Who has the best deals on Radiators? I have a 1927 and want to get the best deal on a new radiator. The cost is high on some and low on others but the quality seems to be the same in all radiators. Who has the best deals?
http://bergsradiator.com/home.html
I just saw the ultimate el cheapo radiator version at the Model T club of Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=734929376521880&set=gm.10153397354515548&type=1&theater
It's Tom Meiser who has welded a new inlet on a Chinese aluminum street rod radiator commonly seen at eBay. He has also soldered on a non functional filler for looks and plugged the inlet meant for a Ford V8 with an expanding rubber plug.
Given the low cost nature of the Model T hobby I wonder if someone will give the chinese manufacturers instructions for a new model better fitting our T engined T's one of these days?
I have also wondered why the Chinese cant make a T radiator that has the original inlets and basic T specs.
If they did they would sell a bunch.
Every so often Macs offers 15% off (Used to be 20% before they sold to that other co.), so I'm waiting until then to get one for my firetruck. But I should check Bergs prices too, I hear they make a pretty good radiator too
And oh yes Bergs has the best product and a really good deal on T radiators. I have one on my 24 Coupe.
He also packs them as good as he makes them.
Excellent Quality all the way around.
That looks like it would be hard to get the water level high enough (can it even be filled above the inlet?). Also looks like it would be sensitive to low water level. Seems the thermosyphon flow has to go farther up to get into the top tank.
Well, Tom M says it runs cool without a pump with the water level just above the core like original. Since the lid makes it a more closed system than original, water loss by evaporation might be less than usual?
He hasn't got a hood (yet?) so it's unsure if the height is just right. Another modification needed was to tig weld a threaded boss for the support rod.
So it is pressurized?
That top hose looks mighty long. I suspect it's too high for a stock T hood.
If you top and bottom tanks are good you can have your old radiator recored for half the price of a new one, and it will probably do the job better than a cheap new radiator.
Here's a front view of Tom M's alu radiator:
He says he's been running on first click of cap, so no pressure.
There are only two choices on radiators!
Low price ***OR*** Good quality
I know some people will disagree with me on this, but the Brassworks radiators for $780 to $1200 depending upon which one you need are actually a pretty good deal... From a manufacturing standpoint, they are far less expensive than similar industrial products would be in a "specialty" or "limited application" marketplace...
All I ask is they make the radiators exactly like Ford did, and NOBODY does. Is that asking too much?
I contacted one of the chicom through ebay and they said they would be glad to make one the same as I wanted. The price would be the same $218.00 delivered to my door. I would have to ship my radiator to their warehouse in usa. It would take 6 to 8 weeks from when their warehouse received the radiator. I would have to pay the shipping to their warehouse. I patched a poor one I had and it has been working so far. I am still thinking about sending them one.
Apparently so. That's half of why I prefer a recore. The other half is dough.
I don't care if I could get one for $18.00, I wouldn't think of putting a Chinese radiator in my T.
You would if that was all your could afford to keep your T running Jerry. Get to drive and enjoy while you rub the coins together to get what you refer to as "suitable"
I have non aluminum t bucket rad on a low budget car. It cools great, hoses don't look right but I didn't really care. And as someone stated, it makes the difference between driving the car or letting it sit
I paid less than a hundred bucks to have my original one pressure tested and patched.
Gary,
You're right, keeping the car running would be a priority. If there were no way I could buy a Berg's radiator anyway, I guess I would do what I had to.
BTW, I didn't refer to anything as "suitable", your word, not mine.
I've been looking into recores. Found pricing around $500 for the core ($300) plus labor ($200). Another $150 gets you a new repro from Macs (listed at $650). I'm looking for any alternatives that work well and fit well.
Berg's is going up. Not sure what a Brassworks cost, but I just ordered a Berg's low radiator for an '18. It was over $800 with shipping.
Last T recore I had done was 1999. When it was all said and done, I saved less than $50. Since then I've bought several new ones.
The last radiator I had recored was for a model A.
It was less than $300.
it was about 4 months ago.
Steve J, I wondered the same thing, however it looks like it has a shell on it, so it must be the right height. Maybe the difference in the depth of the stock inlet and this homemade jobber requires the hose to be a touch longer.
Be careful of those pressure caps. I bought a T which had one and it blew out the freeze plugs. If you have a pressure cap,drill a hole in it so it won't be pressurized.
I have Brassworks radiators on all 3 of my T's and couldn't be happier with their performance. We live in a hot area and have a long grade with a signal at the top. I don't use any water pump and the T's don't boil. You will pay more for a quality radiator, but what you save on the damage done to an overheated engine, will be well worth it. An overheated engine can seize up and score the cylinders as well as ruin the pistons and rings. That is an expensive fix and you will still need a new radiator!
Norm
Regarding the "cheap" radiator that has been listed in Mac's for years... Unless something has changed with the supplier that makes it, you can go ahead and order one, but it is very likely to be on backorder FOREVER. They make several radiators for '40's and newer vehicles and the T radiator is the most difficult, so they only build T radiators if they don't have any other "better" work to do. Good luck if you ever get one. Let me know if I'm wrong!
My son-in-law has this sign hanging in his business shop:
Fast service is not cheap
Cheap service is not fast
Fast and cheap service is not good.
Probably applies to parts as well.
Bergs and Brassworks make good products
Not exactly cheap, but:
1915 Ford radiator – new from Brassworks, $1172.00
............................................................Recore, $802.31
1 $370 less
2 Original (correct) tanks
Are you looking for the cheapest radiator or the best radiator? A radiator is not a good place to save money.