Alright my fine forum friends I seemed to have reattached my radiator neck successfully! Now don't look closely as I'm about an eighth of an inch off center, and covered by the rad surround sure are some butt-ugly blobs of solder, but you know what? I think it might just do, hopefully get us through the parade. Maybe I should tie a string around the neck just in case it comes loose on the road haha! Many thanks to everyone who offered great advice. And yes, we'll go without the heavy motometer at least for a little while.
Great!
Lol you have great thread titles Will.
Will. I just purchased and installed a brand new radiator on the T. What manufacturer was yours that let go because of the defect? It was mentioned in your original thread, by another person, that there has been a rash of this. Is this "rash" involving just one manufacturer? Thanks to all. Dave.
When I tried to remove the neck on an old T radiator a few years ago I noticed that the radiator had a lip on it that was slightly crimped over inside the neck.
It was an original radiator that hadn't been tampered with over the years that I could tell.
I noticed this on another one also.
I cant see how a motometer or wings could cause a neck to fall off with the crimped over lip inside the neck.
Maybe the repos don't have this. I don't know for sure or not but in no way can you get the neck off easily after unsoldering it with out prying back the inner crimping just a bit.
Anybody else experienced this?
John,
As I mentioned in Will's other posting on this problem, the original radiators had crimped & soldered necks while the repro's that I'm aware of are soldered only.
Dave,
This really isn't a defect. It's just a different manufacturing method that is not as good as original, especially with heavy moto-meters.
I've been very pleased with my Berg's up to this point, and after 5 years of life in the heat of Houston I'm not surprised the soldering let go. I also ran a nice big winged motometer. So I don't blame original workmanship, but yes, if there is a way to make new rad necks that crimp together, that would be my preference! Probably Henry could do a lot of things not feasible today.
Thanks for the reply about the neck.
I'm thinking Ford must have installed and soldered the neck on the top piece of the tank first, then put the rest of the tank together after that was done.
Or maybe Ford used some type of swedgeing tool to install the neck after the tank was built.
Then the neck was soldered last.
I wonder if anyone knows for sure. Interesting.
My T's original radiator is just hanging on the garage wall. Had a couple terrible leaks. Maybe it would be worth it after all to have the original rebuilt.
Will, that depends. No doubt your original radiator is a round tube, and your re-pop is a flat tube. Flat tube's cool MUCH better than the round-tubes, especially in your Houston heat. And very much so in a slow-moving parade. Maybe re-core the original rad with a flat tube core.
Will, clicks radiator in Dallas will install a new flat tube core in a T radiator (17-27) for 400.00.
That's what the quote was for my 1919 Runabout radiator about 8 months ago.
That's not to bad considering the cost of a new Bergs is around 800.00.
I have a new Bergs in my 24 Coupe which is working just fine.
I have reattached so many berg's necks I have lost count. On the other hand I have had to reattach the side pieces on many a brassworks rad. If that is the only problems I have I am happy. Cheap and easy fix at home.