Should a radiator recore cost over $500?

zing!

 

definitely don't let mac's do the work. they recored the radiator in my 56 pontiac wagon. it lasted about a year before it exploded. they fixed it for free even though it was just out of warranty (which was nice). three months later it exploded again. this time they split the cost with me. then less than a month later it exploded for the third time! then i did what i should've done in the first place - i took it out and sent it to walker and they built a brand new one for me...

 

So does a truck rad fit in a car or is that a negative? just did a big ol hamb search still cant find anythi

 

^
anyone?

 

Just bought an aluminum rad from CG&J, aka Brice Thomas Radiator. Third generation 50+ year family biz, nice folks to deal with. I asked them to not weld the mounts and filler neck, it arrived 1 1/2 weeks ahead of schedule. Nice American- made product, stamped one piece top tank, you could paint it black and it would take a knowing eye to tell it's not copper and brass. Even with FedEx shipping to Canada, it was cheaper than a local purchase or recore.

Edit: Rad is for a '40 Chev, no trans cooler, $395 US. Bargoon, IMO.

 

i bought a new one from BRASSWORKS that is awesome, but $520 for a re-core seems about right......... good luck

 

Don't know the answer to your question, but here is the name/number of a guy that probably does. Or he probably has the correct one for your car. He's cool, I just bought a few parts from him. He's next to my house, let me know if you're gonna hook up with him and I'll go over there with you. You can just meet me at my house and we'll cruise my coupe over there and freak him out (he likes stock model a's)

Freddy, 503-467-8034

 

I spent an age on the HAMB trying to work out what cheapie rad I could order for my RPU. Shipping to the other side of the planet would double the price, then I remembered a shop I used years ago, that sells brand new copper/brass rads locally, probably to stick into Jeepneys, trucks and stuff like that. They were still there, still selling the good stuff.

This cost $150 and it as close to perfect as I could hope to find. It is 4 rows deep, good and solid, has water outlets in the correct places too. I had to widen my rad cover 1", to make a little clearance, but it was not strictly necessary.

There's a chance you could find something you can use sitting in some commercial or agricultural repair shop.

 

I would say it should be $450 or so, but do you trust the guy you are dealing with? That's the key. If so go for it...
Or you can get a brand new one for a 1950 Flathead ford with exact fit and better than new performance. These new ones are at Shoebox Ford for about $590 and while it costs more than the recore...you can now use a 3/4 inch 13 pound cap and it'll improve the way the car cools. So for an extra few bucks, you'll do it once and forget about it. Not worry for the next 20 years!
Is that reasonable?

 

I'm in the same boat. I just took my 49' shoebox radiator to a local shop for test and clean. Has two big leaks and they are talking around $500 to recore it. And this is a shop I have been dealing with for years. Good luck on your decision. I am still deciding if I want to go copper/brass or aluminum right now.

 

I made my decision. Got a new radiator for about $595 from Chris at Shoebox Ford. Forget the recore. Call Chris at Shoebox. 2.5 weeks to deliver.
It is a perfect fit (6 bolts) and 4 hoses to mess with. A few hours and it is like new. Oh.....it takes a 3/4" cap with 13 psi....(way better than that old 1" 7psi). And re-use the petcock.
It runs so cool now I am spoiled.
It was 90 degrees today...Drove the car for 50 miles..never broke over the halfway on the temp gauge! Great decision. Looks the same as the original.

 

Really? Your first two posts are advertizing your damn radiators. Go hit the fucking Newbie thread.

 

No intro and thinly veiled SPAM x2. Wow, that's kind of ballsy... and not cool,

 

HAHA, I found you a new avatar.

 

Seems about right to me. I just had a custom radiator recored at Centennial Radiator in Dallas, it was a little under $600, I got exactly what i asked for and it came out fantastic. I have spent less, but to me, this is one of this situations where you get what you pay for.