Help! Broke down in Tucumcari NM

Yea full service shop as I recall. Truck was repairs tires etc. I had a tire repaired there in the moddle of the night on the '46. Trip back to Rio Grand Valley from San Francisco.

 

Bump

 

come on boys keep this to the top!

 

Since you're away from home, I would suggest just finding something universal that is a close fit.

 

I made a few phone calls, trying to find him either a repair shop or a new radiator source in New Mexico, and came up empty. I called the NAPA in the town where he is broken down and the guy there said he has been in to see them already and they didn't have one.

From what that NAPA guy said, this radiator is not just leaking but broken away and probably not repairable. They gave him a few leads in Texas where they might have one this old, and he left with that info.

If it were me, I would be looking at existing radiators that someone might have in stock to see if they could be jury rigged in place to get you back on the road. Even if you had to wire tie it into place and use some longer hoses something close might work. A tape measure and a junk yard might yield some donor.

Hate to hear about this happening, I have been broken down in a one horse town before, far from home, and it is a lonely feeling. Hope it works out for this HAMBer.

Just one more reason to have the AAA platinum card and a cell phone.

Don

 

Any update?

Here is the section in my old Hollanders that covers that radiator

 

I would see if the NAPA could get an early Mustang rad. It wound cool the engine and be small enough to fit with some wire ties ect. Would be the cheapest and most common rad for a ford product.

 

I've seen mid 70's Dodge pickup radiators stuck in places where they didn't belong and work but the bottom outlet is probably on the wrong side for this job.

Napa doesn't show a radiator for it in their online catalog so a new one from them is out.
Autozone doesn't either.

It might be that you have to go to the closest wrecking yard with a tape measure and see what will fit in the space and still cool the FE

 

I don't think he could be broken down in a worse spot, from what I am getting trying to find him help in that area. There seem to be no wrecking yards, and the one I called, Rusty's, does not sell parts. I guess they buy cars to crush only. He needs to get the car moved to some larger town where he might have a shot at getting some help. Hope he has AAA.

If it were me , I would have NAPA pulling out some downflow radiators and measuring them to see what could work as a temporary fix.

This is one of those traveling disasters that you just can't plan for.

Don

 

Get 'er done! Bump for good luck.

 

I agree Don. Another 3 hours and he would be at my house. But right now its been snowing all night.

 

Please patronize Bozo's if you can. He stopped to help me w/ a cooling issue about 10 years ago.

I don't want to be the odd jerk out but I think I'd consider finding a late-model commonly-available radiator that fit ...

 

If you would rather spend your vacation in Tucumcari rather than Las Vegas, you can spend the $700 you would lose at the casino on this (plus express shipping):

http://macsautoparts.com/campaign_product.asp?camid=FMP&pn=RI0IBYPE1000123

 

I would suggest the same thing.

(edit) The above post shows a no-cap crossflow. See below info on dodge radiator. No need for the Dorman cap assy.

I believe the lower hose nipple is on the driver's side, the upper on the passenger for that car. You could use a 2005 to 2009 Dodge Magnum radiator, along with a Dorman 902-305 in the upper hose. I managed to put that setup in a small car with an engine swap once.

Is this car one of those fords with an engine mounted surge tank & radiator cap? If so the magnum radiator might get it with some hose shoving. The OEM hose for the magnum is about 3 feet long with a bunch of bends, can be cut to make a lot of shapes.

Best of luck.

B.

 

Too bad they didn't make it to Santa Rosa, much better luck there I'm sure. Besides Bozo's there is Steve at Mac's Garage, he use to have some early 60's Ford cars in the yard that might work. Has anyone given either Bozo or Steve a call?
Sure seems like the NAPA should have a reference catalog listing deminsions and outlet locations to find something that would work they could get. Maybe NAPA isn't willing to help?
If they can't get it resolved today I can go get them tomorrow, today the roads are a little too rough (snow in April, geez) for me to want to pull my trailer that way.

 

OKAY here you go; call 1-800-248-8720 www.radiator.com they have new 99.00 to 299.00 you will need to give him some more info. I was online with a guy named Chuck. they have dealers in different areas - give them a call GOOD LUCK!!

 

Yep, a radiator shop should have one of those books with drawings of every radiator made and their dimensions. When I swapped the 5.0 into my Jeep truck I sat down in the waiting room of our local radiator repair shop and looked at every radiator so I could to find one that was close to what I needed. NAPA may have the same book or similar.

I thought of every possibity for this poor guy, stuff like someone putting a radiator on a bus, FedEx, etc. But to me just putting some sort of readily available radiator in there to get him back on the road seems to make the most sense. Most auto parts stores carry Mustang radiators and ones like that, so it would take a little Rube Goldberging to get it in there, but Necessity is the Mother of Invention, sometimes.

Since the OP has not responded back he is probably running around trying to find something to work.


Don

 

I have used these guys before in denver, There is a location in Albaqurque they could probably overnight you one.
http://www.performanceradiator.com/
2505 Candelaria Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107
877-723-4286

 

One for a mid 70's F100 with a 390 might work with a bit of bracket rigging.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/s...ap?model=F-100&vi=1120138&year=1975&make=Ford the measurements are there.

 

Texas Bump

 

Call up Jack's Truck Repair there in Tucumcari - 575-461-1265, he's at 900 South Mountain Road. I broke down in Tucumcari 10 years ago (actually, it was an accident, bent the hitch on my U-Haul rental), and Jack did everything he could to get me on the road again.

dan

 

Ive been stranded like that before too. Bad feeling!!! Heres a bump and good luck!!!

 

I just talked to George he found a radiator out of a later T bird that will work. It needs some solder work down first though. Now he'll just need some better weather. Its been snowing since yesterday here.

 

Glad he found a radiator. Solder work shouldn't be too tough, worst case a hardware store and get a propane torch and some solder, be there, done that to get my 37 home from Denver on a weekend. Just checked road conditions, I-40 reported is just wet so hopefully they'll be on there way soon.

 

I have not been on HAMB for a couple days, just saw this. Sounds like a fix is in the works. I don't have any other ideas from what was already suggested.

 

Btt

 

Did you get it fixed? I live in El Paso and have a 62 Monterrey. I think Tucamari isn't that far away. I need the radiator but if you would send it back to me I might loan it so you can get home.

 

Can you use a different radiator just to get you going? It's just got to hold water and kind-of fit.

 

Get in touch with Flat Top Bob in Wellington tx. I wouldn't be surprised if he have one.
1800 798 2581

 

He's only 241 miles away. Owens salvage