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radiator 1940 super series 56


-morten-

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Here you go Morten:

 

http://classicfordradiator.com/radiatorsforgmvehicles.aspx

 

See what they can do for you.  They can rebuild your radiator but may also be able to fab a new one for you.  Due to cost of shipping between you and this company, you might call them to find out what you can do to strip your radiator of weight.  Just an idea but if they had the top and bottom tank, they might be able to replicate something in aluminum for you.  I'm not sure of any other material or alloy currently being used than the original copper or new aluminum.

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Oh, BTW, I've used them before and they sell a "good" radiator, not a "low cost" radiator.  I just had to replace on in my old Ford, got 28 years out of the last one.  Just be wary of low cost radiators, they are usually made of thinner material to get the cost low.

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On 7/13/2018 at 7:57 AM, Morgan Wright said:

There is a NOS one on ebay now, but they want $720 for it. But it's NOS!

 

 

Congrats on your radiator Morten.

 

A friend had his '40 Special radiator re-cored for about $700.  Seems for such a large radiator that was the going price.  The problem I hear for these older radiators is the lack of availability of top an bottom tanks.  The core is apparently easier to replicate or replace.

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Hello sir. My name is John Henry from Washington state and all I work on is radiators, every kind imaginable. I do rebuilds and recores daily. I can have a core made directly to the specification of your old radiator and clean the tanks and fix any dents or holes in it and put it back into the new core. It doesn't get any more closer to original than that sir. 

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I can pressure test the old radiator and if there are leaks in tubes and no damage is showing then it can't be rebuilt, but if it checks out well I can rebuild that radiator from too to bottom sir and have it looking great and stronger than ever!! 

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The radiator for my 1940 Special is on the fritz. It worked fine as long as the 7 pound cap was corroded and didn't hold any pressure. But like a genius I went out and bought a new 7 pound cap...….and the radiator leaks like a colander full of spaghetti now. Wish I had the old corroded cap back.

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14 hours ago, John Henry said:

Hello sir. My name is John Henry from Washington state and all I work on is radiators, every kind imaginable. I do rebuilds and recores daily. I can have a core made directly to the specification of your old radiator and clean the tanks and fix any dents or holes in it and put it back into the new core. It doesn't get any more closer to original than that sir. 

 

 

i'll keep that in mind, thanks. can you pm me some contactinfo?

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4 hours ago, Morgan Wright said:

The radiator for my 1940 Special is on the fritz. It worked fine as long as the 7 pound cap was corroded and didn't hold any pressure. But like a genius I went out and bought a new 7 pound cap...….and the radiator leaks like a colander full of spaghetti now. Wish I had the old corroded cap back.

 

 

you know what they say; if it aint broke, dont fix it.

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3 hours ago, Morgan Wright said:

It's leaking again. It's broke.

 

If it is broke, you can fix it.

 

Bars Leak has a verry good radiator sealer. I have used it several times and are verry impressed. I would try that and hope it would last trew the summer. 

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On 7/14/2018 at 7:44 PM, John Henry said:

Hello sir. My name is John Henry from Washington state and all I work on is radiators, every kind imaginable. I do rebuilds and recores daily. I can have a core made directly to the specification of your old radiator and clean the tanks and fix any dents or holes in it and put it back into the new core. It doesn't get any more closer to original than that sir. 

 

What city are you in?

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2 hours ago, -morten- said:

 

If it is broke, you can fix it.

 

Bars Leak has a verry good radiator sealer. I have used it several times and are verry impressed. I would try that and hope it would last trew the summer. 

 

I wish I bought the NOS one from ebay. Give it back. It's mine!

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19 minutes ago, -morten- said:

 

 

migth do 30 minutes if it is raining.

 

 

I love going to car shows in the rain. Gives me a chance to show off my electric wiper motor (I stopped doing vacuum wipers 3 or 4 cars ago)

 

Get one at Bob's Automobilia. It says for 12 volts only, but it works fine with my 6 volt car. Just a little slower.

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2 hours ago, Morgan Wright said:

Get one at Bob's Automobilia. It says for 12 volts only, but it works fine with my 6 volt car. Just a little slower.

 

 

i use electric ones my selves. a small 6v-12v converter costs next to nothing, and can be used for gps and other items.

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Have not removed mine yet, but here is how i am told by the helpfull Daves1940Buick56S:

 

**

If you want to pull the radiator the hood has to come off. The hood's a little dynamic once loose so it's best to do with 3 people, one on the front. The grille does not have to come off. The top piece over the radiator is part of the shell and front clip and does not come off. To remove the radiator, pull the water pump and remove the hood. Then take out the bolts holding the radiator on to the shell and lift up and back towards the top of the engine. It takes 2 people although I have been told that back in the day 1 mechanic with a strong back could do it standing on the front bumper.

**

 

 

Bars Leak radiator fix!

 

Edited by -morten- (see edit history)
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I think the water pump is shot. It started making noise, which I ignored. That happened right before the car started running hot. Then one day it was 98 degrees out, coolant boiled through the corroded 7 pound cap. I thought I should get a new cap, brilliant idea. Nice way to fix a broken water pump....get a new cap!

 

So, all the stress caused the radiator to start leaking. If I had fixed the water pump none of this would have happened.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just got a new water pump from Cars LLC. They said the seal is improved over the original. A NOS water pump was $300 and this was $119, I love NOS parts but the seal would be 70 years old, which would not be good, and I like the sound of "improved" and at 1/3 the price I went with a new one. Aftermarket parts can be awesome too.

 

Putting it on tomorrow. Wait.......I have to take the friggin radiator out and repair it first.

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My engine is a 263 replacement engine from 1953 but I don't think it makes a difference on removing the radiator. I also had to cut off the drain petcock because it stuck out forward and I could not pull the radiator up because it catches on sheet metal at the bottom. I don't know about your drain if it's the same as mine, it sticks forward about 3 inches and totally hooked everything, and I could not get the nut off either to remove it normally because the nut is brass and the wrench just deformed it, so I had to hack it off with a hack saw.

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