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#1 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: La Crosse, WI
Posts: 10
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Here's a pic of my 1941 Super Deluxe convertible on a hot summer's day with stop and go driving. Clearly she doesn't like it. Any suggestions of what to do to keep her cooler? There's a big aluminum radiator and I just had water pumps replaced. Wondering if an electric fan might be the way to go here? I'm an early for newbie so would appreciate any wisdom others have on the subject.
Last edited by shinton; 06-02-2023 at 01:19 PM. |
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#2 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,664
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The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
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#3 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: La Crosse, WI
Posts: 10
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One other detail the big aluminum radiator is also supposedly new just before I purchased the car.
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#4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 6,688
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Too bad you don’t have the original copper/brass radiator, which would have a better cooling coefficient than aluminum. Also, we’ve heard recently that at least one aluminum manufacturer is palming off 3 core radiators and claiming them better than 4 core copper. If you keep your aluminum radiator, check your pressure cap, and install a recovery tank. Also check your thermostats, should be 180, with bleed holes to pass a small quantity of water even when cold and closed.
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Alan |
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#5 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: La Crosse, WI
Posts: 10
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Thanks for the tips, Alan. I wondered if it might be better to go back to copper. I think the previous owner was probably trying to save some money. I have no idea what the temp is other than "H"... My plan regardless is to get 2 new temp gauges so I can see just how hot each side is getting.
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,664
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The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
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#7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: upstate SC
Posts: 2,989
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did you put high flow water pumps on the engine? are you using "water wetter" 2 bottles along with 50/50 mixture of water/ antifreeze
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#8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 317
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Not too familiar with the '41 but, are you missing the upper shroud piece that fits between the top of the grill and the upper part of the radiator? On my '47, that piece plays a major role in forcing the cool air through the radiator.
(Beautiful car BTW.) Phil Last edited by 47topless; 06-02-2023 at 03:32 PM. |
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#9 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,664
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__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
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#10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 3,833
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I'd find a NOS radiator and put it in there. With a new, clean radiator and properly timed ignition system, no over heat.
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#11 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 3,288
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So how hot is hot. Is it spewing water out of the overflow?? What’s the actual temperature?
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#12 |
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys
Posts: 10,450
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#13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 6,688
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Now there's an idea: A Locating Service for rare and scarce parts. Suppliers could add a small service charge to compensate the Service Provider.
Know anyone that might interest?
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Alan |
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#14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Midland Park, NJ
Posts: 4,019
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Regardless of what the gauge says, is the radiator boiling over ? If not, maybe just the gauge.
How clean is the block inside ? Rusty blocks can hold a lot of heat.
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48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria |
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#15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Holmen,Wisconsin
Posts: 792
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X2 on getting an infrared temp gun, my '39 Merc temp gauge showed between mid and hot, when it was actually 180 degrees, just fine.
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I went, I saw, I bought the T shirt 51 Ford Deluxe Tudor 32 Ford roadster 39 Mercury Towncar |
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#16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 546
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Hi,
Except for dual pipes I have a stock 221 in my 41 convert. On a regular Melbourne (say 24C) day the stock temp gauge will move to 3/4 hot on a regular drive. This is after I had re-cored the radiator, installed new water pumps and 'flushed' the block (albeit with a garden hose). The car was without thermostats, so I wound up installing 160 deg thermostats and capillary SW oil and temp gauges. I consider the stock units questionable due to age of sender unit. With 3/4 hot on the stock temp gauge, the SW unit shows 160 and stays there except in heavy bumper to bumper traffic. An IR thermometer backs this up. Your radiator looks low. Sure it is equivalent to stock? My radiator is 4" thick, 22" wide and 21" high not including top and bottom tanks. What fan are you running? I have a 6 blade (3 large blades 3 small) fan on the crankshaft, and no cooling shroud. Just on the aftermarket guages, my stock oil pressure reading was 5 PSI. The aftermarket SW capillary reads 30-40. A tired stock sender unit I expect. Last edited by fortyonerag; 06-04-2023 at 11:54 PM. |
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#17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 8,664
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__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... "Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!" "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 |
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#18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,782
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open the hood on 100 new cars & tell me how many copper brass rads you see. there is nothing wrong with alm rads .
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#19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 3,833
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I will admit, finding a NOS radiator seems like a pretty far fetched idea. However, they are out there. I recently aquired a NOS 1937 radiator from Third Gen Automotive.
My search would start there. If Michael does not have one he knows the 3 largest NOS parts collections in the US. He will send you in the right direction. Fred Wilner is also a person to contact. However, Fred has had some health issues and is just getting back to work. Over the years I have networked with and met in person some very knowledgeable & connected V8 people. If you find one, it will be worth the cost. Seth |
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#20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Yucaipa, CA
Posts: 1,120
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I think the electric fan will solve your problem in stop and go driving but it will probably be masking a problem. The car did not do this when it was new, so something has changed. I hate to see electric fans on restored cars and vintage hot rods but sometimes you don't have better option to keep them cool. If you can find a pusher fan that can be hidden in front of the radiator, hidden behind the grille that would be the way to go. I have a hot rod with a 324 Olds engine that gets hot at long traffic lights. When that electric fan kicks on the temperature drops like a rock. I don't like the fan, but I like it better than overheating.
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