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Any "Big 'Bolters" run into expensive radiator repair? My '48 2ton's radiator leaks in about 4,5,6...(I don't know how many) places. It seems my radiator is an "industrial???" radiator? Never knew they put such a thing in a truck. It's 3in. thick, and every radiator shop I talk to says,
"$$ I $$ think $$$$ this $ is going $$$$$ to $ cost $$$$$$$$$$ quite $$$$$$$$$$ a bit $$$ to $$ recore$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I've been told up to $500. Anybody else run into this problem? Or has anyone had any luck having theirs reconditioned. The last shop I talked to said if it's in good enough shape to recondition, it would probably run around $200.

Keith,

That sounds about right. Actually, $200 isn't bad, if they can repair and recore. I do a lot of work with rads and I gotta tell you, they AIN'T CHEAP !!!!

Jase

Not sure about the older ones, but for my '59 6400, since the original was toast, I ended up with a replacement for the 'little' trucks, but one meant for big v8s. Same size, same capacity, basic construction seems to be identical. Only real diff is the fan shroud mounting. Seeing as the fan took a nice chunk out of the shroud as well as the radiator before I got the thing, I'll have to rework that anyway.

Not like I don't still need to track down some sheet metal and wheels before I worry about stuff like that. A 261 somewhere in the state would be neat for that matter.

Funny how I'm reading about a radiator in something 50+ years old having the same problem I'm fixing on the wifes 7 year old car this evening.

This is kind of what I was thinking, since my '48 will no longer be a work horse, and isn't going to see many miles, I don't think I'll need the extra cooling capacity. In it's prime, my truck saw a lot of "sit still" miles, as it ran a p.t.o. driven pump to dispense fuel from the tank. It won't be doing all that sitting and idleing anymore so it shouldn't get as hot.

I'd still go for all the cooling I could get;ya never know what's going to come up in the future. Besides,overkill is a GOOD thing!!

I went out and looked at the one in my 39 and its a small truck radiator. If you find a source for big truck radiators, please follow up on this post.

I think I'm going to have it looked at tomorrow by a radiator shop in Arlington, MN. I called him on Thurs. and he does a lot of old and obsolete radiator repair. He wants to look at it and see if he can repair it instead of recoring it. If it's repairable, he says it will be around $200. As near as he can tell by the dimensions I gave him, he figures to recore would be around $500.

I'll keep everybody posted. But keep the info. coming if you have it! Thanks!!

Well, The verdict is in. After a nice acid bath, my radiator holds as much water as a screen door!! I'm having the radiator shop put a modern VT style core in it. It's 2-1/2in. thick instead of 3in. like the original, but it will perform just fine.

Total parts and labor cost: $419.35.
Time it will take to order core and install: 5days
Not having to worry about a questionably
repaired radiator:................PRICELESS