VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Pulling a Radiator

I’m going to pull the radiator on my ”˜37 Master Deluxe Coupe and want to check if I have the steps right. I’ve pull the radiators on my ”˜36’s a number of times. The main difference I can see, is the ”˜37’s fill neck sticks up through the front end sheet metal.

Is this the sequence?
Remove hoods and the center trim piece with the hood ornament, remove fan and water pump, unbolt the 3 bolts on each side of the radiator (I assume there aren’t nuts on the grill side which would be impossible to grip), lower the radiator down for the fill neck to clear the front end sheet metal, loosen up the two tie-rods at the firewall and tilt them up, then tilt the radiator towards the engine and lift it out.

I’m hoping the front end doesn’t have to be disassembled first. Thanks for any input.

Matt

It may be easier to take the fenders loose, hood off, radiator support loose and a few other items. Then set the fenders and all off as a unit. (Hard to do without help)

After the above you can get easy access to the radiator.

Owing to you car being so nice, you have to be especially careful no matter what process you use.

Pros and Cons in your process:

a. Pro. It may seem less intrusive operation/surgery.

b. Con. May be more libel to bend some fins in the radiator core or punch a hole in a flue,

c. Pro/ You can do the job without help.

d. Con. Much more stress,

e. Pro. You can tidy up the front of the engine with the whole unit out of the way.

f. Con. May take less time but more stress whilst doing it.

g. Con. Within earshot range, you must keep the area clear of women and children. This may prove to be a frustrating and unenforceable task.

Good luck with your choice of disassembly. Afterwards, you will undoubtedly wish you would have done it the other way.

Best,

Charlie

BTW: What does the manual say about this issue?

Thanks so much for taking the time to write a reply.

I left the front fenders on but removed the hood and grlll shell with the radiator in it.

Uncle Ed,

Well, that may be a compelety different way to do it, also but seems even more trouble than either one of those mentioned.

Are you one of those guys what thinks that owing to the orientation of nail heads some are for the other side of the barn? Thought so. (I'm jest messin' with ya)

Best,

Charlie

I removed and replaced the radiator on my '37 Master coupe without removing the fenders or radiator shell. I felt like that approach was going to be a lot more work than necessary.

I did remove the hood and the center radiator brace. Remember that there is a left and a right to the brace.

You have to remove the fan as well as the water pump, water outlet, and thermostat housing. If I remember correctly I even removed the valve cover to give just a little more room to tilt the radiator as you slide it out and in.

If you are worried about damaging fins you can tape a layer of cardboard (like from a cereal box) to the back side. Corrugated paper(what we normally call carboard) is could be a little thick.