The radiator shop talked me into buying an alluminum radiator instead of recoring the original copper one so I bought this griffin unit. A week after it was installed I had grey dust from water leak on my passenger side valve cover but I could not determine if it was the radiator or the upper hose leaking. It wasn't till cruisin the coast when I sat in traffic for an hour that the car got warm enough to build pressure that let me see it was the radiator leaking where a tube met the tank. So I sent it to griffin and they would not fix it ( wanted me to buy another radiator from them ) so I had them send it back and have ran stop leak for about a year till this week end when the bottom bracket broke loose and the radiator hit the fan (4 tack welds all on the same side of the bracket) . I'm sure glad I spent twice what a champion would have cost on this piece of junk! I had original radiator recored this time (last alluminum radiator I'll buy on purpose).
Buddy Griffin built me the first radiator for a hot rod back in the hayday of building radiators for nascar back in the mid 70's. I lived just a few short miles from their facility in Townville,South Carolina and they used my original 40 radiator as a pattern. From day one it was a problem but Buddy said bring it back and he would make it right,after the third time I pulled it out the shop foreman threw it up on a band saw and cut the tanks from the cooling tubes...over half the tubes were full bonding epoxy preventing them from doing the job. They made me a new one and I installed it in the convertible and sold within the next year. I have been building hot rods ever since I was in my teens and have used re cored radiators,US,superior,babb,champion and a few other company's, but I am now sold on Walkers and have never had a problem with any of them,the oldest one is right at 20 years old. Old cars used copper and brass and that's what I run a lot of things can go wrong on a hotrods when you drive them thousands of miles away from home and a radiator is something I certainly don't won't to worry about. Their 10 year guarantee also gives you a certain piece of mind. HRP
I remember reading somewhere that Buddy sold his problems to someone else. I had some direct experience with Buddy Griffin myself. Early eighties they were marketing themselves to the musclecar crowd with correct reproduction radiators. So I sent him a top tank and requested them to build an L79/350 h.p. Nova radiator, what I recieved was real new and shiny looking and it bolted right in but it was not correct, it came with an automatic bottom tank and L79s never were offered with autos. Contacted them (Buddy), he said he would make it right, yep it was right but they never even bothered to rattle can paint where they had welded the new tank back on. Consequently, I make every effort to give Griffin radiator the credit they deserve.
Had a Griffin copper / brass in my 61 impala bubbletop. It lasted 3 years before the core turned to mush. Never ever again. Bought a custom radiator from Superior Radiator in Michigan for my 41 Chevy in 1993, it's still good to go.
I reluctantly bought a Griffin off Ebay from some private party. It leaked out of the core, micro leaks I call them, but hard to blame Griffin on that one - not sure who's fault it was. Anyways, I bought the same P/N Griffin since my car was already set-up for the Griffin. To my surprise, the same part number radiators had differences in dimension that were just too far off from one another - which bothers me to this day. I made the thing work, and it works fine, but the quality control does not exist at their factory. I'd never buy another.
Brass Works Radiator, bought one in early 90s for my 1948 Ford Tudor with warmed up Chevy 350 and Vintage Air. Never in all the years and many 1,000s of miles has it ever given a sign of not doing it's job.
The people at Walker ain't exactly what I would call friendly. When I called them years ago to build me one for my 27, they basically told me they could not build one that small and not in the nicest terms. Then, when my Son needed one for his T bucket, it came from Total Performance, but was made by Walker. I called them to ask some question about it, and they said to contact TP instead because they only built them for TP and that was the extent of the conversation. Just left a bad taste in my mouth because of their rudeness and unwillingness to even discuss things. Don
Walker Radiators are where it's at. Been around for a zillion years,quality ,spendy but worth it in a long run Gene
Allied Radiators - "the best place to take a leak" - it's what they had on their coffee mug......RIP Charlie....
My Griffin aluminum radiator had a small pinhole in the weld where the petcock is. At first thought the thing was loose so kept tightening it little at a time but got to a point where enough is enough. Finally after careful looking there was a small pinhole in the weld above the petcock and it was running down on it. Wasn't about to take the 34 all apart to get the thing out so drained it and got some industrial strength JB Weld and then cleaned the area good with alcahol, then put on the JB weld all around the weld. Let set for several days then put the antifreeze in. No more leak or any other problem and been good for 4 years now.
Seems like every reputable radiator shop in the country uses that slogan. I know the local shop here does. HRP
Tried a couple of griffins in Trifive's years ago. Didn't cool any better than the stockers. Gave em away and went to US radiators--no more issues. Use Walker's in the 40's with AC we have had--no issues and run cool. Just did a 40 with a hot little 327 but no air and used a US radiator and it runs cool as well.
I bought a Griffin for my '36 pickup because (at the time) Walker didn't offer one. The only way Griffin would sell their's was as a package that included the shroud, fan, and painless wiring kit. $1200.00. I put it in the truck to discover the fan was mounted too low and hit the 283 fan pulley. I called them and got a guy who represented himself as an expert whose only job at Griffin was to resolve issues like mine. Right away he started in telling the engine was placed too far forward (no), the frame was bent (no), the water pump was too long (no), engine mounted too high (no), and a whole host of other stupid things. To get to the end of the story.... A month later and several more phone calls where I had to go through the same defensive bullshit, including his self grandising view of his knowledge and experience as a hot rod builder, He finally agreed to accept the shroud back as long as i paid shipping both ways and understood they may decide not to do anything. Three months later I got a shroud that fit but only after another round of phone calls, each one starting from the beginning as if it were the first time I called. During the last call, I was informed by this guy that because I had a stock 283 they would not honor any warrantee claims in the future and that I should feel lucky they agreed to replace the shroud. I ask what a 283 has to do with their warrantee or the quality of their product and he told me, with what his voice made me a assume was a totally straight face, that the 283 was the hottest running engine Chevy ever made and there is no way that it's going to run cool no matter whose radiator is used!!!!! He went on to say that if they knew I had a 283 they would not have sold me a radiator. I pointed out that the original invoice had a notation on it that clearly stated I had a 283. He called me a liar. I've always used Walker radiators and dearly wish I had called them in hopes they would've made me one based on my old tanks and straps. They now make one and as soon as this POS fails I'll toss it in the trash and buy a real radiator.
I'd like to add that I've had excellent luck with Walker. A couple months ago I bought one for my '51 Checy pickup with and inline engine. It was wrong but I didn't discover that that till I had it installed, which included some scarred fins and bolt marks on the flanges. I called them up to ask about it and was told immediately to send it back. He gave me a return number and UPS came by that afternoon to pick it up. Within two weeks I had the right unit installed and working correctly. Can't say enough good about Walker and I will NEVER buy a radiator from anyone else again....especially Griffin.
Our local shop (Eagle Radiator) uses the slogan as well. On topic , the shop race car ran a Griffin radiator for several years till it had trouble and Griffin ended up being a pain to deal with , so our local shop made us one out of copper. It weighs a bit more , bit cools just as well and was a third the cost .
Off the subject a bit One of the old timers with Walker mentioned something that is important he emphsized always using a cowl/shroud aroundthe fan to draw air. A item many do not use because of clearance or what ever i seel few shrouds on cars a car shows ?? Gene
Bought 2 Griffins many years ago for a 32 and model A. When they got to the shop they both lacked an inch of sitting on the mounting straps. Turned out they were building the lower tank to fit a stock 32 cross member and not a model A style. I heard those now famous words ( we've never had that happen before) After many phone fights they agreed to change the tanks to fit the cross member I sent them, everything at my expense. By the time all this bullshit was finished I had purchased new Walkers and moved on. I gave the A radiator to a trade school for a project and will probably die with the 32.
Dang I hate to hear this stuff. I bought a universal fit Griffin and put it in my 36. I was very happy with the quality and performance so far. I did not have to deal with any mount issues.....made my own.
Well, Thought I would share my experience with my 1 1/2 year old $1200 Griffin radiator, Getting my car ready for a test and tune session at the drag strip I notice a little steam coming out of the core in the lower DS corner, further inspection reveals area where the tank and core meet has some green moisture, of coarse it has to come out to see the actual problem, so I give Griffin a call, tell them my situation, the customer service rep say you are racing this vehicle? Oh, If you are racing it your warranty is void!!! "WHAT" I SAY, you mean to tell me that you build a radiator that will support 1000hp and you do not back your product in a hot street car, my car is licensed and insured, so the nice guy on the phone says I can buy another one "REALLY" I SAY, MY ADVICE IS TO NOT BUY A GRIFFIN RADIATOR! PERIOD!! THEY ARE JUNK!!! JUST AS OTHERS HAVE TOLD YOU!!!! THOSE THAT AREN'T HAVING PROBLEMS ARE MORE THAN LIKELY JUST LOOKING AT THEIR RIDE NOT USING IT FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OF HAVING FUN, MY GRIFFIN IS HANGING ON THE FENCE AT MY LOCAL TRACK FOR ALL TO SEE WITH A SIGN SPEAKING OF MY GRIFFIN EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!
In 1993 I was at the street rod nationals and ran into Vern Walker as he was parking his Model T sedan. I told him how nice it was and that I really liked his pin striping. That was all I said to him. He seemed by his words and reaction like he was pissed I even spoke to him. Gee, a compliment from a paying guest at his own event. I thought what WOULD it take to please him ? Left a bad taste in my mouth also. I do have to ad that from all the years of seeing others experience with Walker radiators, they do make quality products but I wouldn't vouch for them having friendly service.
The Jalopy Journal
