolt size used. Was there originally some kind of bushing used? If so mine are long gone. Does anyone have any pictures/sources for the correct rubber spacers and bushings if required?

They have a steel sleeve approx 1/16-1/8 less in height than rubber. As I understand it, purpose is 2 fold. 1 is to allow tightening but not to the point that rubber bushing is compressed enough to deform & be totally useless & throw out of alignment whatever it is holding. 2 is to keep things tied together (more or less) if the bushing self destructs.

Steele has the bushings under body mount pads (says same is used on cradle & looks like they can be) but doesn't say if they have the sleeve.

Howards, thanks for the info. Are the ones you are referring to are the cradle to frame body mounts?

I was taking about the small ones that are used to bolt the radiator itself to the core/cradle. They is a rubber spacer between the cradle and the radiator mounting flange, and the another rubber spacer, and the a washer, and then 1/4 x 1 x 20 tpi bolt. So two sets of bolt/spacer/washer combos on each side.

Apologies. Then I think the ones you refer to are detailed in 1951 SC vol 25-7, page 27. I don't know where they might be bought, but looks possibly like a rubber grommet from an electrical supply might fit the bill with some appropriate size tubing for spacer material.

Howard, thanks for the pointer on the that SC. I belive that same style was used in all of the cars in 51-56.

Think so. My 56 appears about the same.

So it looks like my radiator was out of the car at some point in it's past, and those spacers went AWOL.

I guess they decided to go from a solid mounting to a rubber sandwiched mounting to absorb vibration that was causing the stress cracks in the soldered joints as talked about in the SC. My car only had 4 bolts in place. The middle set of bolt wass missing even though there are holes for them. Probably went AWOL at the same time as the spacers.

I check at Lowes yesterday and could not find the correct thickness of rubber washer there, so I will try Home Depot today. I have some black derlin washers that are the perfect size, but I think they are too stiff to act as good vibration dampners.

Check also at Orchard in those plastic bins in hardware. They have regular rubber washers and some grommets. The grommets are also usually available in electrical sections of good hardware stores in a package of assorted sizes. Orchard also has metal and also nylon spacers of some types so might get lucky.

Thanks for the info. I will have to see if there is an OSH close to me if I dont turn up anything at Home Depot. I know were there is one about 20 miles away. But not near my house.

I remember once someone suggested I should try Tractor Supply company for the fuel filter element I needed. There wasnt one within 200 miles of me. Not many tractors in this part of So.Calif I guess! lol

I'd take a look in McMaster-Carr and MSC (Harrisburg) webpages or catalogs, they are a terrific source of all things hardware, though occasionally you'll have to buy 25 or 50 of an item.