Oil Cooler. Are they necessary?

[LG57]

I have an ERA with stroked 427. It has the oil cooler and it takes a loong time to get up to 140-160. So, do you need a cooler on the street? Probably not.

[Large Arbor]

I tend to think there are several factors which influence the need which are:

1) how you drive on the street
2) type of engine
3) climate
4) how often in heavy traffic
5) the size of cooling fan for the radiator

I was out in my FE 427 and it took a good part of cruising all day in Ohio and it was mid 80's. I have an aluminum block and things top out around 190.
In my opinion its a nice option that looks period correct, helps keep things cooler on 90+ degree days if you are stuck in traffic. All these things come into play. However after having one, I like it. For me its a secondary check for the engine temp gauge.

Phil