rebuild or buy new radiator?

[cell]

Hey Guys,

Engine's back from the machine shop, now onto the radiator. My original radiator is showing it's age. The drain plug bolt was frozen up so tight that I tore it off completely while trying to drain the radiator. Also, the level of silt or particulate matter which had accumulated was higher than the drain plug, so I had to dig around in there a little just to get it draining at all.



Is this radiator worth saving, or should I just buy a new one? I can get a new radiator from LMCtruck for $250. What would be my other options? Is it possible to have a radiator made from more durable materials, like stainless steel?

I will eventually be putting a Cummins 4BT 4 cylinder diesel in this truck, so I might conisder getting an oversized radiator, or perhaps one with more rows of tubing.

[cell]

hmm, gmcpaul's has a new 3 core radiator for the 292 inline 6 (my engine) for $210.

[cableguy0]

you can get radiators a lot cheaper than that. especially the smaller ones. i paid like 160 for my 4 core radiator.check around online and you should be able to find em in the 150 neighborhood. its not worth trying to repair an old clogged up radiator anymore new ones are too cheap

[70rs/ss]

radiators.com has the 4-core (cool a BBC and a Diesel easy) for like a buck fitty ($150) check them out and they ship to the door!

[glock35ipsc]

I got mine from this guy, arrived in perfect condition, and it's new:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevy...spagenameZWDVW

[70rs/ss]

Yeah, that guy too, him or radiator.com, no S, sorry!!

[Dano69c10]

I have a 6 cyl rad you can have for free, just pay the shipping costs.
PM me your info if interested.
Dano

[qksilver]

go with a new one, with the investment that you already have in the engine it is worth it. LMK is good for their exploded veiws of parts but like mike and other say use radiator.com. I have bought 2 from them, good and cheap! not 2 words I can always use together

[Southpa]

Have a good look at the core from the front. What usually happens is the horizontal tubes warp out, check with a straight edge. If your rad is falling apart in one place you can bet it will fail elsewhere, sometimes the cost of refurbishing is only slightly less than simply buying a new or reman rad and installing it yourself. If you do go for a replacement rad look for a "high density core". It has 16 more tubes than a normal rad. I'm very happy with mine.

[Classic Heartbeat]

Radiator Doctor and Radiator.com is the same company. Radiator Doctor is just the company that sells on ebay. If you buy from one of them be sure to check it carefully as soon as it arrives. I have seen 3 out of 4 radiators from them arrive here at my shop with the fill neck dammaged and there wasn't visible damage on the box. Another problem that I have had is the tanks were not installed correctly or the core wasn't square. The bottom of the tanks set in their pads in the radiator support like they were supposed to, but the top wouldn't allign with the top mounts. Either way, the radiators have to be replaced. They did however replace them...... It just took 2 or 3 replacements sometimes to get a good one. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

[cell]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I also found other radiators which fit my truck:

Sila 4 core for $160
http://www.car-stuff.com/performance...1945&category=

"Aftermarket" 4 core for $220
http://www.car-stuff.com/performance...1945&category=

Funny, when I called radiators.com, the girl who answered the phone told me that her screen came up "no longer available" when I asked about a radiator for a '67 chevy. I guess I'll just browse their website.

[bouncytruck]

Have ya checked at your local NAPA (or other real auto parts store)? When my dad had the parts store, his list price was $180 for a new 4 core. His price (what I paid) was $151 at the time.

[cell]

cripes! NAPA wants $272, plus the freight to have it shipped in. And that's for a 3 core...

[cell]

hmm, I have now had two sales reps at radiators.com tell me that they no longer carry the radiator I need.

[Classic Heartbeat]

You need to figure out whitch radiator that you have, because the 67 had two differnt length radiators. (short and long) The short one has a 26 1/2" core and the long one is 28 1/2" long. WES

[Classic Heartbeat]

It is the short one that is no longer available. If you have the long one just order one for a 1972 or something like that. If you have the short one you will either have to recore your radiator or convert to the long radiator. WES

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by WES

It is the short one that is no longer available. If you have the long one just order one for a 1972 or something like that. If you have the short one you will either have to recore your radiator or convert to the long radiator. WES

If you have the short, get the long as it has more coolant capacity and only requires you to move the mounting pads (bottom) and the hold downs (top) out to the "long" style positions. These trucks are great in that they came prepared for most all of the options available, for example the different holes for the motor mounts accomadate the 6, SBC and BBC. It is the same principal for the rad, the holes for both sizes exist, get the rad for a 72 w/BBC (four core).

[cell]

thanks guys

[wibilly]

last modine 4 core i bought was 132 bucks at a small shop in Farmington MN it was a couple years ago, Viking auto ? i expected to pay closer to two bills. call around

[4x4Poet]

Go back to NAPA to reprice a 4-core 28" core rad like suggested above. Expect it to be less $$ than the rarer shorter version. BTW, manual trans w/o A/C? It can make a difference.

I recently priced at NAPA a 4-core A/C 28" rad with auto trans fluid cooler for a '72 2wd burb with 350/TH350: $241 Modine brand Made in USA.

I could get a Transpro Ready Rad through Carquest or O'Reilly's for $170-$190. BUT, Made in China. I don't trust Chinese quality on semi-delicate items like rads. Not to mention shipping distance. I also have some political considerations.

AFAIK, not getting the trans cooler drops the cost no matter the brand/source. Also, I'm pretty sure that most online rad vendors sell overseas made rads.

WES, where were those rads you had problems with manufactured?

[cell]

Just for reference, I decided to go with the Silla SKU#0369 (4 core) from car-stuff.com. I had to chop away a little bit of the lower radiator support in order to get it to fit properly.