Technical Bargain Radiator

The one in my Ford is for a '65 Chevy, all I had to do was slot a couple of holes in the mounting flanges so it used the factory holes. I like it, I use a sacrificial anode where the petcock is located. I should pull it after 3.5 years to look at it. The seller I used on eBay is radiators4less, free shipping (Champion wanted $30 to ship from their site) and it came polished, normally another $30 add on.

 

When I bought my first aluminum radiator and I decided that I needed the sacrificial anode, too. I took the radiator to an aluminum fabricator and had him add an extra bung in the bottom tank for the anode so I could have the use of the petcock, too.

Less mess and it did not cost much. Sometimes I amaze myself but usually I mess things up.

 

twenty years ago when i put my 29 together, there were any number of radiator in town that could re-core my original tanks capable of cooling a V8. There all gone now. I was contacted at work some years ago by Champion Radiator to be on their wholesale list. They sent us a sample radiator, all looked good to me. I see lots of them being used, & no one has complained about them yet. (the boss decided not to go with champion, we would have been getting a hell of a deal on them if we did)

 

My O/T also has a Champion rad.
Fit & finish is not as nice as some but I have had good luck with it.
You can't beat the price on these.

 

Hi all, thank you for your inputs.
I seems most of you are quite happy with the overall quality of the Champion radiators.
I think you get a lot for your money.
Thanks

 

The place most radiators start to fail is where the outer row of tubes enter the radiator tanks, either the top tank or the bottom one because that is where the stresses are.

 

Since you brought up the sacrificial anode which is a good idea not only for the radiator but for aluminum intakes as well,no doubt you have seen some at swap meets with corroded water passages. This is how to test your cars cooling system: http://www.griffinrad.com/electrolysis.php

 

Always use the pink glycol and distilled water - replace at least every 5 years (according to GM; every 2 years if you use the blue/green glycol in a non aluminum engine)

 

Can't go wrong with champion, You'll be happy with it, And American made!

 

I asked Champion directly about the coolant. They said green is fine, but distilled water only, fwiw.

 

I took my brass unit in to a shop, thought they could just braze or solder up the neck or whatever, since it seemed to be leaking. He zeroed in on the corners? Said it had been leaking a long time. Didn't use any coolant that I could tell. It was pretty trashed though.

The one thing I don't like too much about the Champion rads is the supplied cap seems chintzy. Also, it's rated at 16 pounds, which might be a really bad idea depending on the particular motor and/or heater core. An OEM 7 lb. cap fits fine.

 

Anyone thinking or stating that Champion Radiators are made in the USA? Google "where are Champion Radiators manufactured"? Sorry it clearly says China.
Are you also saying the Hambers who posted on this thread are mistaken when they said the boxes their Champion radiators came in were clearly marked "Made In China"? Whats with all the denial?
I don't particularly care if folks use some or all Chinese parts in their builds. It makes no difference to me. I just don't choose to have any Chinese parts on my cars. All of their repops that I've seen are inferior in fit and finsh.
I'll stick with parts that are made in the Good Old USA.

 

I looked at some of their radiators at a show a few years ago, they looked to be really nice. They seemed to be nice people to deal with, gladly answered all my questions. Were just out of my budget or I would have bought from them.

I’m on my second Champion. Two different cars, same sized radiator, 66 Mustang. Both made in USA, came with a tag on them stating as such. They may have some made in China also, but mine weren’t.

 

All I can say is the 2 year old Champion radiator said "Made in the USA" on the box and there was a card inside the box that said the radiator was "Made in the USA". No place was there reference to it being "made in China". Gene

 

But go to the FAQs and it states they are made in China,and I didn't even use google.
https://www.championradiators.com/FAQ#Section5

 

I used distilled water as well, really cheap around $1.20 a gallon at a drug store chain. I recall my grandmother using it when she ironed clothes to avoid spots. I looked over my Champion radiator before I installed it... workmanship and weld quality was excellent.

 

When I started up the 1952-59 Ford social group back in May 2009 guys that were swapping in 302's in to 52-56 Fords we found the 1967-69 Mustang radiators were a close fit. At that time Champion did have USA made radiators the Chinese made were an option for roughly $30-$40 less. Probably government regulation vs cost sent them going all China made (they claim products are made to same standards with same warranty) As an example look at the cost of chrome plating under today's regulations it just is what it is.

 

Got mine from Jegs a few years ago no problems. Even came with the top tank polished.

 

Got one in my 39 Ford tub with a SBC engine, works good.

 

When I mentioned pink glycol, I had Haviline Xtended Life glycol in mind.

 

I've used mine for about 10 years...no leaks yet.

 

Champion recommends green glycol coolant/antifreeze "exclusively" at their website, fwiw.

 

I ordered one for a blown international I built, the guy that took the order screwed up an put the hose on the wrong side of the tank, called. .. sent a new one to my door from Ca./NY. In four days... There made in the USA ! The box I don't know

 

Griffin Radiator was originally in Townville,South Carolina which was approximately 15 miles from my house, Buddy was building aluminum radiators for NASCAR and they worked well for racing.

I talked to Buddy about making me a radiator for my '39 Ford convertible, he had never made a radiator for a street rod/hot rod but he told me if I would bring him my old radiator he would use it as a pattern and make me a aluminum radiator that would fit and work properly, He saw another market with the older cars and he even gave me a lifetime guarantee.

He would later regret the guarantee, the car ran hotter than a 4 ball tom cat, I was told the radiator was doing the job I just need to add a electric fan, use a specialty water wetter ( what ever that is), I was also told I needed different pulleys, on and on.

Everything I did made no difference and the radiator financially gave up when I was sitting in line to get into the NSRA nationals in Columbus, I had to get the car hauled home, ie a expensive lesson.

Buddy ended up making yet me another radiator but would only give me a year warranty, I was so discussed with all the problems I sold the car, I was sick of running hot everywhere I went.

I decided that day I would use a traditional radiator for now on, I use only copper/brass, I am well aware that they are more expensive but for my money piece of mind is worth a lot more than saving money, as I said earlier my old Deuce sedan has had a copper/brass radiator for 32 years now and never a problem. HRP

 

I'd like to try one, but they don't make one for a '36 Ford.....

 

Danny, I have an aluminum radiator in my 66 Suburban but in all honesty I'm not sure why all the interest in them for street cars unless it's driven purely by price.
I see the value for drag racing due to weight savings along with the fact they have short duty cycles.
The cost and weight weren't a consideration when I had this one built for my roadster project, I think if the body being fiberglass attributed to any weight savings this radiator more than made up for it, the thing is as heavy as a tank.

 

Actually they require Ethylene Glycol which is transparent as standard, but the different brands have a variety of colors, so the color doesn't tell you what type of glycol it is. In addition, there are a number of different Ethylene Glycols, for example, OAT, HOAT, Si-OAT, PSi-OAT where different additives and inhibitors are used.

 

Don't try to overthink this. They mean the good ole fashioned stuff. Oats are for horses.

 

28-29 Champion radiator is smaller than original, and looks like ass behind original shell.

 

That Y block looks awesome in your hot rod!

1 more car I promise, Rex Winter
Dry n windy Lubbock TX