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Aluminum radiator worth it?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hotrod54chevy, Jul 31, 2014.

  1. jakespeed63
    Joined: May 1, 2005
    Posts: 2,867

    jakespeed63
    Member

    Most of the important issues have been thoroughly handled. But just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Have recently built TWO 1954 Chevy's, both with stock 6 cylinders. Here in Orlando, cost of a br*** radiator recore was very prohibitive. So went the aluminum route ($400) Florida heat never was a problem on either car AND one of them went to Phoenix AZ, with no overheating issues. Doing a 3rd Stovebolt stocker, as we speak, and an Aluminum radiator is on it's way from Ecklars Cl***ic Chevy parts. Worth mentioning, All 3 cares are stick shift, so no additional heat transfer from Auto Trans....And yes a Hot Rod V-8 generates way more heat.
    Speaking from 35yrs experience, cannot deny a good flowing proper br*** rad does an excellent job, just becoming out of reach for the average builder.
    JT
     
  2. hotrod54chevy
    Joined: Nov 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,590

    hotrod54chevy
    Member
    from Ohio

    I'll check the fuel lines once the engine's in. Nope, no Edelbrock, been running a Q-Jet going to a Rochester 2 barrel soon.


    It's primitive technology that is further compromised in the name of vanity.- HAMBer Cleatus

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  3. Stefan T
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 2,165

    Stefan T
    Member
    from Sweden

    About radiator cooling the fans or scroud shall cover all water flow so there is no possiblity to let the water flow behind the air flow hot water flows more easyly to it boils than cold water do
    Conclusion of this is is there anny missing part air flow vs water flow would the water flow there
    I have learnt this throu experimets on my work, we tested this with heat camera with and the results was clear
     
  4. GassersGarage
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 4,726

    GassersGarage
    Member

    I have a '52 Chevy with a SBC. The previous owner/builder said it would run hot on the freeway. I was planning on adding A/C and didn't want overheating problems. I took the car for a drive and it ran at 210 on the freeway, so I switched to a US Radiator, copper br***, 4 row, triple p*** radiator. It helped but going up a long steep grade, it would still get up to 210. So I checked the timing. The distributor's vacuum advance was stuck so I swapped to a new distributor. Now she runs at 140 in light traffic. 180 in bumper to bumper traffic and 190 with the A/C on. My '32 Ford had an aluminum radiator with a thermostatically controlled electric fan, designed to come on at 190. Now matter how hot it got, the fan never came on. It always ran at 180, but the radiator only lasted 2 years before springing a leak.
     
  5. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    I have a Griffin crossflow two 1 1/2 rows of tubes, and after I resolved some airflow problems, I had a shroud but had two gapping holes on either side of the radiator that colling hoses ran through to get ventilation in to the car. When I plugged them it made a world of difference in engine temperature. I am happy with the Griffin radiator
     
  6. hotrod54chevy
    Joined: Nov 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,590

    hotrod54chevy
    Member
    from Ohio

    ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1407007060.330271.jpg

    Here's how my fan blades are canted.


    It's primitive technology that is further compromised in the name of vanity.- HAMBer Cleatus

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  7. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,931

    squirrel
    Member

    looks good!
     
  8. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,396

    indyjps
    Member

    You're running a 283, if it's anywhere close to stock a very basic radiator will get the job done. I pick up cheap copper radiators out of known running vehicles for swapping, most times you can clearance the rad support
     
  9. hotrod54chevy
    Joined: Nov 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,590

    hotrod54chevy
    Member
    from Ohio

    Here's the underside of the 327. Yeah, it was blown. ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1407016466.941463.jpg


    It's primitive technology that is further compromised in the name of vanity.- HAMBer Cleatus

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  10. pat59
    Joined: Sep 21, 2012
    Posts: 2,361

    pat59
    Member

  11. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,788

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    OP, before this gets all Facebook, an aluminum radiator can be just as good as copper/br***. Get what you can afford and live with. It's YOUR car.
     
  12. hotrod54chevy
    Joined: Nov 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,590

    hotrod54chevy
    Member
    from Ohio

    Thanks, that's what I was planning on doing, I just needed a little help deciding what to put in MY car. P.S., this has already turned into Facebook :)


    It's primitive technology that is further compromised in the name of vanity.- HAMBer Cleatus

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  13. I don't do Facebook-
    if this thread is a taste of what Fakebook is, I don't belong there
     
  14. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 59,931

    squirrel
    Member

    The TF trucks got a heavy duty radiator option...it was a couple inches wider, and used a one piece steel shroud with the six cylinder engine. I got one out of a 56 one ton, put it in my 59, it was almost enough to keep the blown big block cool.
     
  15. RmK57
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 3,119

    RmK57
    Member

    For the cost of rebuilding my 57 Ford rad I could have bought 3 aluminum rads. Our local rad shop wanted $700 for complete rebuild of the stock one, my universal stay cool brand was $200.

    My 460 never gets above 185 degrees and that's with a E-250 Van clutch fan. I couldn't be happier with my choice.


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  16. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,339

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Hard to say conclusively just looking at a photo on a computer screen, but it looks like that motor ran for a fair while with no oil to that journal...:rolleyes:
     
  17. hotrod54chevy
    Joined: Nov 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,590

    hotrod54chevy
    Member
    from Ohio

    Yeah, the pan was full of coolant :p


    It's primitive technology that is further compromised in the name of vanity.- HAMBer Cleatus

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  18. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,279

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Never looked at it from this perspective.:rolleyes: :D

    I have old style copper in both cars, only one drives though. I've no need to save weight or have the bling. Copper is adequate IMHO. I have a friend with an alloy radiator that was made to fit his unconventional car and he still requires thermo fans to cool a stock SBC!
     
  19. Hurley50
    Joined: Feb 3, 2012
    Posts: 608

    Hurley50
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NC

    I have both, copper seems to cool better.
     

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