Quote:
Originally Posted by Magicbox51
I would be willing to bet that just about any change other than outer style changes were done either to:
(a) Changes to fix a known bug from the original design
(b) Changes to make the part and thus the car cheaper
(c) Changes to speed up or smooth out assembly of the car which translates to "cheaper" to produce
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IIRC, the earlier radiator was costly to produce. It had some novel features such as the wide water inlet, and oval shaped tubes.
Ford was negotiating a contract with the Flint, MI supplier for the 30-31 Model year radiators, which did not have the same advanced features and were more of a "mom & pop" radiator which was like being made for at least one other car company: round tubes and the straight water inlet primary among these. Ford reasoned that the taller radiator with more "surface area" would compensate for the advanced features.
To "transition" to the new radiator, Ford agreed to use of available stock of the funnel top and henceforth (late '29) use the 30-31 details in normal radiator production.
This may be covered in the "Ford Model A" by DeAngelis. IIRC, he shows the tube patterns of the radiator changes.
Joe K