Is it possible to remove the end tanks, and rod out a late S1 radiator?
It’s been years since I had the radiator in my old car serviced, but I distinctly remember taking the radiator in, and getting sort of a blank stare from the guy at the radiator shop.
I seem to remember spot welded gussets holding the end tanks on, and he wasn’t willing to invest the labor to remove them. As I remember, the best he could offer me was to put the radiator in his ultrasonic tank, and hope that it broke up any blockages.
Am I remembering this correctly, or is is possible to open them up, and give them a thorough service?
Mine also needs rebuilding. Love the look of the original, but some PO tried to lift the car from underneath and split it. I have purchased a new CJ alum with high-velocity fan and boxed the original until I can find a vendor. The closest I came was this UK video from 2013, but never pursued contacting him. PM me if you find one. Thx. -Steve
There’s a guy a couple of villages away from me. You can take him any radiator at all (and I mean any). When you walk in he says “Ah, Series one E”, or “Zagato, haven’t seen one of those in a while”. Turnaround is usually a couple of days, but if he’s not busy you can drop off a shot rad in the morning, and pick it up in the afternoon, re-cored, painted, ready to fit.
He keeps saying he’s going to retire and go back to Italy. We’ll be lost without him.
Steve, I have one of those radiators. The associated fan pulls a lot of amps so having it wired to a relay helps prevent blowing a fuse. I see you have an S2 so there should be a relay in place.
Ditto, my radiator guy: Dad began using the shop in the late 50s, then when he retired, in the late 80s, the kid who worked for him began running the shop.
Like Andrew’s experience - when I walked in he said "Ah, a TR3’.
While on a road trip we found such a shop in Albuquerque that dropped everything to repair a radiator for an AC Ace. Family owned, the work was done by a gal who did her first radiator when she was 14.
I used a local Ocala fl Radiator shop that’s been in same location/family operated 50 years; they said core from my S1 was good; just needed tank cleaning. And they said they could replace original core if it needed it. Header tank had tank bath too. Plus they rebuilt my fuel tank and brazed in new fuel filter threaded part , 250$
Shop noted they get lots of business as Florida humidity gets in fuel tanks.
There was a good shop here in Austin up until a couple of years ago. All the new condos pushed it out and I don’t think they relocated. There has to be a place though.
I’ve an ancient radiator with a “honeycomb” core in my side yard with other odd bits!! In it’s day, supposedly superior to finned tube units. It surely can not be “rodded”.
An old time radiator shop got in a beef with the city council. guess who won!!
Circa 58, I was building my T speedster from junk parts. Fairly decent radiator came with the chassis. Ugh, top tank crushed down. Hw ? I’ve not he slightest.
A “real” craftsman a local collision shop offered to fix it Price , “let me drive t when it runs” !!!
A definite “throw back”. wore blue denim bib overalls and a blue cambray work shirt.
Delicate work with the oxy acetylene torch and a blow gun. Melted the solder that secured the tank and blew it away to free the tank.
Some deft hammer and dolly ork and it was straight and smooth. Lead still used in the old tech shop! Soldered back clean and neat. It took a while, but he got his drive. Tickled pink, both of us…
When decades later, I built my 4-'s hot rod, my son got a business associate to do it. Combination radiator shop and muffler shop.
Used my 37 era radiator for it’s tanks. Cut down the side strips and installed a four row core. Fit the 32 grill shell perfectly and cooled as good as a ford can. Oh, swapped I new top tubes to ft the newer head pipe sizes. About $450.
