[ponchjoe]

Hey all, with the onslaught of aluminum radiators, is there any worth in original 4 row brass radiators or should I just scrap it? 67 LeMans 17.5”

[6d7gto]

If an original radiator...Keep it!

[indymanjoe]

x's 2 I had my copper redone 15yrs ago and still looks/works perfect

[b-man]

Sure it’s worth something to someone.

As long as that someone lives close enough to pick it up, the cost of shipping that radiator is ridiculously expensive now and probably costs about as much as you could sell it for.

Selling the tanks alone is probably your best bet and then there’s the hassle of removing them.

These brass radiators are a tough sell, a local friend offered me a free 4-row brass 1964 radiator a few years ago and I’ve yet to pick it up. Bought a new aluminum radiator when I needed one and already had a good 4-row brass one in my 1964 Le Mans to begin with.

I ended up replacing it with a Cold Case Super Duty aluminum with two 1-1/4” tubes in the ‘66 -‘67 configuration as that’s the only style they sell with the larger tubes. The more efficient driver side inlet passenger side outlet was the way to go (factory air & automatic transmission) replacing the less efficient passenger side top and bottom configuration. If you’re going to spend the money you’d best make it worth it.

Used radiators can’t just be bolted in and used in many instances. It does cost considerable money to bring them up to snuff and that’s why people nowadays prefer to buy new aluminum unless they absolutely must have an original brass one for a picky correct restoration or show car. Local radiator repair shops aren’t around everywhere like they once were.

Scrapping it becomes attractive when you run out of room to store things that you’re never going to use.

[ponchjoe]

I am out of room lol

Couldn’t sell a 70 4 row for 2 yrs, decided to scrap it

Originally Posted by b-man

Sure it’s worth something to someone.

As long as that someone lives close enough to pick it up, the cost of shipping that radiator is ridiculously expensive now and probably costs about as much as you could sell it for.

Selling the tanks alone is probably your best bet and then there’s the hassle of removing them.

These brass radiators are a tough sell, a local friend offered me a free 4-row brass 1964 radiator a few years ago and I’ve yet to pick it up. Bought a new aluminum radiator when I needed one.

Used radiators can’t just be bolted in and used in many instances. It does cost considerable money to bring them up to snuff and that’s why people nowadays prefer to buy new aluminum unless they absolutely must have an original brass one for a picky correct restoration or show car.

Scrapping it becomes attractive when you run out of room to store things that you’re never going to use.

[b-man]

Nobody’s wanting to pay $150 to ship a $200 used radiator.

Back when you could ship them for $50 or less it was feasible, nowadays forget it.

I tossed a perfectly good straight rust-free ‘69 GP hood into the scrap bin. It went in there along with two 1964 rear end housings and I didn’t get a dime for any of them. I was just happy to be rid of them. Couldn’t find a local buyer and of course nobody was interested in paying shipping on a 100 pound giant size hood

Sad but not everything is worth keeping or saving, I spent way too much time and effort storing and moving that hood around and after a while it was like it owned me.

Get your scrap money for that radiator and move on.

[indymanjoe]

if it fits your car why not have it redone and use it?

[b-man]

Getting a brass radiator redone means having it recored. Nowadays you’ll be spending twice what a new aluminum radiator costs to do that.

For a correct restoration you might, otherwise why?

Just having it boiled and rodded out it a waste of money. You end up with a used radiator that already past its useful service life with new black paint on it.

[indymanjoe]

yea i guess im biased as i know a great radiator shop who recores them for what was at the time a good price.

[b-man]

Back in 1979 I was building a funky project, it was a 1969 VW Squareback with a 1964 225 Buick V6 adapted to the VW transaxle.

I mounted the Buick radiator up front in the spare tire well after cutting open the front apron for cooling air and removing the tire well that was held in by a single nut and stud.

Anyway that little radiator out of a Buick Special cost me upwards of $350 to recore way back then. Turned out to be a waste of money as not long after that I replaced it with another wider downflow radiator I got for next to nothing.

Aluminum radiators are a godsend, cheap enough to replace when they are worn out and they have superior cooling.

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by indymanjoe

if it fits your car why not have it redone and use it?

No need to, went cold case like a lot of people have

[rockdoc]

Originally Posted by indymanjoe

yea i guess im biased as i know a great radiator shop who recores them for what was at the time a good price.

I too had mine recored locally for about half the price of a new Al radiator. It was original to the car. Now, if I can just get another 50 years out of the recore, like the original, I'll be happy...

I realize you've already replaced yours..

[ponchjoe]

I looked this radiator over and it was an aftermarket brass so no value in dated tanks. I’m in south central Indiana if anyone what to meet up. $50 lol

[Sunfirered64]

If it has the correct tags, then yes it is worth something, if it is functioning yes someone will want it. Did my time with the aluminum radiators and really don't want anything to do with them. Someone will want it for more than you can get for scrap.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by Sunfirered64

If it has the correct tags, then yes it is worth something, if it is functioning yes someone will want it. Did my time with the aluminum radiators and really don't want anything to do with them. Someone will want it for more than you can get for scrap.

Curious exactly which brand or type of aluminum radiators you were unhappy with. I know some don’t look close enough to an original radiator for some tastes and some don’t bolt in without some modifications to the car.

I know some are fully TIG welded construction and others use epoxy to seal the tubes.

A lot of people are going to aluminum radiators for their hobby cars not to mention they’re widely used by OEMs.

I’m sure they’re not without their problems but I wonder why they’re so widely used if they’re not just as good or superior in heat exchanging ability compared to brass radiators.

It can’t be solely for the weight reduction, which certainly does matter when looking to reduce overall vehicle weight to achieve better fuel efficiency.

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by Sunfirered64

If it has the correct tags, then yes it is worth something, if it is functioning yes someone will want it. Did my time with the aluminum radiators and really don't want anything to do with them. Someone will want it for more than you can get for scrap.

Never had a problem with Cold Case aluminum rads but I’m certain there are cheap junk out there.

[dataway]

Aluminum radiators and heat sinks are used for two reasons, way cheaper, way lighter.

Copper has almost twice the thermal conductivity as aluminum.

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/t...als-d_858.html

In critical engineering applications where cost and weight are not an issue you will see copper and brass, such as marine applications, heavy transport etc. Old cars used copper and brass because at the time it was probably cheaper and more durable than aluminum of the day, aluminum was still very much an "Aerospace" material back then. Not to mention the lack of the advanced aluminum alloys they have now.

Heat exchanger science has some a long way in 60 years, a modern aluminum radiator probably has inch for inch the same ability to remove heat as an old school copper radiator. Aluminum is a far more reactive metal so it's not going to last as long ... but then how long is long enough? Specially if replacement cost is very low.

Obviously the ultimate solution would be a copper/brass radiator with a modern design, but the price would be in the thousands. If you look at modern industrial heat exchangers copper and brass are still very widely used, and stainless steel (which has a horrible thermal conductivity) for corosive environments. But aluminum is also used, usually in lower temp, lower pressure and non-corosive environments.

Of course if money was no object you could use Silver ... it has a slightly higher thermal conductivity than copper If you look at the price of an industrial copper/brass heat exchanger you'd think they were made of silver.

[Sunfirered64]

Have done several in many cars, brands don't seem to really matter, but they all tend to start to leak at the welds at the tank to fins. At that point they are unrepairable, this has happened in by FJ40, my FZJ80, my 95 Firebird, my 99 Corvette, so it's a big pass for me. Copper brass I have never had overheating with, even with a three core with hot engines in a classic car, and they are repairable if they get a leak. Ran/owned an automotive repair shop for almost 20 years, and I've seen it on those cars as well, thrown more aluminum radiators into the scrap bin than I care to even think of.