Started the teardown, and now the build up.

[knuckleharley]

34 minutes ago, casper50 said:

MIne checked out fine so I'm reusing it.

 

Oddly enough,of all the antique car or truck radiators I have pulled,it was the Mopars there were the only ones still usable. I have two 42 Dodge radiators,a 33 Dodge radiator,and a 55 DeSoto radiator that practically look new. No loose fins,no tank cracks or older brazing or soldering repairs that look like something done by an epileptic have a seizure,nothing. Pretty much ready to paint and install.

Just bought a "reproduction" radiator for my 51 Ford business coupe from US Radiator in Ca. Something I will NEVER make the mistake of doing again. My car is a stock original 6 cylinder business coupe,so I spent the big buck ($642 including shipping) and waited 3 weeks for them to build and ship it to me. When it came it,it was the wrong radiator. Not only wasn't it the heavy-duty core I ordered,the top tank had the outlet in the center for a V-8 engine,not on the left where it needed to be to pass though the shroud under the hood. So I sent it back and told them to send me the one I ordered.

A little over 3 weeks later I get the replacement replacement radiator,and the upper hose outlet is a perfect fit though the shroud hole. So I install it,hook up the top hose,and things then go all to hell as I try to hook up the bottom hose. Yes,it is in the right place,but it sticks out at a 90 degree angle,and the original bottom hose outlet goes out at 90 degrees for a half-inch or so,then goes up at about a 30 degree angle for maybe a inch and a half. So my correct 1951 bottom radiator hose is not long enough to fit. I do manage to stretch it off the water pump enough to get the lip over the 90 degree outlet at the bottom to keep out mice and insects,but not enough to even get a clamp over it.

Then I went to put the 51 Ford radiator cap on the filler neck to seal that up until Monday (this was Saturday) and I can call them up and ask them what hose I should buy,and the freaking original radiator cap won't fit,either.

I call them up on Monday and tell them what the problems are,and the guy tells me "Yeah,we know about the filler neck. We used to put a 1 inch deep neck on them like the originals,and then we started using a 3/4 inch deep neck. Just pull a cap off of a modern 80's something car and it will work just fine". When I remind him the 51 Ford uses a 4 psi pressure cap and new cars  use caps with a LOT more pressure,he tells me "No sweat. Our radiators are built to handle 13 psi."  When I remind him that my heater core is also built to withstand 4 psi,NOT 13 psi (an assumption on MY part),he suggests I use the filler neck from my old radiator in the new radiator,and laughed a little.

Then I tell him about the lower hose problem,and he says he has no idea what hose to use,and suggests that I take the bottom outlet out of my old radiator and braze it into the new bottom tank.

To MY mind,when I buy a replacement parts,it is supposed to be a DIRECT replacement,not a generic part I have to modify to make it work. I didn't spend 642 bucks to have the thrill of building my own radiator around a new core.

This really upsets me. Not only wasn't I able to drive my car for a month and a half while these jerks were screwing around and building two different radiators for me,but both radiators were wrong.

I am going to take the easy way out for the time being and just cut my bottom hose in half and use a exhaust pipe insert to make it long enough to be usable,but it's going to piss me off every time I raise the hood and see it. Chances are I will spend even more bucks to have the Brassworks make me a direct replacement radiator after I tear my car down to restore and start putting it back together,and then put the radiator I just bought up for sale to some hot rodder as a used radiator.

BTW,I am using the 7 lb radiator cap off the 55 DeSoto radiator until my new 4 lb cap gets here.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2016 by knuckleharley

[casper50]

That's how mine was.  Tested painted and mounted it.

 

[knuckleharley]

24 minutes ago, casper50 said:

That's how mine was.  Tested painted and mounted it.

 

I added to the post you responded to.

[casper50]

 Took photos while repairing and painting the steering wheel.

As it was.

[casper50]

More.  after opening up the cracks some.

[casper50]

More. Filling the cracks.

[casper50]

primered

[casper50]

painted

[knuckleharley]

What did you use for filler and paint? Did you bake it in an oven?

[Niel Hoback]

Good work!

[Cudan]

Good work, also a job on my long list

did you only fill the gabs or also used material to reinforce it ?

[casper50]

I used JB weld to fill the cracks and gaps.  Used auto paint for the basecoat and clear top coat.  No sanding or polishing as of yet.  Might not do it either.

[knuckleharley]

Thanks. I was always told the paint on steering wheels was baked on enamel. Never really understood what primer to use or what temps to heat one or  how long to heat it.

[Bingster]

That looks great!  I have to do mine as well.   Now, is the JB Weld strong enough to withstand flexing from turning the wheel?  

[casper50]

I've seen people use body putty for this but I didn't believe that it would last.  We'll see on the JB.  

 

KH the main plastic like stuff on the wheel is really soft.  I would not put it in an oven.

[casper50]

Did the two front fender pieces tonight.  They had a few nasty bumps.

[casper50]

Did the two front fender pieces tonight.  They had a few nasty bumps.

[casper50]

Did the two front fender pieces tonight.  They had a few nasty bumps.

[Cudan]

You polished them and did repair of the bumps ?

[casper50]

Yes.  I straightened them, filed them, sanded and then polished.

 

[Cudan]

what did you use for the filling ?

[casper50]

A file.  I filed them not filled them.  lol

Edited January 2, 2017 by casper50

[casper50]

 

 

[Cudan]

thanks

[casper50]

You're welcome.