I'm looking to purchase a new radiator for my 61 Galaxie. It has a mildly hopped up 390 and an automatic. What do you guys like better, aluminum or br***? The aluminum ones seem cheapest, but I want what WORKS the best. Thanks for your opinions!
Aluminum transfers heat faster than br***, which means aluminum radiators cool more efficiently, but I think they look out of place in old cars.
The aluminum radiators are less expensive and easier to build, so hence cheaper to buy. The aluminum radiators do usually cool better though because the cores available usually have larger tubes, so a 2 row 1" or 1.25" can cool better than a copper/br*** 4-row. But, they do look out of place unless you can get a thin coat of paint on them. Mark Mark
I like the br***. Just had a new core put in my 57 Ford rad. Cools a 429 fine. It's 3 row new style core. 450.00 also I think br*** is easier repaired.
Although aluminum generally has a higher thermal conductivity coefficient (k) than br***, when you look at the specific alloys used in automotive radiator manufacturer, the br*** fin material actually conducts heat better than the aluminum fin material. Also, the tube dimensions are very different between aluminum and br***, producing better heat flux through the tube wall for br***. In a nut shell, an aluminum radiator does not necessarily cool better than a br*** radiator. Modern cars use aluminum because of the good thermal conductivity and weight. Weight reduction is of major importance to the auto makers. For cl***ic cars, hot rods, customs, and other projects that are not weight critical, a br*** radiator will work fine and an aluminum radiator won't necessarily be any better, just lighter.
I had (2) 32 Fords with aluminum rads, 1 350 SBC, other Blown early Hemi, both with mechanical fans and metal shrouds. Both cooled very well without any cooling problems. I don't understand why people are so easy to go to electric fans. cooling problems are the biggest problem on street rods. I see so many people with blown fan fuses or some other fan problem. Ago
In my opinion too many people overlook the significance of a fan shroud so it is just "too easy" to throw on an electric fan which most already have the shroud attached. Not too get off topic but shroud it correctly and aluminum or br*** would cool just fine.
I agree, to get the look right, use a mech.fan. They worked for years just fine. Yes, a good shroud for the fan and for the front to keep cool air coming in and preventing recirculation. There was a good article on this very subject in HOT ROD a couple of months ago. Mark
if you look at all the new cars on the road today, they all run alumniun , they work. whens the last time you fixed a leak on your late model?
Just a little FYI, aluminum radiators can rarely be fixed if thay start leaking. I have replaced plenty of OEM radiators in late models, so thay do go bad.
Aluminum is worth about 15 degrees cooler over br*** if the rest of your system is proper Dont compare oem aluminum rads to aftermarket aluminum as the quality is not the same Tony
Br*** and copper (No one makes just br*** radiators). You never fix leaks in modern alloy radiators because they are throw away once they do leak. Go with a real radiator, you can have one made to any size you need or just modify an existing one to fit. Cant do that with aluminium. Doc.
If using an aluminum radiator, how easy is it to paint it black so it doesn't look too out of place? What do you use? I know aluminum can be problematic to paint sometimes.
Old cars came with br***, and they can certainly perform fine, especially if the rest of your cooling system is in good order. Having said that, if you are running a severly over bored, built for racing, but street legal car I'd go alumunim. There is no question about it's improved performance given it's size over br***. So it comes down to what you want. All things being equal, I prefer an br*** rad. in a vintage car unless you're racing. I do run a alum. rad. in my Jeep and love it. I can idle it all day long in grueling heat and conditions without an issue. Not so with the br*** rad. I replaced it with. I just don't need that type protection in my hot rods.
Br*** radiators do a good job of cooling motors that don't make tons of HP. The downside to a copper/br*** rad is the tanks still have the be soldered to the core. The solder tends to hold the heat longer than the br*** will. An aluminum rad cools better due to the tube width inside. It has more surface area of tube width surrounded by fins. So more area of fins will allow more dissipation of heat. Also since the rad is of all one metal dissipation is equal. Like one said already, aluminum radiators also can come in tube width inside from 2 rows of 1" tube up to 2 rows of 1.50" tube. You need this kind of flow for the high HP of 600 or better.
I have replaced many, many late model aluminum radiators. They do work fine but are for the most part not repairable. Br***/copper radiators are VERY repairable.
Had a br*** rad in my 40 Stude with an LS-6 454 and it ran cool in all situations. It did have an electric pusher fan but it only came on in heavy traffic. Looked much better than aluminum
If you go with an aluminum radiator you may want to add a sacrificial zinc anode. This also works with copper/br*** radiators but aluminum reacts more to electrolytic corrosion, especially at the seams.
You mean those ****py radiators with the plastic tanks that are crimped on and have rubber gaskets for sealing? Like the one I've had to replace twice in 6 years?
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