Radiators

S

Squadron

Member
So I’m thinking of replacing the stock radiator with something more modern and clean, but it looks like there are a lot of technologies out there, and materials. Anyone have a recommendation for what the best cooling radiator would be? For a 47 Super Deluxe v8.

https://www.radiatorexpress.com/part-lookup/radiator/ford/1947/deluxe/base/39L-V8

Looks like there’s 3 row, 4 row, aluminum, copper… I have no idea what those terms mean to the cooling capacity.
 
New copper or alum really cool but either MAY NOT be entirely original appearing. May be close, so depending if you're looking for a completely stock appearing rad or just a rad, be aware. We had a copper Walker rad for our '41 and it cooled like a champ but was NOT anything like our stock '41 radiator. Our stock rad was a split core, top tank was angled off at a 45 deg in front and cap was in a different position. We had a 302 engine so I didn't care any way as we won it at a show!
 
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IMHO


There is an old saying about the three most important things for a (common) retail store, "Location, Location, Location"! To paraphrase that to what is needed for cooling, "Airflow, Airflow, Airflow"!


Make sure you have all the stock internal air deflectors. Make sure they are all for a V8 (some 6 cylinder parts are different). A fan shroud can be a good thing but can restrict air at speed (some late model cars have pressure relief flaps on the shrouds to fix this).


Flatheads usually need a little extra cooling so a heavy duty radiator is a very good idea. Aluminum vs Copper/brass? Properly built, either can cool well. Aluminum is lighter weight and cheaper. Copper/brass is heavier and more expensive. Aluminum can quickly experience corrosion issues if you do not keep the proper inhibitors in the cooling fluid (this applies to heads and any fittings also), Copper/brass is more forgiving.


Johnsons Rod Shop, Gadson Al is producing the old Walker line.
Custom Auto Radiator, NJ has a good reputation for hand built radiators.
Griffin has been around for years now and seems to have a good reputation for aluminum.


Last, of course... "If it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT!"
 
No disadvantage as long as the radiator can fit into your engine compartment and you have adequate room for your fan and shroud.
The term "heavy duty" can be misleading, so get the specifics on how the radiator is constructed in relation to the factors mentioned in the above article Summary below.

Summary: As a general guide, 3+ radiator rows stands to benefit a high performance or heavy duty vehicle. 1-2 is usually stock standard but can be highly efficient for more strenuous uses depending on other core specs.

Core specs to account for
Whether you select a 2, 3, or 4 row radiator it’s important to consider other core specs. Sometimes high performance cooling can still be achieved by adapting these factors, especially for vehicles that cannot fit a thicker radiator with more rows. See below;

Tubes
Fins
Cores
Materials
Tube size and surface are important as this is what the coolant is going to flow through. The more surface contact, the more heat dissipation. For instance, a wider tube or dimpled tube surface increases contact surface area leading to more efficient cooling. Cooling performance can also be increased by fitting more tubes within the same core size.

Fins are placed between the tubes to increase contact surface area where they are doing the bulk of heat dissipation work. Increased contact between the tube and fin improves heat transfer to more efficiently remove heat from coolant passing through the tubes. Heat dissipation can be adjusted with changes to FPI (number of fins per inch) and also fin type.

Cores are made up of fins and tubes. A 1 row core is a common configuration for an everyday modern road car. Some other factors that can increase cooling include FPI, fin type, core and header material as well as tube pitch (distance between tubes), size and surface.

 
Just curious, why do you need a radiator that differs from the stock radiator? If you are having trouble with cooling, have your stock radiator cleaned and rodded out. OR, find a nice NOS radiator and install it.
 
I agree with Seth. My research indicated copper and aluminum provide equivalent cooling rates. Copper is easy to solder (i.e. repairs) whereas aluminum not so much. I doubt that any difference in the dead weight of a radiator has any impact. In regard to electrolysis damage resulting from dissimilar metals in the engine's construction, as noted, copper fairs better than aluminum ..... I have another classic that was built with aluminum radiator and heads. The manufacturer says use quality coolant with proper additives AND change the coolant every 3 years because the protective conditioners in the coolant degrade.
 
Seth makes a very good point. If you current radiator is keeping your engine cool let it be.
A new radiator won't do any better. The OEM radiators were made of brass, I believe, and worked great. What do you desire regarding "Modern and clean". Can you post a photo of your engine compartment and what you know have?
 
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