Technical Need New Radiator

I have a 350 Chevy powered 1930 Model A Coupe that has a 1932 Grille shell and hood. Car is NOT a high boy or chopped. Vintage Air is installed with condenser in front of radiator. Turbo 350 transmission. I have a persistent radiator leak that seems to be evident when the car cools off. I tried Barr's Stop Leak but that didn't work. I think it's time to replace the radiator. I want a quality replacement, either brass or aluminum. Would anyone have a suggestion where to purchase or what company makes decent radiators at a reasonable price?

 

Brass? Repair it

 

You need to add your general location either to this post or your profile. There might be a radiator shop nearby you that could re-core your existing one.

 

Try this for now while you're waiting to get a new radiator. I do this stuff on my personal cars and it's cured head gasket leaks for 6 months until I had time to swap the heads

 

US Radiator they have Copper and Aluminum Radiators that are made in Gadston Al.

 

I have a 30 year old Walker in one Model A and had to have it repaired last year after it started to leak along the tank seam, and a Brassworks in my flathead powered Model A, cools great so would recommend either. I try to avoid additives that stop leaks because they can cause heating problems. I have to agree with nochop about repairing a brass radiator, have them clean, pressure test and repair it and will be as good as new.

 

X2 for Brice Thomas
I have a new aluminum one from them. Super nice. They just recored/restored a copper one for a friend of mine. Great work

 

Hang onto to your heart pricing a copper radiator these days !!!!

 

Brice Thomas sells a good made to order aluminum radiator plus they now own US radiators and can sell you a brass radiator.
I'd have to think that guys who throw out have a core stuck in it haven't looked for a radiator shop in the past 20 years. There is one radiator shop within 60 miles of me that will actually repair or recore a radiator now and they are usually tied up with heavy truck and equipment radiators. Recoring one isn't cheap either.

 

Which oil to use?

 

Can definitely save money getting something repaired, but ... they can (usually) tell whether it will be a lasting repair or not, or maybe it will start leaking somewhere else. This stuff isn't getting any newer.

A new core cost + labor will exceed the price of the import aluminum specials by about 100%, and even that's out here in the cheap seats. No telling what they have to charge in high(er) cost of living areas for labor.

Don't put "stop leak" of any kind if you can help it. I think GM used to drop a couple of those tablets in every engine coming off the line. But as a general thing, that shit does not belong in the cooling system 50 years later, get it repaired correctly.

 

Truck 54 go out and get a quote for a recore on a radiator just to see if you can back up what you are saying. The last time I checked on doing it on my 48 the price was right close to if not more than buying a US radiator at the time. You guys keep saying how cheap it is but none of you show us a recept from having it done in the last year or so.

 

Unfortunately it's nigh impossible to get a lot of services that used to be common. I haven't seen a radiator shop since I was little, and considering the location, I'm not sure if it was actually a radiator shop or just a front for drugs.

I never could find a local business (within an hour drive) to rebuild my generator, I ended up meeting a hobbyist through MAFCA and he is elderly. Within the next ten years or so it's going to become almost impossible to find some services we need for these cars.

 

I'm in Denver and had my '54 3100 heater core redone in March. Total tab was $99! Just had my '61 Corvette
radiator re-cored and it ran $449. Used to have 3 shops that worked on brass and copper radiators, now down
to one place. Have another heater core in the shop that has 2 1/2" core. Only one place shipping that size
right now, still having to wait another 2 wks and quoted price was $200-$250. Shop does good work so staying
with them. Hope they don't close up. My long time machine shop is closing their doors after 45 years of
doing outstanding work. Bob

 

Just got a 36 Ford radiator record at the local radiator shop it was $705. The total job cost the customer about a thousand bucks. It was quite a lot just a price to think about give or take. I had my personal model a/32 radiator record 10 years ago $500

 

If you need a new one, my choice is Custom Auto Radiator for a high quality copper/brass cooler.

 

Well no - read what I wrote and see that I agree with you and you with me and it's Groovy, baby. What I'm saying is, if they can get away with just soldering or brazing on the existing unit that's a good deal. The problem is it might not hold, and add to that customers are sometimes quick to complain if anything goes wrong that somebody else touched at any time in the past. Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances. I was quoted about $400 bones for a new core, that was a couple years ago. He was long time local, Stoners Radiator, and I could tell he didn't want to mess with the existing unit. He said they get thin in places, and it's kind of a crapshoot if the radiator is well loved. I ain't the type but you know the type - spend $100, and it still leaks, now they badmouth the shop, etc.

 

Got a price 2 years ago to recore my 64 ford f100 rad . 4 core radiator . 900.00 . Bought an aluminium rad for right around 300.00 .
Shudder to think what the copper rad would be now . Still would like to have the copper rad ,the aluminium rad looks so out of place under the hood !!!

 

I put an aluminum "US Radiator" in my 30 A with deuce grill shell. Perfect fit and there all over Ebay. Very affordable quality radiator and great reviews. Best bang for the buck, plus its nice starting fresh.

 

Roger that. Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, after a lot of reading, etc. I decided to opt for a brand new aluminum radiator. Most listings for a Chevy in Model A with '32 shell have only a 20" high core. My brass one is a 22" core. I finally found one on eBay with AT cooler with a 22" core. Now I need to decide; do I want a 3 row or a 4 row core? I have PS, PB and Vintage Air installed. Any ideas? By the way, Roger, love that car of yours.

 

Don’t like the looks of an aluminum radiators. Paint it black. Did that to the Griffith/Griffin(?) in my convert 15 years or so ago…no problems, works fine, doesn’t offend my sensibilities.

 

Well Rupert, Thanks for the kind words, yours no doubt is a head turner also. When I had my A ( which I still miss to this day) I went with a three and it only fit because I had a Flow Kool 16" puller fan with a flat pancake motor. That being said I would think your fan situation would dictate if a four would work. If your running a pusher that would help with clearance but an engine fan with a shroud might be a problem. Funny sometimes how an inch or even a half inch either way can change everything. I have several gear head friends that are running U S Radiators and love them for the price and construction. One friend has a 502 in his 61 Imp. and has a three core. He has the bell's and whistle's like you, and no heating issues. Guess its your call. I presently have a three in my 34 roadster with engine flex fan and shroud, no heating problems, if I did I would go back to an electric puller. Cheers

 

Pankeys Radiator repair still repairs all types old new etc