radiator recore - $400?

[WillBilly53]

i dropped my radiator and fuel tank off at a shop here in charleston, sc to be boiled out last week.<P>i went by today and the guy said he found some leaks and the radiator needs to be recored. he said it'd be around $400 to recore. and the total for redoing the fuel tank and the recore would be around $550.<P>is this reasonable? i'm wanting to restore my '53 super to a daily driver. are radiators for this model available and would it be more affordable for me to just buy a new one? <P>any suggestions, comments greatly appreciated,<P>thanks!<P>will e.

[our51super]

That souds a bit high to me. We had our radiator re-cored for $330. But then again we live in Maryville, IL so I believe prices will vary somewhat especially on the coasts.

[Guest]

i recore my 1950 buick which means, cutting the top and bottom tanks off, and the replacing the rest. the new pipes are more effective of losing heat, provided you don't paint it! <P>$400 is most likley what they get now for all that sodering.<P>I paid $350 some six years ago, in missouri, and i had a gas tank relinnined last year for $100 buicks

[Bill Stoneberg]

I just paid about the same amount for mine.<BR>That is in the4 ball park unfortunatley. Try to get your old one back as scrap metal men will give you dollars (about 10) for your old one. Hey every little bit helps.

[86 2dr.ltd]

The only one I ever had recored was a 7 core, approx 16" X 24" and it was around 500.00 5 yrs ago. This was a comercial-industrial new core, soldered to my upper & lower tanks.

[Guest miked]

I also had a problem with the radiator in my '60. Because I live in Phoenix, I went with an after market aluminum radiator, it works very well, but it doesn't even pretend to look stock. When I show the car most people notice the rad, and say it's "cool". But then, when ambient air temp is 112 most people wouldn't even consider driving THEIR classic.

[NTX5467]

Radiator shop prices for recores can vary somewhat from area to area. They all have basically the same sources for cores so that part's pretty constant, but their profit margins can vary. <P>From prior experiences, I always buy new if I can get one (typically Modine or Delco) as they are both OEM suppliers. There apparently are differences in solders used to attach the tanks to the core as one 2nd generation radiator shop I use for recores uses solder that lasts and stays hooked whereas recores/clean-outs I used to get done more locally usually seeped inside of about 2 years.<P>I suspect from the other comments that the price for the recore is ball park. The fuel tank price seems appropriate also, just make sure all of the rust and grunge is completely gone from the tank.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

[Guest oldtimer]

i have a '50 super/dynaflow, i checked at a hot rod shop that was a dealer for us radiator (about 1-1 1/2 ago) and they said about $350 for a new one.<p>[ 04-09-2002: Message edited by: oldtimer ]

[Guest]

Check with radiator.com.

[WillBilly53]

thanks everybody for your replies.<BR>i was hoping that that price was way over, but alas i find myself in the reality of auto restoration. no big deal. <P>i searched radiator.com but they don't have anything before 1960. neither does acdelco or modine.<P>could i just get one of the new aluminum radiators with the approximate size of a '53 and slide it in place? by chance does anybody know of an aftermarket radiator make and model that i could use? <P>i'm not trying to cut corners on my baby, if i had 400 buicks to put in her i would do it in a heart beat, but i just don't have that kind of money right now. <P>i don't won't to cheapen the car, but i don't plan on selling her. i plan on driving her daily, not win any awards.<P>thanks in advance,<P>will e.

[Guest]

For gas tank relining, I just buy a quart of gas tank sealer for $21 at my local radiator shop, and do it myself. Take the empty tank to the do-it-yourself car wash, stick the high pressure wand inside and spin it around to loosen all of the rust flakes, drain it out and let it dry, then pour in the gas tank sealer and slosh it around and let it dry (drain off the excess). Bill Hirsch in New Jersey also sells the gas tank sealer by the quart. He advertises by the full page in every issue of Hemmings Motor News. It works very well, and you can save nearly $80 by doing it yourself.<P>Pete Phillips<BR>BCA #7338<BR>Ector, Texas

[TomE_1953]

Go out and buy a copy of Hemmings Motor News at a car shop or auto parts store.<BR>Worth every penny!<P>You'll find plenty of radiator shops and the gas tank restoration specialist with ANYTHING else you need to do to 'Naomi'.<P>Good luck!<BR>It's great that you are restoring her to a daily driver (watch those road-ragers who don't respect 'old girls').<BR>