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Posted

OK, so I have to replace my radiator or at least get a new core. I have a 1948 B-1. Any suggestions in Southern California?

 

Thanks!

Posted

I think it is a job most any old school radiator shop can handle. I had a new core put in mine a couple of years ago it cost around $500. I am in Orange county. I think if I were to do it again I might consider a new all aluminum unit. I keep seeing them on Ebay for around $380.

 

Jeff

Posted

I had a 50 Plymouth radiator repaired with a new core. It was a little pricey, about $380 ten years ago. With a flushed out block and the repaired radiator the car has never overheated, even on 105 degree days in Fresno. More recently, I put a new aluminum radiator in my 47 Plymouth because it was cheaper and I did not care if it looked stock or not. Caution: the aluminum ones are soft and the cooling fins will become dented with casual handling, contact with knuckles or tools, or fan belt tightening near them. Count yourself talented if you can install one without a few dents in the fins. Now that it is in, it also works just fine on hot days.

Posted

My recore cost $750 last year.  I did not shop around just used the local radiator shop.  Seemed like a lot but they have done other work for me with no complaints.

Posted

I think it is a job most any old school radiator shop can handle. I had a new core put in mine a couple of years ago it cost around $500. I am in Orange county. I think if I were to do it again I might consider a new all aluminum unit. I keep seeing them on Ebay for around $380.

 

Jeff

 

Surprized you didn't pick up of that Jeff.  Having a radiator re-cored for $350-$450 and up is not a sensible thing to do because you are putting the most critical element in the hands of who knows who. You might luck out but installing a radiator fabricated in a clean factory environment with the proper tools will beat any ol' radiator shop hands down. In my case, the swolen tank from a PO's overheat and a half rotted out cast iron return pipe made my investment of $300 or so a poor choice. Fortunately Dan Babb made it possible to get a looks like new Honeycomb radiator. What I'd do with my old one is to have a custom new aluminum radiator made to fit the frame. 

 

Hank  :)

Posted

I watched video clips from the following links recently for a fella (not far from my place) making honeycomb radiator cores. I found them (part 1 and part 2) most interesting... enjoy...

 

Posted
Mark Haymond, on 14 May 2014 - 4:05 PM, said:

I had a 50 Plymouth radiator repaired with a new core. It was a little pricey, about $380 ten years ago. With a flushed out block and the repaired radiator the car has never overheated, even on 105 degree days in Fresno. More recently, I put a new aluminum radiator in my 47 Plymouth because it was cheaper and I did not care if it looked stock or not. Caution: the aluminum ones are soft and the cooling fins will become dented with casual handling, contact with knuckles or tools, or fan belt tightening near them. Count yourself talented if you can install one without a few dents in the fins. Now that it is in, it also works just fine on hot days.

 

true that handling is very critical while fitting and positioning an aluminum rad..for those that are considering these units..you can protect the unit during handling with cardboard over the fin surfaces till your fitment is assured and you read for use..

Posted

Hank;

The aluminum radiators are certainly a viable option to a recore especially when you consider the costs. If I were starting from scratch I might consider one. I am not too worried about my radiator holding up. The fellow that did the work is very good. Bob is heavily involved with the desert racing scene and knows how to do stuff like this correctly. He tested it to 16# and told me if I ever had any problem with it to just bring it in. I borrowed a tester last fall and left 12# on it for 3 hours so it should handle our zero pressure system for a long time to come.

 

Jeff

Posted (edited)

David,

Will one of those cores fit in your luggage for the next BBQ ? What a craftsman that guy is. I am curious as to how much he charges to record one of our radiators. You should give him a call. Radiator Recore $200, shipping to US $350, or something like that I suppose.

 

That was fascinating,

 

Hank 

 

Jeff I figured you found someone who .would do it right. My recore  leaks at the tank seam. It's predictable enough but requires keeping an eye on it. Hopefully the one I got from Dan is going to be leak free. 

Edited by HanksB3B
Posted

Hank;

I suppose a lot of the quality of a recore job is up to the condition of the tank, etc. In other words the parts which get reused. A good shop can assess this and make recommendations. When I had Bob do mine we looked at putting a new honeycomb core in it......but that wasn't worth the $1000 plus it would cost to me.

One thing that got my confidence in him up quickly was the fact that he knew what it was out of before I even told him. It is generally not a good sign when you take something like this to a shop and they tell you they have never seen anything like it before...... :(  It is just so much better to find someone who has an appreciation for older vehicles. I had him clean, repair and line my gas tank too. Best $200 I could have ever spent.

 

Jeff

Posted

Wow-the videos were most interesting.  Thanks for posting the links.

Posted

holy crap!

 

 

Wow-the videos were most interesting.  Thanks for posting the links.

 

 

No kidding! That's what I call an honest days work. :o

 

48D

Posted

I'll have to get on to Greg and see what they're worth. I would imagine that they wouldn't be cheap when you look at all of the painstaking work that's involved. Isn't it good to know that there are 'old skool' tradesman like him out there.

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