Aluminum Radiator Install $250

[JZSlenker]

My TT radiator had more JB weld on it than Brass and was leaking like a sieve. It was totally shot. A brassworks rad would be nice but honestly I don't have the money right now. I needed to buy four tires and replace every bushing, kingpin etc to get this thing moving so a period correct rad will have to wait. This is what I came up with for a temporary radiator for my TT. Nothing original needs to be modified so when I can afford to get a brassworks, I will. In the mean time I'm driving this thing as I continue working on it. Total cost was $250 in materials. I realize that not everyone can tig weld themselves so there would certainly be more cost if you had to pay a welder. I started with a $190 Chinese aluminum radiator for a Jeep CJ3. The filler neck was cut off and the hole filled in. A new tube of aluminum was welded in the center for the original fill neck top to mount on. The stock brackets were cut off the side of the rad and new bottom mounting tabs were welded on. A cross piece was welded on the top to attach the upper radiator rod to. A new rod had to be made as the stock one is now too short. Tabs were also welded on to hold an overflow tank. I chose to make a new steel water outlet because the new setup is 1-1/2". I'm using a water pump for now so there is plenty of circulation. I've been on several drives now and had it up to temperature and everything seems to be working quite well and staying cool. If I were to do it again I would use a slightly larger overflow tank. I used a 2" ($26) and probably should have gone with the 3" version for slightly more capacity. I got a 1-1/2" molded radiator hose from Napa ($24) to cut up and use. Some paint and we have a temporary working solution.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QZPSVXD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X9XNZGL

[TXGOAT2]

Neat solution.

[Bryant]

Very nice job!
Do you have a tall or short radiator?

Bryant

[Charlie B in N.J.]

Start a business. Now.

[JZSlenker]

It’s a 24 high hood.

[Craig Leach]

Hi Jason,
I doff my hat to you. I tried this with a Speedway T bucket radiator but gave up because of the labor involved in making it fit in a low shell.
It would have been a pretty EZ operation for a tall The Speedway radiator has a large tank, it's a two core but the cores are 1" long making
it = to a three or four core. both inlet & outlet need to be move & they sell aluminum hose connectors in 1 3/4" & 2" that can be cut & welded
in place but a curved hose will be needed on top like you did. Or make the inlet to line up correctly? They have a fitting on the bottom of the
top tank that can be used for a over flow using a pass threw compression fitting. They have aluminum T style neck ( is a dummy that can be
drilled out to use as a fill.) You would have to make a rod mount also. I gave up & returned it to Speedway rather than spend hours making the
bottom tank clear the crossmember & pan nose. I ended up making a radiator from a brass forklift radiator. Saved about $1,100.
Side note this is on my speedster so that might be a little more acceptable to the serious collectors, they are usually appalled that it's speedster!
Craig.

[John kuehn]

There are some of the older tractor radiators (40’s -70’s) that are close to the same dimensions of a T radiator. You may have to rework the neck and inlets to get them to work but it’s been done.

It’s been on the forum before about the aluminum bucket T radiators and why the company that makes them couldn’t build them with the same outlet locations. They definitely would sell in my opinion. But who am I to say.

[JZSlenker]

I did a ton of research into which rad to use that would fit well and require the minimum amount of work. I looked at pretty much every aluminum aftermarket radiator that is made for cars, trucks, tractors, machinery, etc. I read all the old posts on here as well before deciding on this particular rad. Labor hours wasn’t too bad actually. I did a lot of planning, measuring and sketching before actually starting construction.

[JTT3]

Jason how many rows does the radiator have?