What thermostat should I use?

I live in southern louisiana and it stays usually between 85 and 90 degrees here. I'm not really sure what temperature thermostat I should buy.

 

I would say nothing over 180 deg. I use a 180; we get summer temps 80 to 95+ in my area. I think 180, best all around stat for these cars. If the cooling system is not up to par, whatever stat you use, you will have issues.

 

So 180 is the best generally?

 

What did the factory use?

 

Probably a 195. But they also corked the motors with 2 bbl carbs and tiny little cockeyed exhaust manifolds too. So obviously power was not the primary concern.

180 is a good all around temp if you need a little warm air in the eve's and defogger for the early am. Otherwise a 160 will result in a cooler denser intake charge and allows more aggressive tunes if you want that last little bit of power.

 

180 works good in NE Arkansas.

 

180° .

 

180 in socal with similar all around temperature, since I changed mine to this it never overheated and I just drove from LA to Phoenix and back! By 105° outside

 

I have a 180* in mine and my other "Hot Rods" as well...