This is a question within a rant so bear with me. Every early A-body I've had with the big-tank radiator starts leaking from the top tank. They always start cracking near the cap.

Anyway, to cure this problem 15 years ago, we bought a NOS radiator for my grandma's (now my) Valiant. Now the NOS one is cracked in the same spot. I tried soldering it up but it leaks again..

So I have the original radiator (blown apart tank seam) and the formerly-NOS radiator with a crack...

On our old Dart I was able to get a local shop to solder up the cracks but it cracked again...

Is there a solution? I'm planning on just bringing both radiators down to the radiator shop that did our Dart's rad and having them build one up from the best parts of both but I do feel like I'm going down the same path.

Of course I could just accept this state of affairs and solder cracks every couple of years...

I've used de-soldering braid to fix cracked tubes (make the braid wide and wrap around, solder) Sort of a metal composite.

I think the same principle would work.

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

See this thread.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

So Dan,

Is your source set up to build more of these radiators?

CJ

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Nice but I'd like to have more of a stock look - I used a universal aluminum radiator from Summit in my V8 64 Dart. It worked so well I had to go back to a hotter thermostat even in LA traffic!

I was trying to relocate a stock A/C radiator recently too. All you can really do is keep looking and post up in the want-ads.

If you want to get yours rebuilt/repaired, call around to radiator shops in your area. Try and do research of possible to locate an 'old guy' that has been doing this for a while.

I personally like the look of original radiators myself, and I had to search for quite a while to find one. They are getting rare.....

I have a guy (actually the son of a guy) that's been in business since 1947. They did the radiator on my dart.

Good question! I think so — give him a shout and ask. Remind him of the '62 Dodge Lancer he built for Dan Stern and see what he says.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The roundtop tanks have always been relatively difficult to solder to the core with good leak-free durability, and as I understand it they got a lot harder when the cores started coming through with the tank interface edges set up without the double flange (as the original round-top cores had).

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I stuffed an F-body radiator in mine - it's almost a direct fit. However, the junkyard radiator had, you guessed it, cracking problems too. I'm now in the process of putting in an aluminum circle track unit.

_________________
"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair