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View Full Version : Harrison radiator restoration

William
10-08-2021, 04:30 PM
Anyone doing these?
Mr.Nickey Nova
10-08-2021, 09:36 PM
Try a local radiator shop. Had mine done by a local shop a while back. They reused my original tanks and upper an lower cross bars. Guy said you can't get any more original than that. Not cheap, over $500.00... Getting harder to find shops that do recores.
Jonesy
10-08-2021, 09:44 PM
My local radiator shop up here in Superior does them. He has recored several for me.
dustinm
10-08-2021, 09:48 PM
My F-I-L does them and you get a 2 year warranty - his thinking is that if it doesn't last at minimum 10 years he did something wrong. He is a little far from you though and is going to retire very soon, but he says that all the time.

I wish I would have video taped some of his work, but when I had time to do so cellphones didnt have cameras or texting for that matter, very interesting time lapsed.
67since67
10-08-2021, 10:24 PM
My F-I-L does them


Is he also in Iowa? Waterloo or Cedar Rapids?
rlw68
10-08-2021, 11:10 PM
Anyone doing these?

Check with Scuncio (Tony)

:wink:
William
10-08-2021, 11:30 PM
My F-I-L does them and you get a 2 year warranty - his thinking is that if it doesn't last at minimum 10 years he did something wrong. He is a little far from you though and is going to retire very soon, but he says that all the time.

I wish I would have video taped some of his work, but when I had time to do so cellphones didnt have cameras or texting for that matter, very interesting time lapsed.

Sent you a pm.
scuncio
10-08-2021, 11:32 PM
Send me a PM.
William
10-09-2021, 02:21 AM
Send me a PM.

PM sent
carnut4life
10-09-2021, 02:26 AM
Here in Iowa I've had Radiator Masters in St. Olaf, IA re-core the original radiators for my 69 Grand Prix and 72 Trans Am and was quite pleased with the results. I'd be very hesitant to ship a radiator these days Bill unless you can make it FedEx proof as njsteve likes to say. My GP had an aftermarket 4 core in it when I bought and when I had the previous owner ship the original to me the core and drivers side inlet were beat up so bad I had to get another tank for it before I could get it re-cored.

https://www.radiatormaster.com/
Lynn
10-09-2021, 02:30 AM
Definitely a dying art.

We have one guy left in the OKC metro who still runs the radiator shop his father started in the late 40s. One man operation. He recored my Z/28 radiator, as well as the one on my 69 Opel GT. Fortunately, he is just a few blocks from my office.

I also drug in the radiator off my British Limo (a Vanden Plas Princess). He immediately recognized it as a Rolls Royce radiator (Vanden Plas did the coachwork for Rolls and Bentley Limos in the 50s and 60s and used the same radiator on its own Limo). The old core was not salvageable, but he had a custom core made up, and it still runs as cool as a cucumber. Not cheap, but really no alternative.

Most larger metro areas have at least one traditional radiator shop left. I don't know what we will do when those guys start retiring. I suspect there will be one or two left in the country, and we all have to ship there.
Lynn
10-09-2021, 02:30 AM
I think I would build my own wooden crate before shipping a rare muscle car radiator.
Mr70
10-09-2021, 01:16 PM
Highly recommend https://alenauto.com/ ,they've done some 15 radiators for me over the last 30 years.
Lenny has be restoring radiators for some 40 + years.I used to buy his stock,then tap him to restore them.All his original Harrison radiator stock has long since dried up,but his skills sure haven't.His 2 sons are now in business with him.
RPOLS3
10-11-2021, 12:27 PM
Highly recommend https://alenauto.com/ ,they've done some 15 radiators for me over the last 30 years.
Lenny has be restoring radiators for some 40 + years.I used to buy his stock,then tap him to restore them.All his original Harrison radiator stock has long since dried up,but his skills sure haven't.His 2 sons are now in business with him.

Good to hear they are still around - used them back in the day when I lived in Darien/Naperville as well.
dustinm
10-12-2021, 07:58 PM
Is he also in Iowa? Waterloo or Cedar Rapids?

Its been a few days since I last logged on. Their shop is in Ft Atkinson, Ia.
jeremy clark
10-12-2021, 09:41 PM
"Best radiator" here in Hays, KS not only reused my original tanks and upper and lower cross bars, they also reused the ends of the core that the tanks solder to and made sure the rows in the core were spaced exactly the same as original. Cost less than $1,500
Slob44
10-17-2021, 12:27 AM
I used Glen Ray Radiators ….they specialize in MOPAR but he does GM as well. They have done 5 MOPAR and 3 GM radiators and my heater core for my 69 chevelle ss ..amazing work
427yenko
10-17-2021, 05:31 AM
X2 on Glen-Ray in Wausau, WI.
They did the radiator in my '69 Z. Bob is a great guy to work with. Toured the shop with him and he showed me the whole process. Top notch and reasonable.
Bob
wheelhop
10-17-2021, 01:18 PM
You can try Ring Radiator in Antioch, IL. They are close to WI / IL border.
847-395-6550
William
10-23-2021, 04:36 PM
Thanks to all!
turbo69bird
10-27-2021, 03:39 AM
Had razzi in PA do one for me that came out pretty good
randy27
11-02-2021, 07:12 AM
Highly recommend https://alenauto.com/ ,they've done some 15 radiators for me over the last 30 years.
Lenny has be restoring radiators for some 40 + years.I used to buy his stock,then tap him to restore them.All his original Harrison radiator stock has long since dried up,but his skills sure haven't.His 2 sons are now in business with him.
I will pass this to a friend who might need a new rad for his incoming Z project. We'll need to finish installing first the suspension, shocks and bakflip (https://4wheelonline.com/bakflip-tonneau-covers.222468) cover on the truck before clear the garage and take the Z in.
hubleyman
11-02-2021, 05:57 PM
Luckily for me there is still an old school one man radiator shop nearby in downtown Petaluma (Clint at Merv’s Radiator / Petaluma Blvd.). He has repaired or restored quite a few of my OEM radiators over the years and the results have always been great. Just picked up the restored radiator for my 1973 Z/28 last week and once again am very pleased with the results. The total bill was $1000 and the turnaround time was roughly two weeks.

FYI – this thread prompted me to ask him if he would be willing to work on radiators that were shipped by people who couldn’t visit in person. He was open to that method for those who may be interested.

Just wanted to share a few items/tips that were mentioned to me this time around which might be helpful for your own radiator restoration adventures:

1. Evidently the modern day solder used by the new core manufacturers and most radiator shops as well is of lower quality (something to do with the lead vs. tin ratio). As an option, this shop de-solders, cleans and resolders every single joint, tube and fitting with better solder (stronger and lasts longer). It took about 10 pounds of solder and he charged me $60 extra for this one.
2. The attachment point of the top and bottom rails to the side tanks are a typical weak area due to vibrations. Extra solder should be added in those locations for more strength.
3. Some shops (not all) stock or buy complete replacement cores then remove the aftermarket top and bottom rails to install your factory originals. This shop removed my original rails first and shipped them to the core vendor so they got attached to the new core the first time around.
4. Sometimes OEM tanks have thin or weak areas that might be of concern (perhaps after reworking dents or punctures). This shop added extra solder to the inside of my tanks in a couple areas so the outside maintained the original look. If you add to the exterior surface it could change the factory appearance (or do nothing at all which leaves you open for potential leaks).

I like to do my own final prep work and painting, so my radiators come back to me clean and bare. Besides it’s cool to look at all the details first before everything gets covered with paint. Some radiators have their tags soldered to the tanks. The metal ID tag and overflow hose clamp for this particular radiator just clip on so I will install them after the paintwork is complete.
CamarosRus
10-26-2024, 09:24 PM
After Recoring how do the big name resto shops prep the brass tanks, prime and paint the metal........
I'm wanting to apply thin coat of Epoxy Primer and Thin Coat(s) of Single Stage GLOSS Black ?????
jer
10-26-2024, 09:59 PM
That's my method. A light epoxy and a gloss coat of black, not necessarily thin. I just did my '66 vette 427 rad. that way. I was a little disappointed they only could find a 38 tube core, the original was 28. Nobody will care but me, and I really don't either. I called dewitts and asked what they did, they use their own product called "black ice" but basically told me don't overthink this. I do like a gloss coat, non flattened.