The core in my Firestone heater is toast and I haven't been able to track down a suitable replacement or any outfit that can re-core it. I've been thinking about getting one of the small street rod heaters from Speedway (910-454), and fitting it inside my gutted out heater. Are these Speedway heaters any good, anyone running one? Here is a pic of my Firestone heater.... I'd really like to keep this thing as it's been fitted to the firewall and I don't want to start with something else that I'll have to fill holes, re-fit and still not be able to get a replacement core for, should it also go bad. Thoughts....opinions....?
Find a real old fashion radiator shop, they can usually repair or the have access to thousands of replacement cores, surely you can find something to work if you have the diminutions. HRP
A few on here have previous suggest on other threads to take the core and match up at a parts store or use their catalog. Let me know , cause I have a Firestone heater hiding somewhere here as well .
This ^^^^ You'll have to hunt, but these shops still exist. They'll repair/reuse your end tanks and put a new core in between. Used to be cheap, but will still probably be cheaper in the long run. You may have to travel to find a shop.
Anderson, South Carolina is relatively small compared to some citys with a population of 27,846 but we do have 2 old school radiator shops here in town, I have done business with both of them. HRP
I just found ABC Radiator in Baltimore City. Family business. He's re-coring one for me. Core is 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 2". Mine was honeycomb which he could get (maybe), but I asked for what fit. $110 + tax.
I appreciate all of your input. I'm kind of at an impasse with this thing. I've looked through all the available catalogs and thousands of images with dimensions. Called around for info and only found one guy that would re-core it...until I mentioned it was honey comb. I found one other shop that was willing to repair it...Yes! After a hundred twenty mile drive to get it there, I get home and get a call to come back and get it...they tried...fail. So, now I'm looking for options. Here is a pic of the core...that leaks worse now than when I took it in for repair
Most heater cores are honeycomb. Take your old core to a radiator shop that is willing to go through their pile of unpopular new old heater cores for one that has the right size to solder your tanks onto.
Last one I had done the core was out of an industrial application. Might be $$$ but check with Brass Works. There's places that rebuild the round ones, someones gotta take yours on.
You may be better off hunting a heater core that will fit in the case with a few mods. That you have rectangular one rather than a round one is a big plus.
Some modern cores are pretty small. I had an oddball heater with a leaky core and ended up using the rear core from a '98-'03 Sienna with the in/out tubes cut down. Spectra #93076 - dimensions are 4" x 6.75" x 1" . Lots of other small ones out there with various configurations. Look at Suzuki donors too- they've got some tiny ones..
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ore-in-a-40-ford-heater-update-01-23.1181129/ I went to my locally owned parts store, pulled up a stool and spent a while going through their heater core catalog. Found the right size modern core and ran new tubes. Took some doing, but two radiator shops didn't want to tackle my stock honey comb core leak.
I have the same heater that I had re-cored at Rods Radiator in Redding Calif. They re-used my tanks and the new core was just a tiny bit smaller. Worked great and wasn't very expensive, seems like it was only about $130.00 and only took a couple of days. Very satisfied.
Rod's phone #530-223-3978 , give them a try and see if they can help you. Your heater is a dead ringer for the one that I have except yours looks a lot better than mine did. Of course I tried to repair it myself and ruined the core but they just removed the tanks and soldered them onto a new core that was very close to the same dimensions. They have a lot of experience with hot rod stuff.
The Jalopy Journal
