I need the collective wisdom of the HAMB, if possible. I have the opportunity to purchase a stock 1930 Chevy rad that came out of a running car. Would this hold up to a modern engine, ie SBC, nailhead, etc. I know I'd have to get it pressure tested and have the outlets moved, but we have a rad shop in town capable of doing that. I'd just like to see a proper rad back in my truck. Btw...the Es*** is running a '30 Chev rad shell. This is a shot of the late-model rad that was stuck in behind the shell by the original builder of the truck. Pretty fugly, eh? It needs to be replaced, as does the slant-6.
If it's not plugged with 80 years of iron, calcium, and rust deposits, and a trip thru the radiator shops hot tank doesn't turn it into a shower head, then, yes, it'll cool. I've run into problems with old cores not being repairable. You may get lucky, or you may end up having one made to fit your shell if you don't want the modern one you've got.
I would think not. You need a good pressure cap and those old radiators just can't handle it. To keep the honeycomb look I put a modern radiator in and in front I installed a honeycomb facade, very pricey though.......................
Buddy of mine is running a 28 radiator in his 28 chevy sedan...350 V-8 chevy...changed neck to modern pressure cap...and a temp guage....daily driver
I'v been under the impression that original honeycomb radiators are worth big $$$ to restorers as they cant be repoped, and good ones are impossible to find. At any rate, if/when you do get it installed, look into Evans Coolant. No personal expirence with it, but from what I'v read on the net, it does not build pressure, and it's much better for internal parts [wont rust or eat metal].
If it is indeed a honeycomb and not one of the ones that look like it 4PSI max . Even if it is the look alike still 4 psi is all I would run. They used that look alike core clean up to 54 I think ,rad shop buddies always said they were a ***** to repair.
Thanks for all the info. I may try to snag it even if just to make patterns off. It has all the stock mounting brackets which I'll need.
When I put my chevy 265 in my Model A, I just used the stock radiator! flushed it with a hose. Never heated up. That was in 1957!
They are a ***** to repair! And EXPENSIVE. They ARE being re-popped but they are wildly expensive being that they started to re-pop them for aircraft restorations first then for cars your paying the aircraft prices still. If you get it, DON'T run it. Have a new core put in it, the honeycomb wont take pressure due to the design and construction of them. You cant flush them out well either for the same reason. AVOID HONEYCOMB AT ALL COSTS! A new core will look fine with the stock tanks. Doc.
There's more than a few threads on this same topic and at the end of the day there are no photos and no real proof one way or another. I had a guy repair and flush mine for $108. This particular shop (Detroit area)has been open since 1918 and didn't flinch at the sight of the honeycomb. He was skeptical of it being able to cool the small block Chevy I'm putting in my car but I'm going to try it regardless just to say I tried and put this to rest. An interesting thing he pointed out was the common misconception of how these radiators are built. They are not similar to the aircraft radiator referred to where the honeycomb itself is hollow (nearly impossible to flush thoroughly as pointed out above). It is actually just like a modern radiator with vertical tubes. The only difference is that instead of straight fins between tubes it has the honeycomb pattern. Mine will be run with a fan shroud and mechanical fan. We'll see what happens but it won't be any time too soon. Regardless, I felt it was well worth repairing since it's an original and can be used by someone, if not me. And along the lines of what Darryl said, it's criminal to retube a repairable original. Especially when you can buy an off the shelf Griffin specific to the application that WILL work.
Valkokir, not true. You are presuming that every company manufactured radiators the same way for automotive use. Not true at all. Cores were sourced from different manufacturers even back then. You will find different construction and characteristics to cores be them Honeycomb or the more modern tube style. I know the type you are talking about, these can be 'rodded' to clean them though the chances of damaging are HUGE and the actual cleaning is 'iffy' That aside these are an inefficient design and prone to failure. The proof of this exists in my fathers 40 years of experience in dealing with building and repairing these type of radiators. Boyd Who, don't take the risk with the core. By all means use the tanks, side bands/frame etc just have it re-cored with a 'modern' style br*** and copper core. Something that is MADE to be pressurized. Don't listen to supposition and hearsay. Doc.
I worked in a radiator shop in Seattle for 7 years and seen it all from big semi trucks to heat exchangers to exspensive resto builds. Like said honeycomb and cellucore (sp) are difficult to repair and look like **** when repair is made unless you take the tanks off and plug the openings which renders that "row" usless. Before repair you have to hot tank it to get it clean before work can begin, this can weaken it even more and produce leaks that weren't evident before. Once you get a leak inside the core you have to go in like a brain surgeon BUT with a torch a flux brush and a stick of solder all in 2 hands. Usually the little leak will snowball and "run" on you to where you have to chase it around hoping to stop the bleeding. Like said it's not easy or pritty and takes great skill. Tube type are a hole lot more user freindly. I just built a one owner '29 Chevy coupe for a customer, haven't posted pic's before because it is not HAMB freindly. When it came to the radiator it was a must to keep the look of the honeycomb but have the cooling of a modern radiator, the answer was not cheap. I chose to get a metal honeycomb facade to put in front of the modern radiator. The original radiator was in perfect cosmetic and working condition, ended up just useing the tanks, and braces and recored with a tube type.
That Chevy looks good, brigrat! Where did you find the honeycomb material? That looks a helluva lot better than the expanded metal that they used in mine.
FYI - Just a week or so ago I got a catalog from Speedway specific to race cars. In it I noticed they sell a "rock gaurd" to put in front of a dirt track car radiator. It looks just like an old honey comb radiator design. It looked like it was plastic, but I would think it could easily be painted. I don't remember the price, and I thew out the catalog, but I thought I'd p*** on the info to you. When I saw it the first thing I thought was that it would be perfect for disguising a newer core.
I wasn't talking about "Every" radiator company. I'm talking about Harrison radiators made for Chevy which is what the OP has and I have. I think you'd be hard pressed to find me making broad statements about my knowledge base which is VERY limited. I share only what I've been told by a knowledgeable source who also had his doubts it would work. I misspoke also when I said I had it "flushed", it was hot tanked and had only a pinhole in the top tank. Evil clown, the rock guard is nomex and it's about $20 for a sheet large enough to cover the radiator. It's likely what I will use if my original radiator won't pull its weight. It's difficult to tell though how large the pattern is but it's definitely much smaller than the 5/16" pattern on the radiator.
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