35buickakaBelle Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) hi looking to buy a radiator for my 1935 buick S40 that in good shape. I had lead here but went cold. i took the radiator of my buick and is cracked on top not sure if is savable. Thanks Luis Edited June 12, 2019 by 35buickakaBelle (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Luis, Looking at your radiator, I have seen worse fixed. I would take it to a good radiator shop and have them pull the ends and check the condition of the core. The cracked end can be fixed when it is off the core. You might get another radiator, but a used radiator would probable still need to be taken to a good radiator shop for evaluation. Where are you located? Edited February 19, 2019 by Larry Schramm (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35buickakaBelle Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 32 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said: Luis, Looking at your radiator, I have seen worse fixed. I would take it to a good radiator shop and have them pull the ends and check the condition of the core. The cracked end can be fixed when it is off the core. You might get another radiator, but a used radiator would probable still need to be taken to a good radiator shop for evaluation. Where are you located? Thanks for the reply. i live in Fort Myers Florida. So it would be best to get it fixed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I would start there by finding a "good" radiator shop. Ask for an evaluation and what they say. If you need, I have a car friend in Bradenton and I can ask him for a referral for a good shop. Let me know you want me to ask. I am in the Detroit area and there are not very many old time knowledgeable shops still around that know well how to fix these old radiators. You might have to travel a ways to get a good place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35buickakaBelle Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 im going to call around. I don't mind shipping it out to where ever it needs to go. to get the best repair. Thanks for the replys. i will let you know thanks Luis. BTW you got some nice cars i hope to get a older buick soon 😀 if my wife let me lol. TTYL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 2 minutes ago, 35buickakaBelle said: im going to call around. I don't mind shipping it out to where ever it needs to go. to get the best repair. Thanks for the replys. i will let you know thanks Luis. BTW you got some nice cars i hope to get a older buick soon 😀 if my wife let me lol. TTYL If you get to the Detroit area, give me a call and we can go for a ride.....as long as it is not in the winter, but might try if it is a dry day and you are really wrapped up warm. 30 MPH at 20deg F is VERY COLD!! Thanks for the comment on our cars. My wife and I are committed to driving them as much as we can. Standard process is to Drive it, Break it, Fix it, Repeat. I have done that more than once. Believe it or not, with every break we fix a weak spot and then it lasts longer until the next failure. I now have my soon to be son in law and daughter interested in touring with us. We have enough running vehicles that they can join us on tours. We belong to the Horseless Carriage Club and the VMCCA and go on tours with both clubs. Driving the old cars are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35buickakaBelle Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 11 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said: If you get to the Detroit area, give me a call and we can go for a ride.....as long as it is not in the winter, but might try if it is a dry day and you are really wrapped up warm. 30 MPH at 20deg F is VERY COLD!! Thanks for the comment on our cars. My wife and I are committed to driving them as much as we can. Standard process is to Drive it, Break it, Fix it, Repeat. I have done that more than once. Believe it or not, with every break we fix a weak spot and then it lasts longer until the next failure. I now have my soon to be son in law and daughter interested in touring with us. We have enough running vehicles that they can join us on tours. We belong to the Horseless Carriage Club and the VMCCA and go on tours with both clubs. Driving the old cars are the best. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Beautiful looking car. Looks like it could come out of a Chicago gangster movie from the 30's. Edited February 19, 2019 by Larry Schramm (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Belle is bellisima! Very nice car! Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 35buickakabelle - - - I’m north of you and we have a real “old timer” radiator shop in Tamps. I had them rebuild my 40 series 248 radiator and they did it right. I was able to go in their shop and see how etc. I next needed a 60 series radiator disassembled and cleaned up. You know, mouse nests etc. they again rebuilt it and it does a good job. If you bring it to them, so they can see it, I’m sure they car get you back working. The mounting brackets are the important pieces. Custom shapes compared to a regular radiator. I’m going to replace my ‘35’ - 58 radiator with my ‘38’ - 46 radiator. Of course, I'll need the mounting brackets to swap. But, the brackets can be duplicated and mounted on a 40 series radiator. My 40 series radiator is more normally configured compared to a 50 series radiator with the wierd thernomer position and return pipe and other .... If you are interested, let me know. ‘Oldbuickjim@gmail.com’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35buickakaBelle Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/1/2019 at 7:08 PM, Jim Nelson said: 35buickakabelle - - - I’m north of you and we have a real “old timer” radiator shop in Tamps. I had them rebuild my 40 series 248 radiator and they did it right. I was able to go in their shop and see how etc. I next needed a 60 series radiator disassembled and cleaned up. You know, mouse nests etc. they again rebuilt it and it does a good job. If you bring it to them, so they can see it, I’m sure they car get you back working. The mounting brackets are the important pieces. Custom shapes compared to a regular radiator. I’m going to replace my ‘35’ - 58 radiator with my ‘38’ - 46 radiator. Of course, I'll need the mounting brackets to swap. But, the brackets can be duplicated and mounted on a 40 series radiator. My 40 series radiator is more normally configured compared to a 50 series radiator with the wierd thernomer position and return pipe and other .... If you are interested, let me know. ‘Oldbuickjim@gmail.com’. Do you the name of the shop? i live only 2 hr away not to far. i could drive up there with my radiator and see what can they do. thanks for the reply. Im so anxious to ket her running right. I've being trying to fix my over heating problem and this is my last thing to do. Also send my pics of that radiator you have? thanks much appreciate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 The name of the radiator shop in Tampa is : Guarantee Radiator. I believe they are on Bush blvd on the north side of Tampa. 813-932-4371 . They do everything from small car stuff to big industrial radiators . Is your engine block clean ? Amazon has a product called ”Thermocure” that I have used. I had a ‘37’ special that I got with no history. I bought three bottles. The first run thru gave me VERY dark water indicating the coolant had reacted with a-lot of rust. My second run thru gave me a lighter brown coolant. SomI ran a third batch and the coolant was fairly light brown. So it was a reasonably good chemical that removed a lot but probably still not as good as pulling the freeze plugs and scrapping removing some that way. Then, there is the expensive way by having the block hot tanked. As my friend says, “LAYS YOUR MONEY DOWN AND TAKES YOUR CHANCES”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1967 - 1997 Riviera Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 6:03 AM, 35buickakaBelle said: Thank you. SHARP!...SHARP!!...SHARP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Do you have seal beam head lights ? Or are they the 7” ones ? My 50 series has the 7” lights. I’ve taken them apart and the buld is stuck in the reflector. I will work on it. The reflectors need to be re-silvered. I read a few years back of a different reflector material in place of silver. I will check them out when I find them. I am going to replace the single circuit parking light (inside the main light enclosure). with a dual circuit socket so I can have turn signals. This was done on my ‘38’ bullet parking light assembly's. I’m having toooo much fun.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 If you can not find a radiator, I ran across a friend Ralph Becamp who has a 35 coupe. A very pretty car - show condition. Anyway, he says he has a radiator back in MD / VA that he is bringing back here. He is in Lecanto Fl. about 80 miles north of me in Clearwater. So, this might be a source in case you can not repair yours. One of his is twisted a bit from a accident way back. The top and bottom may be good enough by just replacing the 3" core and your home free. Plus a new core with modern core cooling will do a better job of cooling. They now use a textured tube for the water to reduce the surface friction so water is cooled better. There is a temperature gradient on the water in the tubes that runs from the very interior surface to the center of the tube. The new tubes have a 'rough' surface on the interior to minimize the stagnant water next to the tube itself to the center of the tube. Ya, I'm a bit weird but that is how it works. I use the ole shark skin example. They are rough but the shark is one of the fastest fish in the ocean. Their surface has a very low surface friction thus a fast fish. I found out ( via my service manual ) that our radiators are 3" core thickness and the 40 series radiator has surface area of 425 sq in. If you have a 35-50 series (which I have ) I have a 3" core with a surface area of 437 sq in. Good surface area so they cooled our '35' cars pretty well. Now for the weirdness of Buick - - - I have a '38' 46 series with the standard radiator - that the factory only had a 2 core radiator / and only 389 sq in. surface area. The '37" 40 series also had the same radiator. Now, WHY would Buick use a smaller radiator on the bigger 248 engine when Buick used a bigger radiator on a smaller engine (233 cu in. ) 80 HP. Smaller HP means less BTU's to reject in the radiator. The 248 engine had around 100 hp and thus needed to reject increased cooling to survive. I changed my smaller 248 radiator for the bigger (320 cu in. ) which has a 3" core. I'm in pretty good shape. BTW, for those who need additional cooling, change the 37 -38 radiators to a three core and move it about 1" forward. Need to - - - - for fan spacing. I love my service manual you NEED TO HAVE ONE and read it. Just like the radiator issue. Lots of trivia but it makes us having a good driving car. I have a 34/35 service manual , and a digital '36' SM, a '37' SM, '38' SM a '47' SM and a '54' SM. I've rebuilt rear ends, ring and pinions because they have a very tight wearing issue. The rear pinion bearing (usually a roller bearing) can only have .0005 to .0015 sloppyness. And if the bearing is that loose (? ?) the front double row bearing is also going to be bad.. Isn't this a great forum for information ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35buickakaBelle Posted May 10, 2019 Author Share Posted May 10, 2019 19 hours ago, Jim Nelson said: If you can not find a radiator, I ran across a friend Ralph Becamp who has a 35 coupe. A very pretty car - show condition. Anyway, he says he has a radiator back in MD / VA that he is bringing back here. He is in Lecanto Fl. about 80 miles north of me in Clearwater. So, this might be a source in case you can not repair yours. One of his is twisted a bit from a accident way back. The top and bottom may be good enough by just replacing the 3" core and your home free. Plus a new core with modern core cooling will do a better job of cooling. They now use a textured tube for the water to reduce the surface friction so water is cooled better. There is a temperature gradient on the water in the tubes that runs from the very interior surface to the center of the tube. The new tubes have a 'rough' surface on the interior to minimize the stagnant water next to the tube itself to the center of the tube. Ya, I'm a bit weird but that is how it works. I use the ole shark skin example. They are rough but the shark is one of the fastest fish in the ocean. Their surface has a very low surface friction thus a fast fish. I found out ( via my service manual ) that our radiators are 3" core thickness and the 40 series radiator has surface area of 425 sq in. If you have a 35-50 series (which I have ) I have a 3" core with a surface area of 437 sq in. Good surface area so they cooled our '35' cars pretty well. Now for the weirdness of Buick - - - I have a '38' 46 series with the standard radiator - that the factory only had a 2 core radiator / and only 389 sq in. surface area. The '37" 40 series also had the same radiator. Now, WHY would Buick use a smaller radiator on the bigger 248 engine when Buick used a bigger radiator on a smaller engine (233 cu in. ) 80 HP. Smaller HP means less BTU's to reject in the radiator. The 248 engine had around 100 hp and thus needed to reject increased cooling to survive. I changed my smaller 248 radiator for the bigger (320 cu in. ) which has a 3" core. I'm in pretty good shape. BTW, for those who need additional cooling, change the 37 -38 radiators to a three core and move it about 1" forward. Need to - - - - for fan spacing. I love my service manual you NEED TO HAVE ONE and read it. Just like the radiator issue. Lots of trivia but it makes us having a good driving car. I have a 34/35 service manual , and a digital '36' SM, a '37' SM, '38' SM a '47' SM and a '54' SM. I've rebuilt rear ends, ring and pinions because they have a very tight wearing issue. The rear pinion bearing (usually a roller bearing) can only have .0005 to .0015 sloppyness. And if the bearing is that loose (? ?) the front double row bearing is also going to be bad.. Isn't this a great forum for information ? it is one the best I've got my car up and running before from this forum. I learned a lot from this forum about my car. you gave lots of in formation. I do have a service manual I've used it to fix some electrical issues and mechanical. I found a decent radiator on ebay but the seller won't ship and looks little over my budget. oh and my head lights are multi beam and about 8" they work just have to fix the ground again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 So, Are you interested in the radiator I found ? It will require core work. I’m sure he would sell it. He has a good one but I don’t know if he would sell it. Give me a call and lets chat about the details on this. 727-251-6261 almost any day after noon till 9 ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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