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1955 Special missing radiator - source for replacement needed, thank you

Guest Roadster911

By Guest Roadster911
in Buick - Post War

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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Hello, I've gotten great help on the forum and need more. My old, probably bad radiator is held by an unscrupulous mechanic that also holds my deposit for work she never did {about that later but in great detail for other Buick owners to avoid the con artist from Riverside, CA}. Long story short, I need to find a good old replacement or some new alternative though I haven't seen one car with new aluminum rad.. Any advice where to look will be appreciated, thank you :)

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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Pm sent, thx

I may have something, but I will not ship. If you can come to SoCal, give me a PM and a part number from the top tank.

Sorry to hear or trouble, I have gotten a strange feeling from said person.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Not so fast apparently ... talked to Harry and since I didn't have old radiator then and holes on rad.support where many, he couldn't find a correct radiator for me just yet. Anybody out there has ordered radiator from Walker and perhaps has a part number ?? Mean time I was able to recover my old radiator and even the deposit in full from that mechanic {major fraud uncovered; she did the right thing and refunded everything to prevent police involvement. The old radiator is bad and needs new core. Got quoted close to $700 to repair...seems like an awful lot for just radiator...is there any other solution perhaps?? Thank you all

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1mortician 1,000+ Points

1mortician

Posted
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Not so fast apparently ... talked to Harry and since I didn't have old radiator then and holes on rad.support where many, he couldn't find a correct radiator for me just yet. Anybody out there has ordered radiator from Walker and perhaps has a part number ?? Mean time I was able to recover my old radiator and even the deposit in full from that mechanic {major fraud uncovered; she did the right thing and refunded everything to prevent police involvement. The old radiator is bad and needs new core. Got quoted close to $700 to repair...seems like an awful lot for just radiator...is there any other solution perhaps?? Thank you all

Have to keep in mind with a 1955 Buick you are dealing with parts that aren't just off the shelf, therefore price always skyrockets. My friend Al from the 1955 Buick Facebook Page just had a brand new Radiator built by Walker for his 1955 Buick Century. I cant imagine they would be very different.

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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Have to keep in mind with a 1955 Buick you are dealing with parts that aren't just off the shelf, therefore price always skyrockets. My friend Al from the 1955 Buick Facebook Page just had a brand new Radiator built by Walker for his 1955 Buick Century. I cant imagine they would be very different.
I'm going to measure my old radiator and Harry said they can build it based on that so will see what comes out better. Price wise I think it was very similar, even cheaper for the new one. Will keep up with progress.Thx
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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Few options are on the horizon from custom made to good-used or re-core old rad... Wanted to know whether or not '54 and '55 radiators are interchangeable?? I got that unscrupulous mechanic to give back all the parts and money {before it became criminal, which it was...fake identity and all that good sh@t, on that later, I gotta built this car first} and the radiator she gave me back is not the one I had in the car. Why I don't know but I dropped it at radiator shop, it needs new core which I can get. I test fitted it and it looks like it would fit just fine in the existing holes... I didn't noticed it was '54 until one of the guys I'm in talks with pointed it out. So is it interchangeable? I have 264 , no A/C.. pretty basic. thank you.

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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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It could be the original radiator. Two of the three of mine say 54 on them. Don't let your anger make you paranoid.
That's what Alice told me the whole time {"you're being paranoid" until my DA friend positively ID-ed her :)}. No, I have pictures of old rad before it was taken and I can read the numbers, she did give me 54 but if it's interchangeable it's ok I guess {unless mine wasn't "junk" as she said and then it's a $700 problem}:( Bottom line is, it is compatible, right?
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60FlatTop 25,000+ Points

60FlatTop

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I changed the water pump (no bolts broke) on my '60 a few years ago. I took the radiator to a friend's shop to recore just for general principles. He was completely against replacing the core because of its condition and the inferior quality of the replacement cores.

Then he went the extra mile. Radiator paint is a special blend that enhances heat flow. Being a fussy PIA, I said it was OK for the core and tanks but not the supports. He graciously glass beaded the supports and painted them satin black, then attached them to the painted core. It cost around 250 bucks.

Bernie

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Guest Roadster911

Guest Roadster911

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Great idea! Thanks for the link, will investigate

I am on another forum for Chevy 47-55 trucks. Some of the guys there have used these folks

in So. Cal. Prices seemed reasonable. One guy said he got an aluminum

piece to fit in the radiator space of a 51 Chevy truck for $200 or so as I recall. Worth a call anyway since

it's in your "hood".

About Us

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Guest 54fins

Guest 54fins

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I had a good spare, but never leave a radiator visible from the road. The scrap metal guys grabbed it. The 54 and 55 are identical and I suspect many 55's have the 54 model. Because of my little scrap episode, I had to buy a radiator and found a good 55 one for $500. If the recore is $600, $700 ish, I would run with that. Even if you find a decent radiator for a few hundred, odds are it needs some work so I doubt you will come out ahead.

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  • 4 years later...
Guest ron p

Guest ron p

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I have a Stock 1955 Buick Radiator in my basement that has been sitting there for 40 years in Great shape!!!  Looking for $250. 00 Plus Shipping .

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