Aluminum radiators

[Rods57]

Hey there, whats your opinions on aluminum radiators? have an original for my 57 but its old and needs rebuilt, could get a new aluminum one for 300 but wanted some people who have done both to chim in? let the comments role oh gods of old trucks!!!!

[parkwood]

This Aluminum Radiator cools this zz4 350 great even with A/C..

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by parkwood

This Aluminum Radiator cools this zz4 350 great even with A/C..

Would you happen to know the manufacturer or part number???
I'm going to be needing one in the near future. About how much did it set you back???

Thanks in advance

[parkwood]

Originally Posted by av8tr33337

Would you happen to know the manufacturer or part number???
I'm going to be needing one in the near future. About how much did it set you back???

Thanks in advance

I don't have it with me right now but i'll try and get it for you.. as for the price it was some where around $700 but that was with the a/c condenser

[DransportGarage]

Here's a 3-row aluminum unit on Ebay for $199, free shipping. Don't know about the quality, but for that price it might be worth a try. Maybe someone here knows something about CX Racing radiators.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-Che...8d77d1&vxp=mtr

[parkwood]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Here's a 3-row aluminum unit on Ebay for $199, free shipping. Don't know about the quality, but for that price it might be worth a try. Maybe someone here knows something about CX Racing radiators.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-Che...8d77d1&vxp=mtr

That's the starting bid, what is the real price?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Here's a 3-row aluminum unit on Ebay for $199, free shipping. Don't know about the quality, but for that price it might be worth a try. Maybe someone here knows something about CX Racing radiators.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-Che...8d77d1&vxp=mtr

I bought that radiator for my '55.2 and took it back. It is a Chinese made piece - not that that disqualified it to me overall - but it had a tiny fill spout/cap - Honda Civic sized my shop said.

I picked it up at the warehouse in El Monte, CA (If I remember correctly) They were selling all sorts of cheap stuff from China out of there. YMMV, but I'd recommend going elsewhere.

[candyx]

Originally Posted by parkwood

This Aluminum Radiator cools this zz4 350 great even with A/C..

Wow nice project ,radiator looks good very clean engine compartment.Do you have link to your build with other photos?

[justplainray]

I installed an OEM type radiator from Classic Parts of America.
This one to be exact. http://www.classicparts.com/1955-59-...ctinfo/78-313/
cools my 400 small block with A/C no problem.
17" clutch fan with shroud
justplainray

[DransportGarage]

I'll add that I did buy a Champion radiator ($219) for my '55 Chev last year, but it had quite a few scratches up near the top and the welds were a little ugly. It's installed but not used yet.

It fit "OK", but they had moved the cap over 2" to the passenger side, so my chrome cover would no longer fit.

If you need "pretty" I'd stay away from the $200-$249 ones unless you hear otherwise from others on the board.

Parkwood and Russell, those appear to be some fine looking units compared to the Champion in my sedan.

Bob

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by justplainray

I installed an OEM type radiator from Classic Parts of America.
This one to be exact. http://www.classicparts.com/1955-59-...ctinfo/78-313/
cools my 400 small block with A/C no problem.
17" clutch fan with shroud
justplainray

CRAP! After the debacle of the CXR Chinese made aluminum false start I posted about, I just had my old one recored. In terms of function, it came out great BUT my top tank was all dented up and I asked them to repair that. It didn't come out smooth and though it works fine it bugs the schit outta me everytime I open the hood. PLUS, it cost me the same as yours Ray!

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

CRAP! After the debacle of the CXR Chinese made aluminum false start I posted about, I just had my old one recored. In terms of function, it came out great BUT my top tank was all dented up and I asked them to repair that. It didn't come out smooth and though it works fine it bugs the schit outta me everytime I open the hood. PLUS, it cost me the same as yours Ray!

Dan, I feel your pain about the dented top. My original radiator didn't leak and cooled the engine fine, but the top tank was dented. The dents bugged me and I knew I would never be satisfied with it, so I just bought the new one.

[Kim57]

Has anyone used these guys. They make a cross flow as well as a replacement for our trucks.
You can get aluminum or copper/brass.
More than the $250 but they look nice.
Kim
http://www.usradiator.com/radiators/...k.html?cat=647

[Handfull 54]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Has anyone used these guys. They make a cross flow as well as a replacement for our trucks.
You can get aluminum or copper/brass.
More than the $250 but they look nice.
Kim
http://www.usradiator.com/radiators/...k.html?cat=647

I bought their Dessert Cooler radiator several years ago for my 54. I called them and told them what I had and the radiator they made for my truck works perfect. They have been making radiators for a long long time. Not cheap but "buy cheap buy twice" has always been my motto. Temp. is 160-175 all the time.

[B_Hix]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Has anyone used these guys. They make a cross flow as well as a replacement for our trucks.
You can get aluminum or copper/brass.
More than the $250 but they look nice.
Kim
http://www.usradiator.com/radiators/...k.html?cat=647

Kim I saw your post after I had already posted, but yes, I got mine through them - very nice product

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by B_Hix

Kim I saw your post after I had already posted, but yes, I got mine through them - very nice product

That's who I'll probably use for mine.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kim,
Whew that's pricey BUT it looks like a nice piece with the top and bottom plates to give it a finished appearance and some decent instructions. I've read good things about U.S. Radiator but have no personal experience with them.

[fabguy]

I need a new radiator for my 58 fleetside, will the aluminum stock looking ones do the job? I will be running either a tune port 350, or a mildly built 327 (not sure which yet) and A/C.
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[Dan in Pasadena]

fab guy , Pretty sure that Al one will cool it fine.

Russell, Yeah I'm SO tempted to buy one like yours and just put my shroud on it but I can't justify the expense when there's so many other things on the truck I could get done for the $400. I know I WILL eventually swap the radiator out for a nicer appearing one though.
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[Coupeguy2001]

I was trying to out do some guy in a 57 corvette, and nailed it. Apparently, my bellhousing crossmember bolts had fallen out somewhere between california and Arizona. I usually never tightened hem up too much because of the vibration and they worked loose. When I nailed it, the tail of the trans came up, and the tips of the fan tore through my almost new 4 core radiator.
In AZ there is a radiator manufacturer. The place is Ron Davis Racing.
They had never made a radiator for a 55-59 chevy truck before, so they asked if I could lend them my original radiator for a pattern.
They made me one, and what a difference!
Before, had a 160 thermostat, 6 bladed fan, and I could always tell when the thermostat opened, the temp stabilized at around the left edge of the white line, and in about 5 or 6 minutes later, the temp moved up to a third of the way across the white line.
When put the aluminum radiator in, the temp alwys stayed at the left edge of the white line, unless I was in stop and go traffic, and then the temp moved to half way. When moving again, it would go back to the left.

Remember, I am in Arizona where the temp in the summer is usually 112 degrees. The temp gauge is always at the left edge of the white line, and when I subframed the truck this summer, I elected to not put the fan back on the water pump, and I installed an electric fan.
I tied the electric fan to a switch, a temp sensor, and the brake pedal with a kill switch.
The only time with the kill switch on that the fan has come on was when there was an accident on the freeway, and there was 4 miles of crawl speed.
Other than that, the fan never comes on unless I turn it on.

From all that, I would deduct that the aluminum radiator dissipates heat much better than the copper brass ones, and recovers to normal operating temp much faster.
Other than that, there is less vibration, and better gas mileage, and less noise without the fan running all the time.

Mine was $500 14 years ago, it is still on the truck, and they are $650 now. But you get the drift.
If you get an aluminum one, be sure to add a ground strap from the radiator to the frame or the engine. It stops electrolysis.

[Rods57]

Thanks for all of the comments so far, I found one at brotherstrucks.com for 299 that says its made in america. anyone used or heard about these.

[B_Hix]

I had these guys custom make a 4-row for me, using a Mustang II unit - not cheap, but great product and no overheating worries -

http://www.usradiator.com/ford-musta...-radiator.html

72Mountaineer, I am running a SBC (350) with HEI and long water pump

[Trekster]

You get what you pay for. I bought a Champion (chicom) off of ebay for my 1950 truck. I had to build small spacers to make it fit in the original location. It lasted for about 6 months. During this 6 month period, I did not drive very much. I called the guy I purchased it from and he exchanged it. The exchange radiator leaked before I could even drive it. I sent it back and they took a month to send me a third one. In the mean time, I had the original one fixed. I now have a new aluminum raditor in the basement and an old original radiator in the truck.

My point is, try and find an American made radiator and plan on spending more money. In the long run it will be worth it.

[tmoble]

I have a well-worn 327 in my 57 3100, built it in '85, drove it to Az from So. Oregon. I had a big old Harrison out of a 67 Impala wagon with a A/C and 396. Always worked fine. Developed a seam leak along the back of the top tank. I had it fixed a couple times but it cracked again. This is my daily driver in Phx. I discovered if I left the cap loose on the first notch it leaked a lot slower. then I discovered it leaked a lot slower yet if I just barely hooked the cap so it wouldn't fall off. Then I installed a heavy duty hang down under the dash A/C with a factory A-6 compressor on the factory passenger side brackets. I was expecting it to over heat terrible so I had the top tank soldered again. It cracked again. Did I mention the temp gauge didn't work? so here I am driving around Phx in the summer with the A/C on and an unpressurized cooling system. I'm also working as a line mechanic in shops where I saw lots of modern cars that would overheat like crazy if the tiniest thing was wrong with the cooling system.

finally I gave up and bought a cheapie $130 aluminum radiator off ebay. The lower hose outlet is angled up for some reason known only to Confucious and his buddies. The lower hose is half kinked off because the engine sits low compared to the radiator. There was no petcock on the radiator so I put off adding antifreeze till I could fix that. A few weeks later I pulled the cap to see how it was doing and the entire billet filler neck is a corroded mess, really nasty. No way the cap is holding any pressure at all. So, I've been driving it a couple weeks in Phx in the summer and I pull the cap to see how much water it has in it and it's about half full. It's a small radiator to begin with, I think the core is 18 x 18 or something. Two rows of 1.25" wide tubes. It's about half full, the lower hose is kinked, there's no shroud, no pressure cap and the fan is about 8" away from the radiator.

After all the cars I've worked on that wouldn't cool this thing is insane.

What's the secret? I think it's the engine basic build. In 85 I built it to run on regular unleaded. It's a 327 +.030, it was originally a 275 HP in a big car. I completely blueprinted the engine and cut the chamber side of the set of TRW forged pistons to get 9.0:1 real measured compression with the 462 camelhump heads. It's zero decked to retain a tight quench. Even with a 260 cam this allows me to run a lot of timing. Has 16° initial, 20° mechanical and 15° vacuum out of a ZZ4 HEI. Perfect, no pinging, good response, good power. Runs on 87 regular, gets around 16MPG around town with a TH 400 trans.

Works for me. If I had built it at 10 or 10.4:1 I wouldn't be able to run that much timing, it wouldn't get the mileage and would run hot. Junk radiators with no cap wouldn't work at all.

[tmoble]

Ron Davis, a good guy from the inside out. Used to race sprint cars with him at Manzanita in Phoenix. It was a big half mile, wide with long turns and short straights. About 5/8 around the outside. He had this little hole in the wall radiator shop in South Phx.

I didn't see him for a couple years, he somehow turned into this radiator King guy, opened up a big new modern shop, started selling nationally, started wearing nice clothes to work, the whole nine yards.

Nice to see somebody decent doing well for himself. I need to get by there and see him, it's probably been 5 years.