Radiators

[dubie]

I'm going to be in need of a rad here soon, where's the best place to get a factory replacement? I don't want to use an aluminum one on this truck.

[mr48chev]

If you can afford it Walker has some of the best but the price is up there pretty high.

If you have a real good radiator shop close by you might want to ask about having them modify your tanks and put a new core in your old radiator. That isn't inexpensive either but it's an option that is available. That is a pretty good possibility due to where you live. I'd suspect that there is a radiator shop that repairs ag, truck and heavy equipment radiators in that area that could handle a pickup radiator and know what they were doing.

[dubie]

unfortunately the closest rad shop is a 4 hour drive from us. We used to have one in a neighboring town but it closed down a few years ago. Maybe I'll rob the one out of my wife's 58 and replace hers with a new one when the time comes

[oldcouple]

I had the original, which was for a six cylinder 56, rebuilt by a shop into a four core copper. Cost a fortune, never worked right, kept coming apart and they fixed it, the it leaked. So just bought a three core aluminum off ebay, it works better, looks better and cost half what the rebuild did.

[mr48chev]

This one is aluminum but I like what they have to say. I've been looking into their radiator that fits my 48. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-1955-1...ba8f08&vxp=mtr

[spinned]

Take your old one to the radiator shop and ask to have it re-cored with a 4-core in copper. They will keep the top brass and frame and gut the rest and then install a nice new modern copper insert. (about $500).

[Chevette]

I've got one you can have. I won't have time to package it until late next week though. It worked very well and when I removed it from my 56, I stored it in a safe place, so it should be good. I bought a big aluminum rad so I don't need it anymore. Get back to me if you want it.

[mr48chev]

His problem with that Spinned is that he is further from a radiator shop than I am from you. Not quite as bad as running from Burns to Portland for a radiator but close.

[torchlight]

I just ordered a unit from US Radiator for my 53.
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[Chevette]

Dubie: Here are some pics. I realized after I dug it out of the rafters, that it isn't original spec. To bad, because there isn't a bent fin on it. Just a bit dirty on the outside.

[dubie]

sent you a PM this morning on this rad

[Speedbumpauto]

If you're looking on E bay, search for an outfit called Bryce Thomas Radiators. I bought one from them with the stamped tank and two rows of 1 1/4" tubes. Mine came with a 16" Marydine fan and an aluminum shroud. It fit perfectly and these guys make all their own stuff in house unlike most of those sellers who buy the offshore stuff and re-sell it. They're not the cheapest but they're good.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Speedbumpauto

If you're looking on E bay, search for an outfit called Bryce Thomas Radiators. I bought one from them with the stamped tank and two rows of 1 1/4" tubes. Mine came with a 16" Marydine fan and an aluminum shroud. It fit perfectly and these guys make all their own stuff in house unlike most of those sellers who buy the offshore stuff and re-sell it. They're not the cheapest but they're good.

That's good to know thanks!

[GMtrucknut!!]

Well after working in a radiator shop for a number of years I can tell you that the original copper tanks will become brittle with age . The thermo cycles involved are astonomical ,every spot where the tank has been formed by the stamping process eventually will start to crack due to stress from that process. So recoring is sometimes throwing good money away.
The other thing with radiators is the original copper/ brass type are more efficient but more expensive due to cost of raw materials.The reasoning behind the use of aluminum isn't better cooling but weight saving and inexpensive aluminum versus expensive copper.The copper radiators are roughly 25 percent more efficient.
Walker ,Modine,US radiator and a couple of other manufactors of oem style radiators are still available. I would try to avoid most of the inexpensive radiators from the aftermarket as even though they boast of 3 and 4 row applications the thickness of the core still hasnt changed.This means that the square inches of cooling surface isnt really and better than an original.