So after getting the runaround from US Radiator, I bit the bullet and bought a Griffin aluminum job with 2 rows of 1 1/4" tubes...but all that's another story... My Griffin is here, and looks a lot like the OEM radiator in my truck, which happens to be a 1960 F-100. Thing is, I don't really like having a radiator be a focal point, so I think I'm going to paint it. Not the fins, just the tank, mounting flanges, and sides of the core itself. Am I an idiot, is this a bad idea? My engine compartment is understated and simple, just a bit of chrome and an aluminum intake, and I'd rather just let the thing blend in. Here's the only old picture I could find.
I have painted alunimum radiators black in many of my builds (tanks, core, everything) where an aluminum one would be out of place. makes it just kind of blend in to the core support or grille shell.
been brought before do a search there where some great methods on making them look the part by painting etc, i need to do the same with one now.
Yeah I know...I just wanted to make sure I wasn't over thinking it. My truck isn't a hard-liner as far as "traditional" is concerned, but I still like to have continuity, and subtlety... It's not going to be a hood's up situation at show 'n shines...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456713 Popular vote says to go ahead and paint it... I agree with the guy that said if your car is gonna overheat, adding or taking off paint probably won't help...
I beat myself up over this too. I ended up thinning down some black lacquer by about 50% then lightly "dusted" the front only. It only takes a slight bit to subdue the bright aluminum as seen through the grille, but most of the fins are still untouched and bare.
I just did a story on muscle car cooling systems, and went to Griffin and talked with them for a day. Paint the radiator. You won't have a problem, as long as you don't glop on the paint. A nice even coat of paint shouldn't be a problem. One of the things they said that I hadn't thought of was a really good tip: mask off the radiator fins and put a nice heavy-coverage coat on the tank and straps. Then unmask the fins/core, and fog it just enough to cover the aluminum fins. -Brad
That's kind of the direction I was thinking too...Griffin ships there radiators with good masking material included, as it turns out, in the form of card stock to protect the fins... Thanks for the advice...
Paint it as posted above. Jeff Norwell has a chopped & painted aluminum rad in his deuce truck which is powered by a 500 (+) HP 392 hemi... Works great....
My powder coat buddy suggested a product that was some kind of "space shuttle" by-product that he had . It was very thin in consistency , like water , and was applied electrostaticly . It's been on the car for 8 mos. and 5000k miles and no problems at all , by the wat , it's black in color .
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