Projects The radiator shop just called

I finally found a old timey small radiator shop . I Dropped off my radiator from my 1956 buick special station wagon. The fellow called the next day and said he was able to rod it out clean and seal a couple of small leaks , all for $50. I have to pick it up today. I guess there are still deals out there if you look hard enough. Bruce.

 

we have D & R radiator here in Cortez , same deal ,friendly service at a good price . Don't know what we will do when he quits/retires

 

Soods like a good deal the shop in town here we just changed the name to recore.
Seems thats all thay want to do.

 

Around here, finding a radiator shop is like finding a shoe repair shop. I priced a new alum rad for my chevelle at napa for under $100. Made in china of coarse.

 

local shop same thing. I needed a radiator for my AV8. took info to B 7 R Radiator and they built the tanks, core, and drain. Fits like a glove with the out lets exactly where they need to be.

 

A good radiator man can even repair a heater core if a replacement can't be found. I take my hat off to these guys, it's a skill I never caught onto.

 

In my dealings with them,chinese radiators are hit or miss.. more misses than hits.. American stuff from here on out if I can find them.

 

For $50, he did the work for free.
Rad shops around here wouldn't even talk to you for $50. They'll quote you a high price for a recore, then tell you for 40% more, they can make it easy and order you a new one.
Unfortunately, old school rad shops around here seem to be going the way of the TV repair shop.

 

I actually have several of them near me

,but ,the radiator shop was closed a long time back , but atleast I can get my walking shoes resoled

 

Around here it's fifty bucks just for the phone call.

 

"best place to take a leak"
Benson Radiator, Omaha , NE

Covey's Radiator, West Plam Beach, FL

No cobblers

 

I'd agree that a good "old time" radiator shop seems like a thing of the past. I had a heater core out of a late 40's/early 50's add on heater that leaked like the Titanic when I pressure tested it. I couldn't find a new core so I went on line and in the on line Yellow Pages I found Mann Radiator in Council Bluffs, this guy was even older than me, and had been fixing radiators for many years, he fixed my core for $50, I was happy!!! I am a little bigoted, I like old guys with wrinkles working on my stuff

 

The closest radiator shop to me closed a few years back. The guy who ran it was a WWII Veteran, started the shop when he got out in 1945. He had a couple of brothers or cousins, I can't remember which, that also had a radiator shop about 35 miles down the road. As far as I know, none of their sons wanted to go into the business, and when they all got too old to do it anymore, they closed up shop. The local guy was also a preacher, he had a 15 minute radio program every week. If you went into the shop early on Saturday morning, he would be in the office, preaching up a storm, recording it for the radio station. When he got through, it was business as usual! I had him fix several radiators over the years, I think the last one was for my 1955 International farm tractor.

He died a year or two ago, I miss him and the shop. He also ran a small junkyard by the shop, I bought a lot of parts from him over the years.

$50 bucks was a good deal. Not many Mom and Pop businesses left anymore, I try to use them when I find them. With them, it's service, not dollars that counts. They want you back for repeat business, unlike the corporate guys....

 

I believe the EPA had something to do with the Radiator Shops disappearing something about the lead fumes from the solder and the runoff of the anti freeze. The cost to comply was not worth it so most around here closed up. Anything repaired for $50.00 is a DEAL!
I recently had my boots repaired and it cost me $65.00!

 

Hey! 50 bones does get you a lot these days!

 

Have you tried kirks radiator by Gillespie field? He was better than what you describe.

 

Damn true about the EPA being the source of radiator shop closures, at least in the big cities. We have Performance Radiator here in Phoenix that is still very much of the old school. I was talking with the owner a couple months ago, and having worked as a radiator repairman/builder in the eighties for a few years, he said I wouldn't even recognize the business anymore. he says that he has a monthly EPA visit unannounced, and that just what he pays in hazard materials fees monthly would pay for two more employees. He told me of a 100.00 dollar fine he had received earlier that month on a surprise inspection because a customer had unloaded a radiator and unknowingly dripped a trail of anti-freeze on the asphalt earlier in the day. he says they clamp the screws tighter and tighter every month. I know we aren't supposed to get political around here, but it sure seems like selective enforcement to me.

As far as recores, A radiator can hold water just fine but be plugged fully or partially. You take it in to be cleaned, it gets soaked, blown out under pressure, and all the crap that was holding the water IN is now rinsed away revealing a junk core. Unfortunately it happens everyday in that business, and the customer is ALWAYS suspicious. Just the nature of the game and a good shop will tell you that it's a possibility before hand.

 

a few years ago the radiator in my 41ford developed a small leak ,so I put bars leak in it stopped the leak alright and clogged the rad,took it to a local guy to boil out,$125 later and it was still clogged,took it back and he said I need a new core $625,i asked him if he could rod it out he said they don't do that,well wound up buying an alum one for $250 its work but I don't like the looks,i still have the original one and still looking for a shop that will do it at a reasonable price LOL

 

I had a leaking heater core in my '63 Skylark; I got a tip to take it to Roseville Radiator here in the Sacramento area. I had planned to just drop it off, but the guy (who is in his 30's - younger than me) literally dropped what he was working on, tested the core and repaired it within 20 minutes. Then, he charged me less than $40! It is great to find such real old-time service - especially in a business that has been made practically extinct by gov't regulations.

cheers, Ray

 

The last radiator (47 ford truck) I took in to get recored I was quoted 1,200 bucks! I reluctantly bought an aluminum one instead from someone else. I kept the original - I keep hoping I will find one of those old timey (aka honest) shops again.

 

You should be able to get a recore cheaper than that. I recently had mine for the '46 Chevy coupe redone for about $400.

 

That's where I went (and have always gone). Due to epa and material and labor costs, it was cheaper to buy a new Cobra radiator from his catalog than have my 34 tanks recored.
I ended up scoring a slightly used Walker for my car.

 

I just had "endlessearth's" radiator recored for his '64 Chevy truck, and that a huge radiator, for about 500.00. And, this was at the E.P.A. constricted shop I described earlier! I couldn't imagine a 1200.00 recore, unless the shop simply didn't want to do the work or research to find the proper core.

 

Guess I feel kinda lucky... I have both a shoe repair AND an excellent Rad shop 15 mins from me.

Bought a car then Had to take my Rad to fix a leak because the way someone mounted the electric fan, a bolt rubbed through a coil. Gotta love stupid people.

They charged me 50 bucks to fix the leak AND weld on 4 mounting tabs so the fan could be mounted properly.

 

Might want to check these guys out:http://www.yelp.com/biz/hals-radiator-service-glendale Boiled out my gas tank and tested it for $60 and it looked great! I had two heater cores for my '54 they checked out also no extra charge for that

 

This problem has been brought up on the H.A.M.B. namely: Electrolysis, which can eat up aluminum radiators and intakes and water pumps here is a good article on it:http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/electrolysis.htm Be sure to check this out also:http://www.voltage-drop.com/ Our western states also have a high amount of alkali in the water after spending 25+ years in the uniform and shop towel business we saw first hand the effects it had on machinery and the costs of upgrades to prevent damage.

 

I owned a radiator shop for over 20 years, and consider myself one of the best at repairing and recoring radiators. I still have most of my equipment, including a stainless test tank and test plugs. I was thinking of getting back into it, as I have a good shop facilities and plenty of room. The problem is that I don't know of a wholesale distributor for radiator cores, and would there be enough business to support it. I don't want to repair current aluminum plastic radiators, but want to work on older copper brass radiators.

 

North American Radiator, Utica Mi. Just North of M 59 (Hall RD) on Mound Rd. 586 739 7762. Randy (owner) really knows what he is doing and will work with you on your old/modified stuff. Also good with AC & AC parts. Does a lot of hot rods, antiques etc. He has done right by me for the last 20 years or so.

 

I never had any problem from the epa, what really hurt the business was the parts houses began selling new radiators cheaper and cheaper, it came to a point where you could buy a new radiator cheaper than repairing one. I sell and repair late models, and buy new radiators as cheap as 50.00 with shipping. I sure do miss the old days

 

"I sure do miss the old days"

Yeah I hear ya who doesn't! But remember "THESE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS"!
GEESH!