Just searching for any recommendations for a good place to have a custom aluminum radiator built. I have finally decided that my 19"x19", 2" thick radiator is just simply not big enough to properly cool my bored-out 396 big block. Anybody had one built and had good results with fit and such? thanks...
I think the BB is in a Ford Crestliner. If thats the case you dont really need to have one custom made as you can probably find one available that will suit your cooling needs, hose configuration and space.
Right you are LP...it's for my Crestliner...and how I wish I could find a stock 4" core radiator that would bolt in, but I have no idea what to even begun to look for. Our local "recycling yard" had no 4" rads at all. I don't guess it would matter if it was aluminum or br***, but AL is cheaper, right?
AM Aluminum Radiators in Phoenix could do it. They built a custom one for me to cool a BBC in a 39 Pontiac, Looks killer (all polished) , works killer and it was cheaper then a standard Griffin. I've bought 3 more radiators from them since, super happy with them all. Their number is 602-424-4249 or www.amaluminumradiators.com
Do you run a shroud? Mechanical fan? I used to run a .090 over 396 and had a hard time with cooling running with no shroud and a 5 core. When I went to the 454 I used a 2 core w/1" tubes aluminum which gave me enough room for a properly spaced shroud. Ran the same mechanical fan on both. No problems at all now.
I just had one done right down the road from you. Well sort of. I was at Moultrie GA swap meet and I ran across this guy out of Gadsden AL. I needed a radiator for my '56 Ford. He told me if he could have mine he'd make me one. I basically emailed him the specs and he gave me a price and I took my '56 radiator up to him last Wednesday. I just got it today and it looks good, real good. It's an aluminum 2 core with 1" cores. It will work just fine. '54, '55 & '56 Fords have a real unusual radiator and this seemed like the best deal to me. Give this guy a call. Eric Johns, 1-800-223-4299. The place is Brice Thomas Radiator & A/C Service. They mostly make radiators for 18 wheelers etc. The price was less than anyplace else I tried and I've been looking for quite awhile
You can also try any fork lift sales and or service for custom radiators - most of theres are alum. and they have a very large selection with many different mounting opptions- since the fork lift does so much idle time - they are mostly four core and very small for the different types of fork lifts. The most Ive ever paid is $280 for one that I put in a 37 ford coupe. - Ja**
Thanks guys, I'll be checking some of these options out and making some calls. Phat, I've tried everything plus to cool this thing down 185 & 160 deg thermostats; shroud- no shroud; high blade-angled mech fan + an electric pusher fan and it still creeps up, the further down the road I get... it just seems like there is not enough water for it to cool this beast down. It's only a 19x19 2" core. Thanks for ya'll's help!
your going the wrong way, put in a 195 or 210 degree t-stat, the water isn't staying in the radiator long enough to cool off. I like cars to run at least 205, as long as you have a 50/50 solution of antifreeze and a good 12 - 16 pound cap, your good to at least 260 before boiling point. I have run into this many times with customers cars, and more often than not, simply changing to a higher degree t-stat solves the problem, and they will run much cooler
Well it sounds as though you have certainly tried things. I didn't have a heating problem going down the highway only in city traffic. Which leads to a couple of other questions. Do you have all air blocked from going around, over and under the radiator? Do you know that this radiator is flowing right and not at least partially plugged? As I said the 2 core 1" tube aluminum radiator I run now does a great job. The core on mine is 17" X 21" which is 4 sg inches less than your 19" X 19". But the 1" tubes do make a diffence in flow
Mattson's radiator, Stanton CA been building custom radiators for a long time. know their stuff! http://www.mattsonsradiator.com/
moto- I actually started out with a 195 t-stat and it puked like crazy. Went down to a 180 and it would keep water, but ran around 220. I don't want it much above 200, so I went down to a 160 and that brought the temp down to 210ish, but it still gets too hot on a long freeway run for me to be comfortable with it. Temp creeps up and plays heck coming back down the longer it's driven. The rad has a new core, but like I said it's only a 2" core with 3, 1/2" tubes. I can't help but think that it just doesn't have enough water volume, or cooling capacity.
There's a shop in Ringgold GA (just a couple minutes south of Chattanooga) that can recore your radiator for you. I don't have the phone # here in front of me but I can get it if you think that it'll be close enough to you to be doable. The owner/operater is a lady thats been building radiators for something like 25 years...she knows her stuff. The name of the shop is Ringgold Radiator if you want to try and look it up on your own. Her name is Judy.
Superior Radiator in Mt Clemens, MI makes some really nice stuff. The shop I work for has them made for European V8 conversions and they are turn out some real nice quality peices... http://www.superiorradiator.com/
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