I took my original radiator in to a well requmented Radiator shop up in Wisconsin. My wife's family has used this shop for over 20 years. and they reported to me they had always gotten good service at a fair price.

So I took my radiator in from one of my F4 48 fords to have it checked out.as I will be picking up my newly remanufacted 48 flathead eng next month. After a few days I got a call while I was out on the road and was told that the radiator was completly shot! one tube was sodered shut. and had serveral leaks. Wow I thought is was a pretty good rad. but you never know, thats why I had it checked out. The shop told me he had a old new 2core core still in the box in the shop attic. and asked me what I was going to use the truck for work or show? If for show then I would be driving it in the early morning and back in the eving after the show right!. well a um ...... I I I will be driveing it driving it at all times of the day....Ok I will price out a new 3 or 4 core radiator core and call you back.

A few days later... I get a call from this shop. and he said that for my 48 F4 truck radiator he could get a 3coreand install in my top and bottom for $800 to $1000. Stuned silance. I was thinging that 6 months ago I paide $800 to have the same thing done on my 96 KW semi truck at a KW dealier!!!

I said I woul get back to him!

I called C&g from california and got a quoite of $426 plus S&h. built in san deago Ca. then I called the shop back and told him I could get a new manufactured one from Ca. the responce I Got back was GO AHEAD AND SEND YOUR MONEY TO CHINA!. I had my son go pick up my radiatorfrom the shop.

 

A local shop here re-cored my stock rad for my 48. New 3 core using the old tanks cost me $280 five years ago. Costs have gone up some, but the estimate they gave you is way out of line IMHO.

 

I don't know anything about the radiators, but you just stated its built in san diego....how is that china? Sounds to me like you need to just order one.

 

Im here in San Diego, and its definitely not China.

Call C&G, and see what they have to say. I went and put a new aluminum radiator in my 55. I was shopping around as well, and the highest I was told was about $500. Id keep looking around if I were you.

Rich

 

I think it's time to mark that shop off your list of places with which to do business.

Even a 4 core radiator from Walker would be cheaper than that! You might even want to have a second radiator shop look at your old one. Perhaps it's not as bad as this shop says it is...

Vern

 

I think it's time to mark that shop off your list of places with which to do business.

Even a 4 core radiator from Walker would be cheaper than that! You might even want to have a second radiator shop look at your old one. Perhaps it's not as bad as this shop says it is...

Vern
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vern Thats why I called my son and had him go and pick up the radiator from the shop. It is a good looking radiator so I will have some other shop look at it and test it.


Mark

 

I had my original Flathead V-8 radiator converted for my current set-up. All that was done, was one inlet and one outlet were plugged and I think the radiator guy cleaned it out. If I remember right it cost about $100. It cooled okay when I was just cruising around town (Don't know about a long drive). With a rebuilt one it would probably cool great, as I don't know if mine was that good. Since then I have gotten a Ron Davis Racing aluminum radiator. My dad had his radiator for his Model A re-cored a few months back and it was about $400 and so far so good (It was an early Walker Cobra radiator). A new would have been about the same price, but they may have changed their design a little over the years and the new ones may be a little different (Space is a concern on this car). Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. Good luck!

hotrod48

 

Ditto on getting a second opinion. It sounds like they were trying to get their Hawaii vacation paid for using your Visa!!! I just bought a new 4-core for my 54 from Mid-Fifty. It even has the polished top. It cost $425. See if you can find a shop that wants to work on vintage pieces. Good luck, John

 

Good shops go bad - they change hands, or the younger generation takes over, or the old owner starts to get old-timer's. Unless you know the people involved you never know what might happen.

I wonder if bad shops ever go good?

 

I had a radiator shop go one step further...added a 4-core to the original tanks. The shop owner is an old hot rodder, he first tried this trick for a flathead with AC and power steering, the owner couldn't keep it cool. After the 4-core upgrade, they couldn't make it overheat by trying... So, I had him do the same thing to the radiator for my '51, it only cost $450 and it's beautiful. Not too much thicker either, at least there were no problems with clearence. You can hardly tell it was tinkered with after it was all painted. If you're interested I can sure give you his info.

Gary

 

Was there a problem with the radiator that made you take it to the shop in the first place. If not, I would get the leaks plugged and run it, they run with hardly and pressure anyway. But that is just what I would do.

Rod