VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum Radiator shell

Good morning! We are new owners of 1926 Superior V Touring and are in need of radiator shell. Tried to connect with somebody at Hershey but it didn't happen. Anybody have any advice for these new Chevy owners?

I do not know when this was put on the net:

1926 Chevy Radiator, Solid w/ Emblem, Shell - bottom bad

but contact this web site and ask:
http://partsofthepast.com/Butch/Butchpartslist_C.htm

and this:
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/partsforsale/chevrolet/unspecified/1562011.html

There may be some difficulties to get a usable one without having to make a new bottom.

Thank you for the info. Our car has one but the bottom is bad on both sides. Do you have info on repair procedures?

My '26 radiator shell was corroded badly on the lower sides and bottom like yours. The shell is "aluminum" and seems to be a poor grade with many impurities. They can be repaired by a skilled welder using TIG. Working the metal as you would steel to smooth dents must be done VERY carefully or it will crack.
I was lucky as my son has good TIG welding skill and took it on as a challenge. I purchased both 18 and 20 gauge aluminum sheet for him to work with since so much of the corroded areas had to be cut out. He thought maybe 3-4 hours would be needed but he spent more like 12! He is a perfectionist so he wouldn't give it back till it looked like new. Some of his time was spent polishing the entire shell using several techniques---it looked great and fit properly over the core.
His comments about the welding process were that the original core material was "dirty" (the impurities) and melted away much faster than the new material. Consequently, a much higher inert gas (Argon) flow was needed with careful control of heat (a lot of tacks with gradual fillin). He spent 2 hours just learning proper machine settings and technique.
So, the old shells CAN be repaired but not inexpensively. And, my son is a Telecom route systems manager(???) who though he loves his dad said don't bring him another one!
Good luck finding a capable repairman. Dan

Wow great info! Thanks so much! Just out of curiosity do reproductions exist? We were told they do but haven't found any .

I could not find a '26 type rad shell repo but that was four years ago. It surely can be done, perhaps in steel rather than alum but tooling cost would be high and potential sales volume low. FS has the resources and probably knows possible vendors-----?
Dan

Re T I G welding . You need a special TIG welding unit with the right harmonics to be able to weld aluminum. You cannot weld it unless you have the right machine. Some amchines are only good for steel and stainless steel.

There is also a MIG welding unit...lincoln model 140 or 180 that when used with argon gas will weld aluminum. The unit uses a special aluminum gun attachment with a roll of aluminum wire inside.

you can also weld aluminum by ARC welding using a special aluminum arc welding rod..

A copper welding spoon can be placed behind the welds so that the material they welding will not stick to a backer.

I think all the above is correct.

mike

Here is a story as I understand it. If anyone has updated information, please expand on my story.

Many moons ago the VCCA gathered up the very best samples of the early radiator shells. Details of this action is found in the very early G&Ds. Wooden molds were made for each shell. Generally each shell made was from a single piece of aluminum cut and molded to the wooden molds. Where the shell had to be cut to fit the mold they were welded(?) and then hand finished. The fellow who was doing these shells brought them to the Portland Swap Meet each year and maintained the same spot so he could be easily found. The shells were not perfect in every case, but could be shaped by the owner to make a very satisfactory fit.

I purchased several of these shells and was not smart enough to see the end coming and purchase all of them. Eventually the fellow became so old he no longer made the shells nor attend the Portland Swap Meet. No one was in the shadows to take over the business. So he left it to his son who was not really into antique cars. To the best of my knowledge all the molds and tools are in a 40 ft trailer on the property of the son and will forever sit there.

I don't believe anyone is reproducing any of the early shells at this time.

Seeing as some "panel beaters" can build a complete exotic car body from scratch I don't think the problem is can it be done , rather how much will it cost? Check out www.panel-craft.com in Bethlehem N.H.. Some truly amazing craftsmanship.

Down here in Aus. there is a bloke who makes bottom sections in aluminium. I know for sure he does 28's (which have the full lenght sides) and am prety sure he he does 25 to 27 as well.
If anyone is interested please let me know and I'll look up his details.
Chris

I am very interested in the lower half of the 1926 radiator shell. Anybody help?

I would be interested in the cost to make and approximate shipping to 98663.

I have a 1925 (same as '26) original radiator shell, in fairly rough condition, with the typical bottom portion rotted away. At some point somebody made a bottom section repair out of fiberglass and painted it all "aluminum color."

I no longer have my '25, so this shell is for sale, if anybody can make use of it to build one or whatever.

I also recently picked up a pair of the "1925-only" two-piece rocker covers. These are impossible to find - I know a fellow who bought an entire 1925 chassis to get hold of these rocker covers. They are for sale too.

Wow what an adventure owning on old Chevrolet has been. We now have more radiator shells than we need. One in the shop for work. Sure hope it turns out well. We may get to drive the car this summer.

All modern TIG (GTAW) machines are able to do aluminum as well as stainless and steel...When you mention "harmonics", the correct term is "high frequency"...You need it to start the "arc", without it, you must touch the tungsten to the material to start the arc...Which contaminates the tungsten as well as the material you are welding...Aluminum, you leave it on all the time (HF)...Stainless and steel, you use it just to start the arc...The tungsten is sharpened to a point for stainless and steel...It is "balled' to do aluminum...The diameter of the tungsten is usually the same thickness of the material your welding...

Argon, is in general the shielding gas for both MIG (GMAW) and TIG (GTAW), but Helium gas will run a bit hotter, and is preferd in some aluminum applications...(Thick Stuff)...

Using "stick" rods for aluminum is great for castings because of the "contaminants" in the casting (silicon, etc.) And it will burn off contaminants with the flux on the rod...It can be tricky...Since it's hot, go fast...

Using spool guns ( push-pull ) for welding aluminum I don't recommend...Besides, being a bit...How should I say this...Ah, I just won't go there...There for welds like production...Trailer's, etc...Not nice stuff...

That is another problem with older aluminum...It's not the quality of more modern stuff like 6061 (aircraft apps) or 4342, etc...So, who knows the kind of junk is in it...

Did you know the top of the Washington Monument is aluminum...? It was more valuable than gold at the time it was built...And the marble to build it was shipped from here in Columbia, California...? Here I go, off topic... Again...

As far as copper "spoons" are concerned, I usually use then to help keep the weld from dropping through ( aluminum can develop "hot shortness", as it's called ) or as to prevent the lack of shielding gas from oxidizing the backside...Common problem with stainless...

Back to radiator shells...It would seem that the best idea would be to fabricate new ones, rather than try to repair the old ones...Okay, I'm done...

It cost's a fortune...You want to see a nice custom car...? Google Hetflield's "Black Pearl"

The story sounds very plausible...From my experience with using metal as your mold or fixture...You can run into problems with welding shrinkage or warpage that makes it near imposable to remove it from the fixtures...One reason I use wooden forms to make stained glass lamps...I'd be interested in hearing more about this process and how it was done...