The Ford Barn

ford nut · 07-27-2018, 04:28 PM

I just got a quote of $695.00 to recore my radiator from toms on orange ca. seems high to me, he said the problem was dealing with the fan well as it is part of the top header.it took 2 months just to get a quote. I sure hate being told "i'll call you in a few days" twice, and never getting a call back until I re-call him. that price is getting really close to a new u.s. radiator and that would be all new metal. I don't think I want an aluminum one, even if it's temporary. any ideas?

51504bat · 07-27-2018, 04:35 PM

Check with Fontana Radiator Service. They do everything from M/C radiators to heavy equipment and custom stuff as well. Cleaned out the radiator on a '40 big truck I used to own and redid the bottom inlets on a '39 p/u radiator.

fontanaradiator.net

repairing aluminum radiators, brass radiators, heavy equipment radiators and custom radiators since 1956.

17635 Arrow Blvd, Fontana, CA 92335

(909) 822-8737

ford nut · 07-27-2018, 05:38 PM

I wonder if I could cut out the well in my original one, leaving a 5/16 flange around it, and solder it in a new us radiator? what other fan options are there? electric? nope.

tgarner317 · 07-27-2018, 10:40 PM

Bought mine through BrassWorks in Paso Robles. They build every kind of Radiator you can imagine and do quite a few one off builds for Pebble Beach type events. Cost was over a grand, but well worth the money. Now I’m making sure I don’t have to go through this again. I pulled my heads, found the cause was a leaking head gasket that blew my radiator. I’m cleaning all the casting junk out of the block b fore it all goes back together.

ford nut · 07-28-2018, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgarner317

Bought mine through BrassWorks in Paso Robles. They build every kind of Radiator you can imagine and do quite a few one off builds for Pebble Beach type events. Cost was over a grand, but well worth the money. Now I’m making sure I don’t have to go through this again. I pulled my heads, found the cause was a leaking head gasket that blew my radiator. I’m cleaning all the casting junk out of the block b fore it all goes back together.

the brassworks called me back friday late afternoon and we had a nice chat. he thought the 695.00 price was good, I think his price was 1050.00, but wouldn't be able to start for 12 weeks! that would be plus the time to build! I don't even have the time to go down to orangs county to pick mine up. maybe i'll call them up and say do it. I'll make up my mind by Monday.

rotorwrench · 07-28-2018, 10:17 AM

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With an average shop rate of around $85 an hour (no telling what it is in CA), there aren't too many work intensive operations that aren't going to be expensive now days. Sweat the tanks & mounting parts off then do repairs as necessary, cut down a core to fit, clean & prep parts for solder, reassemble radiator & test, then apply some black paint. It takes a while and it's a hot and nasty work environment so folks are going to have to weigh that to decide what the right price is.

tgarner317 · 07-28-2018, 11:00 AM

BrassWorks built a completely new Radiator for me. They hand-built the tanks and gave two options regarding the core. One option was to make it concourse show worthy using the exact same material and fins per inch as came off the line in 1936 or use a newer type core with more fins per inch made of a different material for cooling efficiency. The second option is what I went with as I plan on driving my car frequently. Cost for the first option I’m assuming would’ve been much higher because hey have to set up with different tooling etc. than they typically use. I can find and post some pictures if you’d like.

51504bat · 07-28-2018, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford nut

the brassworks called me back friday late afternoon and we had a nice chat. he thought the 695.00 price was good, I think his price was 1050.00, but wouldn't be able to start for 12 weeks! that would be plus the time to build! I don't even have the time to go down to orangs county to pick mine up. maybe i'll call them up and say do it. I'll make up my mind by Monday.

When Lee at Brassworks did the radiator for my '39 with an 8ba a year or so ago he was 7-8 weeks out to build it. He told me if that was a problem to speak with my school board and tell them to start offering shop classes again. Lee said he's got work but can't get qualified help. Now that he is saying that he is 12 weeks out to start a job I'm guessing help is even harder to find now.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 07:08 PM

He might be giving you a price to just go away. He might not be interested in doing it.

It doesn't seem like a real horrible price, but if you have a hard time getting a hold of him for an estimate, might be even harder to get the radiator back after you drop it off. That's just speculation.

Might also be a very good shop that turns around a great product. He at least knows there is a fan pocket, so he knows more then the average bear.

Most likely in the best type scenario you'll be lucky to get it back in a week or two. Maybe worth the wait.

ford nut · 07-28-2018, 07:43 PM

a week or two I can wait. even a month. the two months to get a price? very annoying. I think i'll probably have him do the job, just because I don't have the time to get down there and pick it up, and take it around getting prices. gee, I hope I didn't say anything to him that would make him not want to do the job. . . .

quickchange34 · 07-28-2018, 08:46 PM

Brassworks has built serval radiators for me and they do super work. They are worth the price. beautiful solder work all brass tanks and copper . The finish is so nice you can polish the brass tanks if you want. They also make them in four row tanks. They keep any flathead cool even with a blower bolted on.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 08:48 PM

quick, good, & cheap. Pick two. Quick and cheap might not be good, and good and cheap might be slow. Who knows...

I'm sure it'll be fine. Probably a warranty with brassworks. I have had a few recores. All still working. My truck upper and lower were in pretty bad shape also.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford nut

the two months to get a price? very annoying. .

Think I'd walk if you want to see your radiator in the next 6 months or more.

Maybe not, however. If I had definitive answers about things hypothetical, that'd make life a lot easier.

tgarner317 · 07-28-2018, 09:27 PM

This is the old Radiator that was built by Brassworks back in 2003 when my engine was rebuilt by the previous owner. You can see where the seam blew out at the top right beneath the tank.. Sad day.

Here is a pic of my new Radiator they built at the end of 2017. I don’t have a picture of the backside showing the well for the fan.

New Radiator installed and was able to line up the chrome trim on the grille. It was always a little off and didn’t seat properly against the grille before now.

I dropped off my old Radiator at BrassWorks at the end of October 2017 and picked it up right before Christmas. So the 7-8 weeks Lee quoted at the time was pretty spot on. He’s a great guy to work with and the end result is outstanding.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 09:29 PM

tgarner317 was the repair a warranty repair? Granted it was 14 yrs old.

tgarner317 · 07-28-2018, 09:48 PM

Wasn’t a warranty repair.. Lee said they wouldn’t have been able to properly repair the damage; So a completely new Radiator was built.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 09:54 PM

That makes sense after 14 yrs, just curious. Might have been able to fix it also locally too by brazing it. Water under the bridge. Brassworks makes a fine product for sure. No local shop would warranty more then a 1yr.

tgarner317 · 07-28-2018, 10:14 PM

I first took it to a small local repair guy and he said he could waste my money and have him try to repair it but the repair wouldn’t last.. This was a known trusted Radiator repair shop that had been around for more than 50 years.

Tinker · 07-28-2018, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgarner317

I first took it to a small local repair guy and he said he could waste my money and have him try to repair it but the repair wouldn’t last.. This was a known trusted Radiator repair shop that had been around for more than 50 years.

Just asking.

tgarner317 · 07-28-2018, 10:32 PM

I went out and took a picture of the backside of the Radiator showing the fan well.. Disregard the towel keeping dust etc out of the engine while the heads are at the machine shop.

Fordnut, hopefully you’ve already made sure the casting sand and any rust has been removed from the coolant passages while your radiator is out. I’m still in the process and actually need to lift my engine up again and remove the lower hoses to properly flush it out.. I couldn’t believe all the junk that came out from the coolant passages! Crazy.

07-27-2018, 04:28 PM	#1
ford nut Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: rosemead ca. Posts: 574	amother radiator question, 36 coupe I just got a quote of $695.00 to recore my radiator from toms on orange ca. seems high to me, he said the problem was dealing with the fan well as it is part of the top header.it took 2 months just to get a quote. I sure hate being told "i'll call you in a few days" twice, and never getting a call back until I re-call him. that price is getting really close to a new u.s. radiator and that would be all new metal. I don't think I want an aluminum one, even if it's temporary. any ideas?

07-27-2018, 04:35 PM	#2
51504bat Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: SoCal-Redlands Posts: 3,009	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe Check with Fontana Radiator Service. They do everything from M/C radiators to heavy equipment and custom stuff as well. Cleaned out the radiator on a '40 big truck I used to own and redid the bottom inlets on a '39 p/u radiator. fontanaradiator.net repairing aluminum radiators, brass radiators, heavy equipment radiators and custom radiators since 1956. 17635 Arrow Blvd, Fontana, CA 92335 (909) 822-8737 __________________ Making the simple complicated for over 30 years.

07-27-2018, 05:38 PM	#3
ford nut Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: rosemead ca. Posts: 574	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe I wonder if I could cut out the well in my original one, leaving a 5/16 flange around it, and solder it in a new us radiator? what other fan options are there? electric? nope.

07-27-2018, 10:40 PM	#4
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe Bought mine through BrassWorks in Paso Robles. They build every kind of Radiator you can imagine and do quite a few one off builds for Pebble Beach type events. Cost was over a grand, but well worth the money. Now I’m making sure I don’t have to go through this again. I pulled my heads, found the cause was a leaking head gasket that blew my radiator. I’m cleaning all the casting junk out of the block b fore it all goes back together.

07-28-2018, 10:17 AM	#6
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,422	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) With an average shop rate of around $85 an hour (no telling what it is in CA), there aren't too many work intensive operations that aren't going to be expensive now days. Sweat the tanks & mounting parts off then do repairs as necessary, cut down a core to fit, clean & prep parts for solder, reassemble radiator & test, then apply some black paint. It takes a while and it's a hot and nasty work environment so folks are going to have to weigh that to decide what the right price is.

07-28-2018, 11:00 AM	#7
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe BrassWorks built a completely new Radiator for me. They hand-built the tanks and gave two options regarding the core. One option was to make it concourse show worthy using the exact same material and fins per inch as came off the line in 1936 or use a newer type core with more fins per inch made of a different material for cooling efficiency. The second option is what I went with as I plan on driving my car frequently. Cost for the first option I’m assuming would’ve been much higher because hey have to set up with different tooling etc. than they typically use. I can find and post some pictures if you’d like.

07-28-2018, 07:08 PM	#9
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe He might be giving you a price to just go away. He might not be interested in doing it. It doesn't seem like a real horrible price, but if you have a hard time getting a hold of him for an estimate, might be even harder to get the radiator back after you drop it off. That's just speculation. Might also be a very good shop that turns around a great product. He at least knows there is a fan pocket, so he knows more then the average bear. Most likely in the best type scenario you'll be lucky to get it back in a week or two. Maybe worth the wait.

07-28-2018, 07:43 PM	#10
ford nut Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: rosemead ca. Posts: 574	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe a week or two I can wait. even a month. the two months to get a price? very annoying. I think i'll probably have him do the job, just because I don't have the time to get down there and pick it up, and take it around getting prices. gee, I hope I didn't say anything to him that would make him not want to do the job. . . .

07-28-2018, 08:46 PM	#11
quickchange34 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: charlottesville, Va. Posts: 589	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe Brassworks has built serval radiators for me and they do super work. They are worth the price. beautiful solder work all brass tanks and copper . The finish is so nice you can polish the brass tanks if you want. They also make them in four row tanks. They keep any flathead cool even with a blower bolted on.

07-28-2018, 08:48 PM	#12
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe quick, good, & cheap. Pick two. Quick and cheap might not be good, and good and cheap might be slow. Who knows... I'm sure it'll be fine. Probably a warranty with brassworks. I have had a few recores. All still working. My truck upper and lower were in pretty bad shape also.

07-28-2018, 09:27 PM	#14
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe This is the old Radiator that was built by Brassworks back in 2003 when my engine was rebuilt by the previous owner. You can see where the seam blew out at the top right beneath the tank.. Sad day. Here is a pic of my new Radiator they built at the end of 2017. I don’t have a picture of the backside showing the well for the fan. New Radiator installed and was able to line up the chrome trim on the grille. It was always a little off and didn’t seat properly against the grille before now. I dropped off my old Radiator at BrassWorks at the end of October 2017 and picked it up right before Christmas. So the 7-8 weeks Lee quoted at the time was pretty spot on. He’s a great guy to work with and the end result is outstanding.

07-28-2018, 09:29 PM	#15
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe tgarner317 was the repair a warranty repair? Granted it was 14 yrs old.

07-28-2018, 09:48 PM	#16
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe Wasn’t a warranty repair.. Lee said they wouldn’t have been able to properly repair the damage; So a completely new Radiator was built.

07-28-2018, 09:54 PM	#17
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe That makes sense after 14 yrs, just curious. Might have been able to fix it also locally too by brazing it. Water under the bridge. Brassworks makes a fine product for sure. No local shop would warranty more then a 1yr.

07-28-2018, 10:14 PM	#18
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe I first took it to a small local repair guy and he said he could waste my money and have him try to repair it but the repair wouldn’t last.. This was a known trusted Radiator repair shop that had been around for more than 50 years.

07-28-2018, 10:32 PM	#20
tgarner317 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Los Osos, CA Posts: 83	Re: amother radiator question, 36 coupe I went out and took a picture of the backside of the Radiator showing the fan well.. Disregard the towel keeping dust etc out of the engine while the heads are at the machine shop. Fordnut, hopefully you’ve already made sure the casting sand and any rust has been removed from the coolant passages while your radiator is out. I’m still in the process and actually need to lift my engine up again and remove the lower hoses to properly flush it out.. I couldn’t believe all the junk that came out from the coolant passages! Crazy. Last edited by tgarner317; 07-28-2018 at 10:38 PM.