VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc Radiator Repair in the Carolinas

I’m working on a 1931 Chevy Phaeton restoration project. I need to have the brass honeycomb radiator boiled out and a couple of leaks fixed or possibly move the tanks to a new core if the leaks can't be fixed. Most modern radiator shops can’t do this kind of work, and the old guys in my area whom I’ve used in the past have all retired or died or whatever. Do any of you know of someone in the western Carolinas area who is experienced in this type of work and who could fix my radiator correctly? I would expect this to be a radiator guy that’s been in business for more than fifty years. Thanks for any leads you can provide.

All the Best, Chip

Chip, there is a shop in Spartanburg, S.C.,Rowland Radiator Services (864) 573-9406. I can't say they can do what you need done, but they did a good job of putting my tanks on a new core for a '34 Master.

Thanks Bill, I appreciate it. Floyd Sauve' also gave me a lead on one in Forest City. I'll be checking out both of them after Christmas. Thanks for the help.

Merry Christmas!

All the Best, Chip

Chip,

If the flues in your core"s honeycomb are actually honeycombed (zig-zag) then it can be boiled and then flushed out but not rodded.

I don't know if the zig-zag flues are what you have or not. I think they may be straight. If so by all means do the rodding.

The leaks can be soldered up. If a flue is stopped clean up or would make a mess in appearance then it may be capped off next to the top and bottom tanks and it will be hardly noticeable.

I think the true honeycomb cores were mainly used in Chrysler products. I'm sure they others but don't recall what they were.

For fine holes that appear only on ten pounds or so of test pressure then a stop-leak made for engine rebuilders (grafite?) can be used or a half tube of Solder Seal.

The radiator is not under pressure so there will be almost no leakage realized.

Good luck with it.

You're welcome. Just don't come by an bother me none at Spring Charlotte as you usually do. HIt don't bode too well with my customers when I have to get out my old Colt 45. Peacemaker and make you dance or (preferred) just run your as- check that - butt off.

Charlie

Charlie, I'll be there, and I'm bringing my lounge chair and cooler so I can stay a good long while and tell any potential customers about your high prices and low quality. I'd like my lunch about 1230 or so............

Merry Christmas everybody!

All the Best, Chip

Ed Barker 421 Auto Service Boone NC. He has well equipped "Barbee" radiator shop and the experience. He has fixed two for me and friend (re-cored}. He has access to order new cores and radiators. I highly recommend him. A local restoration shop uses him all the time.
421 Auto Service 828 264 6660

Great! Thanks very much. I'm in a bit of a holding pattern now while I'm obtaining another radiator (hopefully good), but I'll definitely keep that one on the list when I get to that point -- he's quite close by.

All the Best, Chipo

All the Best, Chip

Had the 32 original radiator at a commercial shop..They insisted on pressure test at 30 lbs..Would not pass..Suggestion was a new core..350.oo.. When I balked and told them 10 lbs max..lo and behold ..passed..Ask to watch the test... Bill

Since these are unpressurized cooling systems, the radiators are not designed to withstand pressure like modern ones are. Most regular radiator shops have no idea. When testing, they should not exceed 3-4 psi or they run the risk of permanently ruining the radiator.

Meanwhile, an update. I've found a very talented guy about 50 miles from home who has lots of experience in these radiators and so far I've found three 1931 radiators. Not a single one of them is repairable. As he says: There is a reason these radiators were removed from the cars many years ago. With every one of them, the big problem is stress cracking of the brass. He is currently attempting to cobble together one useable, reasonable looking radiator from the three by patching the tanks and closing off the failed areas of the core, but he is not optimistic. I can feel myself moving toward a couple of thousand dollars for a new replacement radiator core -- if I can find usable tanks.

Bottom line: I still need a good 1931 radiator. Can anyone help?

All the Best, Chip

You might try Brassworks here is there phone # 805 239 2501
500 Linne Road … Unit I
Paso Robles, CA 93446

Never used them before but found them on the internet as a source!

They Restore & Fabricated Radiators for any most any year and model cars model Radiators

Product Description:

Features of the 1931 Chevy Radiator include:
Modern efficient copper core design with 10 fins per inch
Cores are available in 1-13/16" 2 row core, 2-5/8" 3 row core or 3-1/2" 4 row core
3/4" seamless weld tubes in a staggered array to disrupt airflow laterally
Correct diameter non pressure neck for the press and twist caps
Galvanized steel sidewalls to resist rust
Riveted brackets
Internal baffle in top tank to prevent cooling loss
Radiators are built from original patterns
Painted flat black to aid in heat exchange

Hope this works!

Here is the link:

www.thebrassworks.net/shop/Restored-&-Fabricated-Radiators-Chevy...

Rory

Thanks Rory. Brassworks may be the ultimate solution, but they are very, very expensive. I'm hoping to find a good serviceable OE radiator that can be restored.

Again, thanks for the info.

All the Best,

Chip

Wouldn't the 1929-30 Chev rad be the same as the '31? The only difference being the threaded filler neck?

No, they are quite different. The '31 radiator core is only 17" wide and the '29 and '30 are 18" wide. Therefore the tanks are different to accommodate the different width. Further, the '31 tank is much thicker than the '29 and '30 tanks, presumably to allow more volume for expansion, boiling and air entrainment before it goes out the overflow pipe. The design of the mountings is also different.

All the Best, Chip

Since the rad shells are so similar, you would think the rads would fit. Well, I'm learning something new every day!

Andy

My '31 radiator problem is solved. A fellow club member here in my area had a nice '31 radiator which I obtained from him and took to a great radiator shop in Forest City, NC. They tested it, repaired one tiny leak, flushed it, cleaned it up and it's ready to go!

I do highly recommend the shop that did the work:

McKinney Radiator Service
548 E. Main St.
Forest City, NC 28043
Phone: 828-245-60006

They did a great job at a fair price and are very knowledgeable about the old radiators like mine. I was very impressed.

Thanks again to all of you who have helped out on this whole issue. I'm really glad it's now solved.

All the Best, Chip