aluminium radiator

56yblock

56yblock

Senior Member
hello guys
what do you think about the new aluminum radiators , i must to fix mine but the cost is most to expensive that if i buy a new
 
They work great. Put one in my 55 that has a very stout 312. Runs 170 even on 85+ degree days. Just beware of the lower hose diameter of the ones on evil bay. Y blocks take a 2" dia. lower hose and many aftermarket sells them with 1.75 lower. You can bush it up or have them correct it for about $25.00. I had them correct mine. Mine is a Champion.
 
About 9 years ago I had heating problems with my '47 Merc with stroked 59ab flathead, cam, heads, 4 bbl carb and a C4 trans. The car had an original design rad, but had an electric fan in front of the radiator and no mechanical fan. The car was iffy to keep cool on an 80 degree day and I wanted to add A/C.
I contacted 3 or 4 aluminum rad builders and explained my needs, but none could guarantee that they could provide something that would be 100%, on a flathead, with A/C., with electric or mechanical fans, or both. I contacted a major builder of copper antique radiators and was told the version they sold would be an exact bolt in, with a preinstalled condenser, and they would guarantee it to cool, with A/C, just using a properly sized puller electric fan (behind the rad), or they would buy it back. They told me that copper retains temperature longer, hot or cold, than aluminum does. I gave it a try.
Twenty thousand miles later it still cools, with the A/C blowing, in traffic or on the highway even on 100 degree days. Copper works for me and if it should develop a leak it's probably easier to have repaired
 
Sid said:
They work great. Put one in my 55 that has a very stout 312. Runs 170 even on 85+ degree days. Just beware of the lower hose diameter of the ones on evil bay. Y blocks take a 2" dia. lower hose and many aftermarket sells them with 1.75 lower. You can bush it up or have them correct it for about $25.00. I had them correct mine. Mine is a Champion.
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Not true...My 272 "Y" block '56 F100 has a 1 3/4" lower outlet. And it IS a stock original radiator.
 
ahshoe said:
Not true...My 272 "Y" block '56 F100 has a 1 3/4" lower outlet. And it IS a stock original radiator.
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For some reason I was under the impression we were talking car. I don't know what your truck has. I do know that the water pump accepts a 2" hose and all 4 of the Y blocks I'm running all have a 2" lower hose at the radiator.As far as copper vs. aluminum I prefer the old copper myself but I can buy 3 aluminum radiators for the cost of one copper. and the aluminum seems to do the job well. You see a lot of them around. I guess all my y blocks are mongoloids.
 
I used a Walker brand radiator, with their mounted condenser. I also used their recommended fan shroud. The shroud fully covers the rad and you cut open the area where you want to mount your fan. Makes a very clean install
 
56yblock said:
that's what's the better? , repair the original or buy a new aluminium radiator ?
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That depends on the car/owner and if you want it to remain stock appearing or if you want to modify it.

A copper radiator can be re-cored (well ... :confused: ... so can an aluminum).
 
It's nice to see a nice polished copper tank. It's just tough to cough up five or six hundred dollars for a new one. It was a tough decision for me to go aluminum but many folks are going that route and happy. It is also said that aluminum dissipates heat better than copper. As stated earlier you can buy 3 aluminum radiators for what one copper costs and still have beer money. Personally at the shows I can accept seeing a aluminum radiator in a 50's Ford engine as opposed to a late model small block Ford. And nothing against small blocks,they just have their place. Personally I prefer the copper. Just not willing to pay the crazy price for it and don't feel the aluminum will de-value the car that much.
 
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i've keep my old original radiator and i found someone to rebuild it, and now it's like new...good job
 

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Been thinking about this one for my '54 Ranch Wagon. I've got a Brassworks in my '39 and love it but I do like this aluminum one since it looks original and the price is reasonable. Sorry about the size of the photo, couldn't figure out how to post a larger version.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1955-...601044&hash=item52163e30ac:g:6RUAAOSwA3xcL6~O

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FOR 1954, 1955 & 1956 FORD PASSENGER CARS:
SUNLINER, SKYLINER, CUSTOMLINE, CRESTLINE, MAINLINE, VICTORIA & CROWN VICTORIA​
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LIFETIME WARRANTY​
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THIS IS A DIRECT BOLT IT
IT HAS STAMPED ORIGINAL STYLE TANKS
2 LARGE 1 1/8" TUBES, MORE CAPACITY THEN 3 OR 4 ROWS
1 1/2" INLET, 2" OUTLET

CORE SIZE-19 1/2" WIDE, 19 3/4" TALL, 2 1/2" THICK
OVER ALL (WIDEST POINTS) 23 1/4" WIDE, 25'' TALL, 4'' THICK
  • Please note: a large 2-row aluminum radiator will cool better the a 3-row or even 4-row aluminum radiator.​
  • Aluminum is NOT LIKE COPPER where more tubes/rows means more cooling. It is the size of the tubes/rows that provide the best cooling. ​
  • The highest cooling efficiency is with 2 rows 1 inch to 1&1/8 inch wide. Do your research and you will find any major name brand radiator shop will be building them with 2-large rows. Usually at a premium price. This radiator is every bit the quality of any high dollar radiator with a lifetime warranty against any manufacturer defect. Remember Just because they can bend and weld aluminum into the shape of a radiator does not mean they know how to make it cool properly.​
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My 55 Fairlane has an aluminum radiator with 3 electric fans, a push on the front and 2 pulls on the back. Running a 302 built engine and it runs 170 deg all the time and it get's hot in Texas. Al
 
My bird has an alum radiator now after 40+ years of ownership. I painted it black. No one knows it's not stock and also I don't care anyway. It runs cooler and seems to dissipate heat quicker after shutdown. Very happy with the decision I made. I had the original reworked several times over years of ownership, so I did make the effort.
 
Put a Champion 3 row aluminum in my 57 Ranchero with a warmed up 351C. With a 195 t-stat it will idle for as long as I want it to at 195 in a 92 degree shop with no fan on the nose of the car. Running a 62 Bird A/C clutch fan. Couldn't be happier.
 
I'll see if I can post a pic. of mine, not too good at this but gona try again. Thought I had a better pic of it, but not. Al
 
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