Technical How old is the radiator in your hot rod or custom?

When I built my Coupe 30 years ago, the radiator that fit by measurements was from a 6cyl Plymouth Duster, and it cooled effectively up to the day that I decided to redesign the car 2 years ago, and the ONLY reason I didn't continue to use it was that I had to have a shorter one. I think I paid $75 for it back then.
You can see it in this picture:

 

So new it is still in the box it came in. I pulled the very tired original radiator out and had the tanks put on a pretty new core out of a 2-1/2 ton GMC radiator that I bought from Tee Pee Auto parts in 1980 when I put the 350 in it. I ran that radiator until the core crapped out and ran a really off topic radiator for a while until I the 250 got so worn out it didn't have enough compression to run. I bought a new radiator when I had some extra cash a couple of years ago and it is still in my parts stash.

 

The radiator in my 48 Plymouth came out of a 1990 Dodge truck, which makes it 30 years old. It went in the coupe untouched (new hoses and antifreeze) and has been there for 10 years. The Dodge truck had 125,000 miles on it and we have put around 65,000 miles on it in the coupe. The car has been on 3 cross country trips, one to Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota (2500 miles round trip), all the way around the outside of WI (1100 miles), and down to Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and into northern Georgia 3200 miles) plus its not unusual for the car to see 300-400 miles on a weekend. I'm not afraid to drive it anywhere. Gene

 

Going on 30 years in my 32. But remember, you do have to have regular maintenance to have them last. This is one I took out of a 55 that got driven little and sat a lot with no maintenance.

 

Stock Harrison radiator in my stock '54 Chevy 1/2 ton that has served me well for 30yrs.
A couple of pin hole leaks over the years but a little solder took care of it.

 

No kidding. I bought a '61 Vette that was overheating, tore it apart and discovered that someone many years before
put a length of galvanized water pipe in-line with the heater hose. I had a great assortment of rusticles growing
very nicely. Took me two full days and tearing the heads off to fix it. Bob

 

Man, that's the worst I have ever seen, did the car actually run? HRP

 

30 years in my 41 Chevy, built by Superior Radiator out of Michigan. Needless to say, I'm happy with it.

 

3 years Champion aluminum. I'll be happy if I get 5 out of it. I only paid $125.00 for it.. I don't run any pressure with aluminum radiators...

 

I guess mine is now 64 years old.

 

I have had to put a new radiator in every car I own except the original in my stock 48 Ford. I think they are like gas tanks... they are fine for 50 years then they need to be replaced.

 

Don, did you put the radiator in your/my/your old coupe or did Jack do it? HRP

 

Danny the radiator that was in it when I got it from you came apart when I removed it to reposition the engine. It wasn't a Walker, I think it said US Radiator or something similar. But I had to replace it, most of the solder was coming loose and the outlets were on the wrong side after I changed the engine over to the older 3 bolt crank/water pump configuration. I still have the old radiator, I am going to re-solder it whenever I stop being lazy.

 

You will be doing better than me, my aluminum radiator didn't make it 2 years and this is my second in the last 5 years.

I originally thought the original equipment radiator was to expensive but in the long term they pay for themselves, my coupe has a walker radiator now.

 

It was running fine until it started to leak at the hose connections. The lower hose neck was worse the the upper one.

 

It appears as though it's crystallized, was it running on just water? HRP

 

No, it had antifreeze in it also, it was just neglect. Car was getting used maybe once every 4 months and the antifreeze hadn't been changed in 6-7 years. It had an anode in it also but that was worn to nothing.

 

My walker has been in there since I built it in 1990. Had a side strap mount brake , fix that years ago. Still working great.

 

Mine is 89 and original Ford...

 

My 35 ford pickup has original runs at 170° all day no electric fan

 

Mine is 10 years and 4 months. Purchased new and was from a 1979 Bronco to match the 351 stroker that I was building for my F1.

 

I only have 3 yrs on Model A with a aluminum radiator. First one I have ever had.It works good but I understand they don,t have the life expectancy as a brass radiator. Necessary to flush and put in fresh antifreeze in periodically to prolong it,s life.As most now-a days it,s a matter of the cost to go with aluminum.Will have to wait & see Gene

 

Mine is a couple of years old Champion aluminum. Got about 3-4 hours total run time on it, never went above 185* , but that was sitting still, no road time yet so we'll see.

 

Bobby, when are you going to retire?

I bet you can have that old Lincoln back on the road in no time when you climb outta that truck for the last time. HRP

 

Lets see, 2020 minus 1934 is............86 years old. When looking at the 1958 pictures of the car in Hot Rod and others, it is the same radiator and original builder told me he never had to do any thing with it when he bought it in '55. In fact back in '95 when buying it, the radiator modification needed for the one piece hood was the determining factor in identifying what I had on my hands Oh there's been issues with the o[' girl of course but the basics are still in tact, and the same goes for the grill.
This was the first thing I farmed out to be rebuilt in '95 knowing that it was new in 34. Told them to recore it because it was going to have to keeep the hemi cool.

 

I had a Champion in my old Pontiac that was working well after 8 years when I sold the car... I don't run pressure in my radiators, I drill the cap out and run a very big overflow bottle..

 

Well I wonder who you would be referring to. I had a new radiator built for my 32 roadster when it was constructed and used a well known hot rodder to do it. I am running a 327 small block and this thing NEVER overheats. If anything it runs too cool!! Usually 160-170 on the highway and maybe 190 if if in slow moving traffic. I hate overheating!!

 

Paul, my coupe runs at same temp as yours
you know who built my coupe
rad must be 20y/o

 

Same radiator that was in it when I bought in 1970. It appears to be original to the 1946 assembly date. It ones of those honeycomb deals that Mopar cars used from the early 40s think hood lines started to get lower. There is a very small weeping from about 2 inches of the upper tank to core seam.

 

I still have the original radiator from my 47 Dodge pickup, but its no longer in the truck. I figured it would cost me too much to make it work after the V8 was installed. Had green antifreeze in it when I removed it from the truck.

I seem to be unintentionally collecting old radiators, the original radiator from my son's 57 V8 Dodge car, and the original radiator from his 57 V8 Dodge parts car are both still here as well. We stripped the few remaining parts off the parts car and sent it to its death a couple months ago, and both radiators were in or still on the parts car. There are a couple of Dakota radiators, and a big 70s truck radiator here as well. I will probably end up making a scrape run one of these days. Gene