So, I thought I'd try to straighten some of the fins on my radiator with a fin comb. Now, the fins are straight, but my radiator leaks. I guess I should have just left it alone.

So, it looks like I'll be pulling that and taking it to my local rad shop. I was planning on replacing the coolant anyway. I guess I'll be doing that sooner now. I haven't found it yet, (but I really haven't looked), but I'm guessing there's a valve on the radiator somewhere for draining the coolant. Or am I assuming too much?

 

Don't feel bad, I tried using one of those fin combs, and mine looks worse now than it did B4. At least you still have a local Radiator shop. We had two good shops in our town, now there both gone, I don't know why, California regulations? who knows, but there both gone. (what a drag)

 

Drain **** should be passenger side in front of radiator.

 

If just straightening the fins made it leak, the tubes are likely corroded to paper-thickness. You just avoided having them blow while out on the road. Think of the money you saved having it towed when the radiator shop hands you the bill!

 

I just got back from the shop and it sounds like this was the case. They tried to fix it, but it's leaking from the center. So now I'm waiting for them to call me with the price for a new core.

 

I had the same problem with mine. The tubes were so thin they couldn't repair them.

I had the radiator re-cored at the local machine/radiator shop. The cost was roughly the same as one of the new aluminum radiators you can buy on eBay. ($425) I decided on the re-core to keep the original look. If I had known they were going to put several dents in the top tank I would have gone for the new one.


All of the dark spots on the core are pin-hole leaks.



You can see several dents in the top tank.

I'll keep using them as they're the only machine shop in the area and normally do very good work. Just this time, not so much.

 

Boy that makes me mad! Did they give an explanation for the dents?

 

Ya thats quite normal from using rubber mallet for aligning tanks to
tweek on a new core. That subject was brought up from my friend
owns a radiator shop his answer we repair and recore & fix leaks we dont
restore them were are not a body shop. And I really don't remember
seeing one that was'nt beat on. All my trucks mainly the 53-56's all
have dents (NOT from me)

 

Hmm, makes me lean toward buying a new stock looking one. Mid-fifty sells them with the painted top for $395.

 

And the Mid-Fifty radiators are 4-row. They came from the factory with 2 or 3 rows.

The Mid-Fifty flathead radiator is $425 + shipping. I paid $425 locally. (also a 4-row core) I would have been more than happy to pay the shipping to have a dent-free tank.

Big Job is right, they beat it up putting it back together. I just wish they had said something about it. I didn't realize it was a probability. They do great work, so I'm not going to hold it against them. They've done all the machine work on my truck from turning the crank to pressing on the rear axle bearings. Great work, reasonable price, it's all good.

 

Yeah, just called the shop, they priced me well over $600. I think I'll be buying a new radiator.

 

You really can't use number of rows as a basis for comparison. The aluminum rad may have smaller tubes, and need 4 rows to get the same cooling as a copper 3-row. The 4th row is not very efficient anyway, it's getting air heated by 3 rows in front of it. I think you made the right choice, dents or not. I'd also consider taking it back to the shop and explaining that this isn't some beater shop truck, and you need them to do it "pretty". I had mine re-cored and there are no dents.

 

The Mid-Fifty flathead radiator is actually copper/brass. Other than being 4-row, it's an exact replacement.

Ross, I know what you mean about smaller tubes in the aluminum. While you can see light through the original, I've seen aluminum radiators that you could read a newspaper through.

 

I called Classic Haulers and a replacement is going to run almost as much as a recore, and it will take around 3 weeks to ship. Damn. I guess the truck is done for the year.

It looks like there are some much cheaper aluminum options out there, but I just dont think they'd look right under the hood of my old beat up truck

I'm really kicking myself right now. I think I need a drink.

 

Hey, you can't call her an "old beat up truck", she might be listening
Know what you mean about the look of aluminium under the bonnet (sorry, hood). I like the trad look but I ended up buying an eBay radiator. Had it been original, I think I would have had it re-cored even if it costs more.
Shame they bang the crap out of these things.