I am looking at buying an aluminum radiator for my 51 F1 but dont want to spend the money on a be cool. Has anyone else put one in their truck? If so what brand and how was the fit.

Thank you, Mike

I got the rear suspension in it last week and hope to have the MII in it by Friday so it will be a roller soon.

 

Mike -

I think aluminum radiators look cool and maybe that's why you want one. If so, great.

However: brass/copper radiators dissipate heat better, are significantly less expensive, are easily repairable and damage tolerant. Aluminum radiators are not. The biggest advantage of aluminum radiators is weight, which is why they are used in racing applications. Beyond that, they have no advantage.

But they do look cool.

Sorry, I don't have a good source for you.

 

I have used PRC aluminum radiators and had good luck with them. Here's link -
Aluminum Radiators, Cooling Accessories, SPAL Fans & Brakes : Hot Rod and Street Rod : PERFORMANCE ROD & CUSTOM

 

There are not that many places that build one for a Flathead. Could get real expensive.

 

I used a Howe Racing in my 55. It was under $200.

Radiators - Aluminum Racing Radiators

 

No flat head here just an old SBC so that should help on the price. I dont much care about the look of the radiator.

 

Oh
So as far as the 51 Ford F1 all you have left is the Outline?

 

I like old stuff but as far as keeping a 57 year old truck stock mine is not. I am going to chop the top as well but it is mine and I will build it the way I want to. I want to be able drive it down the highway and enjoy driving it not have to worry about getting parts or stopping with 60 year old brake technology when someone pullls out in front of me, sorry if I don't bleed blue. I am and have always been a GM guy but as far as engines and the war between who is better they are all just iron they don't know who built them. All I asked about was a radiator and who had one for less than a high $ Be Cool.

Sorry if I offended anyone by saving an old ford from the crusher and building it my way.

Thank you for all the guys that helped. I tried the link and that is exactly what I was after. I am going to call them in the morning to get a price.
Mike

 

I'm the Forum Idiot, just wanted to see what happens when buttons are pushed.
While I don't care for what you are doing, I'll watch, always stuff to learn.
I'll talk Ford systems with you here, That is if I haven't ticked you off too much.

 

Oh good job Dick!

Now ya pissed off the GM guy....

Hey MPH: Do your thing, we are all into that. When you ask us for advice, the best we can do is going to be our thing. And a lot of us here are really proud of our trucks and how we have worked them. It's all sincere, and it's all good, and we usually try to offer what extra knowledge we have about a subject because many of us have learned a lot of hard lessons.

We don't argue about which trucks are better because we prefere Fords and we think they are better. If you don't agree then you are entitled to your opinion. There's no reason to get snippy about it though.

You wanna know something about aluminum radiators?

If you put the aluminum radiator in your piece of metal, better flush it regularly and change out the coolant. Or in three years you will be buying another one.

Randy Jack had a lot of good points but left out one key difference: Brass is electrically inert and doesn't oxidize - aluminum is one of the best electrical conductors around (unless you can find a gold or silver radiator) and unless you use distilled water with the coolant, and keep it spotless, especially in the bottom, and at the necks, it's going to corrode. Brass radiators are 100 year old technology worked and still works just fine. And there are lots of reasons.....If it isn't broke......

And you didn't ask about brakes but mentioned them so I'll tell you something you don't know.

There's nothing wrong with the 60 year old brake technology - it worked fine and still works fine. Same as the drum brakes still being put on cars today. Just my opinion, but then again, I was a test engineer who built and tested systems for aircraft and rockets - so what do I know, just a blue blood. You remind me of my neighbor Kurt Anderson...He's a GM guy too.

 

By the way. If anyone would like to open a thread and debate about why drum brakes are unsafe in these trucks, bring your facts and study's and we can try to put that old racers wives tale to bed (doubtful but we can exchange a lot of facts).

 

MPH, If you want a reasonably priced new radiator to fit your 51 with a SBC take a look at my gallery. It is a mid 70's doge truck radiator for under $200. Very minor mods to make it fit in an F-1. Several of us are using them in the F-1's By doing this you can have Ford, GM and Mopar all in the engine bay area! In my case there is a little Jaguar also (IFS).

 

Totally shameless.

 

Dan, I just have a 20 year old memory of forgetting a short hill with a stoplight at the bottom and knocking the speed off soon enough in Willard with stock drum brakes. When I realized my error, I had to really stand on the brakes. As I was entering the red stop light/busy secondary road brakes were fading badly. I was standing on them and debating bailing out of the drivers door. I finally came to a stop !/4 of the way thru the intersection. Dry mouth and wet backside time!
Having said all that do you think that the steel 4 wheel flatbead trailer with at least 1000# of sandblast sand pushing from behind was a part of the problem? Oh, yes the electric trailer brakes failed to lock up. Willard now sports a Jag IFS with big disks and the larger F100 rear drums on a 9 inch.

 

I am also running the mid 70's dodge truck radiator in my 49. I have Cadillac power and the inlets and the outlets of the radiator work out real good for me. I fabricated my own radiator support and got rid of the original "U" shaped one (now I don't remember why...lol)

There's not a problem with using GM parts in our trucks. Sometimes they are just more practical. Calipers on a disc brake conversion is a good example....most spec out GM calipers and outer wheel bearings.

Heck, my truck is a morphodite. I have parts on it ranging from the 40's up through the 2000's. I have Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Pontiac, and Toyota parts and numerous parts from other sources including a toilet seat.

You are right, build as you want. Its your truck, enjoy it. No reason to get riled up about it though. Take the comments with a grain of salt. This is a friendly bunch and it is very rare that a wise-a** comment from one of us is meant in a hurtful way. Sometimes its hard to tell with the written word but its generally all in good humor.

Good luck with the radiator
Bobby