I'm putting a V8 flathead in my 30 model A and may go with a 2 inch chop on radiator, so it's definitly going to have to be custom made. Also, what are your opinions on Aluminum VS copper/brass? Thanks,
Aluminum radiators ain't traditional I've had a couple of them and honestly if you have a problem with one on the road your SOL. Stick to copper and brass,,I have had a lot of different radiators and my money is on Walker,,they ain't cheap but they are high quality,,I have 4 cars and they are in every one of them. HRP
Walker all the way..............but if you must have aluminum I'd recommend Williams Street Rods. The last one I got from them was a work-of-art.
I priced a Walker and a U.S. made Alum one, the Walker was about $300 more, not that bad when you consider what I've got into the car. I delt with plenty of the new car aluminum/plastic tank combo's, and I don't like them at all, but was wondering if all alum was any better.
I have never used aluminum but I have had friends that have had good luck with Griffin radiators. I have 2 Walker radiators now and have had no cooling issues. I sold classic and street rod parts for 5 years and have sold a lot of walker radiators over the years and have never heard of a complant about the quality of Walker Radiators. They will build a chopped radiator if they don't already offer one.
I just went through the shopping process for a 31 A with a heavy channel and a cadillac motor and trans cooler and ended up with no choice but to have something made (short of making something fit, which I didn't want). After talking to walker and several Aluminum manufacturers i opted to go with Brassworks. They built everything to my specs at no extra charge. They are an Alliance vendor too and offer $50 off. $672 to my door. 2 year warranty and great customer service. I haven't gotten to fire it up yet so I can't speak to longevity, but I don't expect any problems.
I really like Walker,which I have in my pickup. Have put aluminum in other cars and owners said they had no problems.
portel radiators in Mo., have had them build 3 custom radiators for me ,great to work with, nice people. Will get their number , they on one the net, you should at least give them a call.
Walker is high quality. Griffen is poor quality, if you want a good aluminum consider AFCO, they make circle track radiators and the street radiators use the same heavyduty materials as the race. Griffen have stamped thin gage tanks, epoxied cores and stamped ultra thin radiator cap housings and pressfit overflow tiube - any good quality piece will have machined radiator cap housing with threaded overflow tube - i once say a guy lean over a griffen with his hand on the cap and broke off that overflo neck, it didn't take any real pressure, and they are so thin, tight and poor quality that it is a miserable chore to reweld (i have done several). Anyway, break that off and it is a call to the rollback for a ride home.
Use a brass / copper radiator. The aluminum radiator companies love to tell you that aluminum conducts heat better than brass. This is true, but it isn't the whole story. None of the aluminum radiators I have seen have had the fins run the full width of the radiator like the good brass radiators. Good brass radiators actually use copper fins which have a much higher thermal conductivity than aluminum. Add in the fact that brass radiators are soldered together (solder conducts heat well) and a lot of alumimum radiators are not (aluminum is very hard to solder compared to brass & copper). This all adds up to: a good brass radiator will cool better than an aluminum radiator.
My money's on Brassworks out in Paso Robles, Ca. They have a awesome product, and stand behind their product 100 %. Quality is not cheap, and you get what you pay for. I have heard way too many horror stories about Walker and the aluminum radiators. Call Lynn Chamberlain at 805-239-2501 for personal service. Be sure to have your measurements, better yet fax them a drawing of what you require and you will be very pleased. I know I am happy with his product and service. Terry 253-759-8827
I have never heard of anyone having a car that was overheating with a aluminum rad. & replace it with a brass/copper and solve the problem!! There is nothing wrong with aluminum, besides the fact that is not "traditional" and once you paint it black who gives a rats ass what it is as long as it cools! JimV
One problem that was not mentioned: If you use an aluminum radiator and then remove it you have to remember to store it with antifreeze in it. If you don't the inside will corrode and develop pin holes.
Don't forget to use distilled water, or maybe some melted snow! Especially in aluminum. No minerals. Water wetter and only as much anti-freeze as you need. It takes away cooling ability. Course you probably need plenty in Alaska! I have a 2" chop Walker. So far so good.
I've got a GREAT guy here in NJ who custom builds radiators to your specs. CARS (Custom Auto Radiator Service) in Forked River. He'll build them any core number, straight or staggered, with or w/o trans coolers, AC condenser, extra bungs for drains, coolant sensors, etc. He's a great guy to know! Even did one for a 34 Terraplane I built, right down to new mounting brackets and everything.
If you only need 2 inches chopped go with Walker. If you want aluminum or more chop go with Minnesota Hot Rod Hardware. http://www.hotrodhardware.com/ They do a very fine job with custom aplications. Everything is welded and they don't use bonding agents. They are high quality as far a fabrication goes.
I personally prefer the one that kools the best and doesn't leak ! . If I went with an alum. radiator then I would choose a Griffin and some black radiator paint . Unless you are showing your car/truck at a show for points , then what's the difference on what radiator style you use . As long as it kools good for you , then why the fuss over which one to go with . If you want an original look then buy a Walker . If you want one that kools very well then buy a Griffin and also save a lot of money too ! They both serve the same purpose so who really cares as long as it keeps your engine kool . I use both so I have no real preference at all ! Retro Jim
jim,,My 39 Ford Convertible had the first aluminum radiator Buddy Griffin made for a pre 48 hot rod,,everything until that point was geared toward racing and not longevity. Living less than 10 miles from Griffin Radiator at the time I took him the original 39 radiator for a pattern. I had constant problems with that very expensive radiator until finally I pulled it out and took it back,,it constantly ran hot in traffic,,upon returning it Buddy he tossed it up on a band saw and proceeded to cut it in half only to find the epoxy that held the tank to the fins had clogged almost half of them. Buddy made me a new radiator and my problems were solved,, HRP
I run a walker brasscopper rad.in s cal,temps go to115 with air,no problems. Did you ever try to get a aluminum rad fixed on road after rock damage? good luck.
I had a custom AL radiator made for Big Olds from a local radiator shop in the spring of 2002 for $425 including a custom AL fan shroud all installed. It's got 114,000 miles on it with not one issue.
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