Alumn. Radiators?

K

kingskid

Member
Just wondering. Has anyone used the Alumn. Radiators like Champion, or AlloyWorks? I need to have my Rad. repaired if it can be. My 47' B/Coupe still has the Flatty V8 in it. Bung for the draincock has come loose. It was repaired before from previous owner. Never overheats and has good flow, but could use a good flushing. Advice? Thanks.
 
I have a Champion radiator in my 39 coupe. It never gets above 180 degrees even in the Florida heat. I painted my black so it doesn't look so out of place.
 
An easy job to repair the drain bung, but radiator will have to come out. Get it flushed at the same time. Removing the hood is the PITA. I remove the springs, leave the hinges bolted to the cowel and remove the 1/4 bolts at the hood.
 
The consensus on Champion aluminum radiators is that they work well for stock flatheads. My 284" flattie with Champion radiator in my '41 would overheat on a hot day both at idle in traffic or at 65 mph on the Interstate. A refurbished stock truck radiator solved the problem. It is brass/copper and has much more frontal area.
 
Ive got 2 , one in a stock 41 and another in A pickup with a built 255 , .040 over . No problem at all in s Florida.
 
I have a cheap alum. rad in our '60 292. Seems to be a bit smaller than stock but works great. never overheats even if anti gets a bit low.
 
Personally, whenever I see an otherwise stock V8 engine bay with an aluminum radiator, It sours the car. It makes me wonder why that was done? I prefer a quality recore or NOS.
 
Me three. Aluminum radiator in an otherwise stock car is hideous. I would have to avert my eyes.
"Look away, Edith! But it was too late, she already been incensed."
 
Last edited:
woodiewagon46 said:
I have to agree with Seth, an aluminum radiator in a V-8 Ford looks hideous.
Click to expand...
If the radiator is stock shaped, paint it black. plus sometimes it is near impossible to get an exact radiator without selling your first born child. also not sure anyone wants my first born!!
 
I was still having overheating problems even with a recored radiator and Skip's high flow pumps and thermostats.

I got an aluminum radiator from Brice Thomas and it works great.

EDIT: But yeah, it looks horrible
 
I have tried 2 aluminum radiators from Griffin. One for a Flathead powered 32 and one for a SBC powered 30 model A. Both cars had after market A cross members. Neither radiator cleared the A cross member. The one for the 32 fit like a saddle on a sow and the Model A one looked like **** in the A shell. Granted these were when Griffin first started doing vintage radiators. I ended up giving both of them away.
 
I put a Griffin in my avatar roadster while building (it came with a shroud). When I ordered it, and I chose the largest tubes and most fins, the guy asked me if I was cooling a blown big block. Told him no, a healty flathead and I wanted NO cooling issues. First running of the engine, I couldn't get the temp above 110 degrees with no thermostats. Put in 170s and it has been happy ever since. That was 23 years ago. My experience was everything fit the 32 shell and mounts, front x member perfectly. I recently sold this car to buy my Ardun coupe but the current owner is quite happy with it. The only aluminum you could see was the shroud, but it's a hot rod anyway.
My 2 cents.
 
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