The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1959 Apache

Sprung a leak in the heater core Does anyone have a source for a new/reman core for this truck. LMC and some of the others don't even list one.
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Hy Village Idiot, you'll have to be more specific, there are at least two different heaters available for that truck. A picture of your heater will clarify, core dimensions would be even better. I'm not sure when they stopped using it but from 55 - 59 one of the heater cores was round, hope that helps.

Depending on what is wrong with your old core, you might be better off having that one repaired. Especially if it is just a broken solder joint. I have struggled with new cores not fitting right and poorly made so I try to repair the old one when possible.

It is a rectangle core approx. 2 in. thick. I will post Pictures once I pick it up from the radiator shop. I attempted to have it repaired, but seems local shops do not want to mess with it and recommended i just replace it instead. Personally I do not think it is in that bad of condition. I worked well for about 3 months until it developed this leak. I was certain it could be repaired until this shop told me otherwise. I will pick it up today and post some Pictures before I try a second shop. Thanks for your time.

PM Sent

Hy Village_Idiot, many years ago while searching for a radiator repair shop I could trust, I had a shop owner explain to me the logic/reason for recore versus repair. "If a radiator comes into the shop and is leaking from the core, but has no visible damage, we will not repair it, because the core has corroded from the inside". "Tank leaks at mounting brackets are usually caused by the metal fracturing from years of vibration, in this case the tank could be replaced, or a large patch installed". "If a radiator comes into the shop that has obvious physical damage, we will try to straighten and repair the core providing the damage is not too extensive, that type of repair we can and will guaruntee" That explanation of the shop owners reasoning explained a lot for me, I used his shop until he retired and closed his shop. I hope that helps to explain why they do what they do, the last thing they want is to "repair" something, and then have it start leaking somewhere else, and you run around town telling everybody how incompetent they are.

Radiator shops are reluctant to repair heater cores for the reasons 3B stated. The last time I replaced one of the flat cores it was under $100. The round cores like my 56 uses are another story. They are about $400 then have to be assembled. Get a new core and not worry about it later. Most shops can provide a core to size.
Fred

Thanks,
It helps to understand their logic a little, but the guy who looked first didn't even offer a solution just told me to find an aftermarket one as it would be too costly to fix. Cores can be replaced and tanks can be replaced he chose to do neither.

Well after taking the heater core to 3 shops to be repaired or re-cored I finally found a shop who was actually willing to look at the core I brought in. The shop owner pressure tested the core and determined that it was a blown seam in the upper tank. The owner removed both tanks dipped the core and soldered the whole thing back together and when finished pressure tested to 15 psi for 45 min with no leaks. The entire service cost me $65 shop time. Too bad the other 2 shops were so unwilling to even have a look. I am pleased with the results and will be installing the core back in the truck first chance I get so Jessica won't have to dress like an Eskimo to drive to school.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed your time is greatly appreciated.

Glad this had a happy ending.
Thanks for the update.
Jessica and her truck ROCK!
Jerry

Hy Village_Idiot, I'm glad you found a good rad shop, and I hope you remember them should you need any more work.

Absolutely, as with any thing if I get good service I will tell everyone I know about this shop and their willingness to go the extra step to help a customer. Seems like a shop such as this might be able to have a little niche in this market.(repairing vintage cooling/heating parts). The other two shops wouldn't even look at the core much less pressure test it. You can also bet that the other two will get mentioned as well as a place that should not be used.

I thought I might be having to go down the road of replacement too, but the radiator shop quoted a little over $200 for a re-core job so I'm going that way for now.
But, if I need to, I would go to these guys (Brassworks) they have a specific listing for the '55-'59 Chevy and GM trucks. $300 is a bit pricey, but they seem to be very well made and if you live somewhere that you get frost - well, it is probably worth it.