What's the current status of Alan Johnson's taking over the manufacturing of the former Walker Radiators facility? are they up and running? HRP
I ordered the new radiator for my next roadster from Brassworks. Very easy to order from Lee. There is a bit of a waiting period.
Custom Auto Radiator made one for my '32 and '40, as well as a couple club members cars. Very high quality copper/brass.
I got a Brassworks a year ago, beautifully built radiator. It was comparable to the price for a Walker.
Brice Thomas in Gadsden AL is building brass and aluminum. They acquired US radiator. Nice work. They built me an excellent product in a very timely manner. I haven't heard when JHRS is selling cooling products. I could probably find out though.
The unofficial official word is they’re closer now than they were yesterday. Navigating supply issues and training employees. Knowing Alan, he’ll install a few radiators and thrash em as hard as he can before he sells any. Vernon did. If you’re needing a radiator now, I’d look at the other places mentioned at this time. If you’re specking out a build that may need a radiator a few months from now, don’t count em out, you may can order a JHRS radiator then. They will make an official announcement when they get closer. They were very thankful that people were curious
US Radiators is still in their own building that they were in before Brice- Thomas bought them. Both are under the C,G & J banner. C, G, & J Inc * Radiators - Charge Air Coolers - Oil Coolers (cgj.com) As Johnsons is also in Gadsden, Alabama That has become the go to town for US made aftermarket radiators .
I have been building hot rods for a very long time, in the beginning I had a local radiator shop that would recore the originals and that worked well, later I tried a aluminum radiator from Griffin since they were just a few miles from my house, Buddy was making radiators for nascar and I took him my original 40 Ford radiator for a pattern and he made the radiator, it fit like a glove but it constantly ran hot, I did every thing he suggested, I ran different pulleys, I ran a electric fan ,then 2 electric fans and they were nothing but band-aids , after a couple of years fighting with the heating problem Buddy said bring the tadiator back and I'll make you a new one at no cost. I took it out of the car and the day I got to the facility I was met by the shop foremen and he said lets find out what the problem is, He picked up the radiator and walked over to a huge band saw and cut the tanks off the core, top and bottom and said look at this, more than half of the cooling tubes were blocked with the epoxy they use to put the radiator together. I took the new radiator home, installed it in the car and traded with Rick Powell for a 32 Ford coupe, Rick sold the car and the last time I saw the car it had a Walker radiator in it. I have used Walkers ever since that time, When Henry Ford built these old car, copper/brass worked great and there was no need for electric fans, plus copper/brass is traditional. HRP
My aluminum radiator from Brice Thomas is cooling a 500 inch engine better than the same sized copper radiator cooled the 350 I swapped out. It almost runs too cool. I’ve probably installed 100x times more aluminum radiators than copper. Even the plastic tank ones. No issues. not all are created equal as far as aesthetics, the copper looks better for a period build but the Brice Thomas stamped aluminum tank ones are a close 2nd.
Tube size/tube to fin contact is most important in cooling. Thermal transfer. I have a cheapie 2 row 1" tube radiator in my '55, has stamped tanks like original. I wouldn't buy anything that had been glued together!
As another thread states, fully welded aluminium radiators are the way to go, obviously not for everyone but neither is whiskey. All depends on what it’s going in and your budget, same as whiskey .
FYI. US Radiator is no longer located in Vernon, CA and was acquired by Brice Thomas last year and moved to a new facility in Alabama.
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