History Alcohol instead of antifreeze?

While we're on the subject of antifreeze, who remembers Zerex, the wonder antifreeze that was advertised as stopping radiator leaks on its own? All I know is that it did a good job of plugging up the heater core in my father's '67 Caprice, and it was a very cold couple of weeks before he got all of it blown out of there!

 

^^^
Yup...
Marcus...

 

Of course you can use alcohol for antifreeze. Crown Royal has been preventing our Canadian brothers from freezing solid each winter for decades

(with respect and a smile to our mates from the Great White North ).

Cheers,
Harv

 

My grandfather said that they used a salt water mix in the fall up until Xmas, before it got really cold.
It would get slushy but not freeze solid. After the holidays it was back to hitching up the Clydesdales until spring thaw

 

Kerosene in the cooling system , start the diesel with a couple shots of gasoline on a shop rag held over the intake . Old antifreeze in the rear tires for weight . That was it for my Dad for years . I remember the old diesels sounded rough with this hot fuel start up , but the kept going and going . If you don’t think oil cold oil will slow the process down , you need to try to kick over an old Harley at about 35* . The starter will hold you up in the air , and Harley’s are a dry sump oil system . Always found a way to park on the hill and roll start the old girl to life

 

My grand father used alcohol antifreeze at least up until he bought his new car in '86.

 

I'll bet that did wonders for the water jackets and core plugs!

 

Eh you hoser. From the movie with J Candy.

 

Given a choice I would pick alcohol over antifreeze for my drink of choice, but that’s just me.

 

My pop bought a new Chevy in 1950. Antifreeze was an option and cost something like $6. It was dealer installed

 

This is the first I’ve ever heard of using diesel for antifreeze. That kind of makes me want to pull into a busy gas station, open the hood, and add a little fuel to my radiator.

 

There is a high tech product called Water Wetter, that is supposed to vastly improve your cooling system. Guess what’s inside that secret formula — Isopropyl, alcohol.

 

Not something I would run today as a daily driver but back then as a broke ass youngster feeding the kids came first, and draining the water out of a flathead Ford is pretty much impossible without a wrecker to stand the car on it's nose to empty it, I went with diesel to save the engine. It worked. I have lost a flathead to thinking I could drain it safely.

Dave