Radiator

[donsayers]

Bugger! My radiator has just sprung a terminal leak. Seeing as I need it next week fro Derbyshire, anyone know of somewhere that will re core am Austin 1800 radiator?

Quickly?

Don

[lizbillings]

Re: Radiator

Hi Don. We have in the past used Serks or Sercs (can't remember spelling) I think they are national and should be in Yellow pages. They did a next day service when we used them. See you soon. Liz

[donsayers]

Re: Radiator

Serck are part of Uniprat sorry Unipart now...

[stevejgreen]

Re: Radiator

My radiator was recored by Brighton Radiators (Newhaven). They are part of a larger group covering the south of the UK.

http://www.thomsonlocal.com/Brighton-Radiators/1611108610000022024/map/companyinfo.html

might help

[donsayers]

Re: Radiator

Thanks, I am now having it re-cored. Should be done in time. Are there any modern radiators that fit? Even a Caterham one looks too wide?

[cdow]

Re: Radiator

www.grsmotorsport.co.uk will copy whatever you have in aluminium - about three times the cost of a re-core but should last forever in theory.

Very nicely made and quick service.

[CABRIOBOB]

Re: Radiator

Don
I would if not to much extra cost ask to see if they can tripple core it as this will help keeping it cooler if you have had this problem on hot days.
I had mine done and it made a big difference.

[j.fernie]

Re: Radiator

Don,
Have you found someone local to do this?
I have been considering doing the same as the radiator is out of the car at the moment.
Jim

[P_Seabrook_Harris]

Re: Radiator

I had my roadster one done for about £110 with triple core . Original was a Vauxhall Viva HA I believe. Still needs a good fan and newer oines apparently more efficient.

Peter

[donsayers]

Re: Radiator

It was a quad core! But was marginally too thick no clearance between steering rack behind and fan, wedged against the grille, in front. The only quad core he could find was going to be thicker, so I am going for a high efficiency triple.

I am attaching the fan to the grille not the rad and I am going to take an angel grinder to the small flange on th rack mount. A new fan thermostat has been sourced from "carbuildersolutions" and I shall pack around the rad with blue foam to make sure all the air goes through it.

If I have time an expansion tank will be added too.

Have I missed anything?

[donsayers]

Re: Radiator

Oh! and it was an Viva rad.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Radiator

Mine was a Chevette, guy at the workshop recognised it without the standard mounts.

Getting the fan as close to the rad as possible is important, otherwise you will lose most of its efficiencey and the air will blow over the surface of the rad and not through it so your exctra cores will be wasted. Failing that fabricate a duct to channel the airflow to the rad face.

Not for me, for others, where did you get the rad modified and how much?

Lets hope the effort pays off.

[lil_red_roadster]

Re: Radiator

What about a "group buy" of ally rads...this should bring the cost down. Obviously we'd need a quote, have to see what numbers were like (I'm guessing 10+ would be a miniumum) and we'd need to agree an exact model to replicate...

Any thoughts/takers/volunteers?

[stevejgreen]

Re: Radiator

Good idea Jez but the chances are slightly less than zero unless I can be shown otherwise. I saw Chris's ally rad the other day and it did look very bling. Its a shame mine is quite new!

Compared with other car forums I frequent this one is remarkably insular.
There are dozens of radiator refurb companies around and we all seem to have had the same 'overheating roadster woes, until we individually bite the bullet and resolve our own problem.
I would guess that the current apparent influx of overheating and other common issues is due to old owner builders, who lived with the problems, selling their cars on to younger owners who have more modern expectations.

How about a group buy for a purpose designed, (Escort layout), ally, foam filled, fuel tank, with a sender system that works reliably with Smiths gauges. There was a drawing in a very old Pitstop I seem to remember.

I know we all have different cars, Marina B series with a Type 9 and a Dolomite axle (going in) makes mine a real hybrid but I still have many parts that are common with Marina based roadsters.

Perhaps we need some really specific sticky areas alongside the forum for each of the Marlin cars where common problems like overheating and its many and various solutions can be put, along with suppliers that have helped owners out, otherwise we stand to lose a lot of historical knowledge.

Oh dear there I go again.......

[donsayers]

Re: Radiator

Done at Hornet radiators in Watford, he is partly retired now, and works from home. Cost £182, but then I was in a hurry. He has a couple of lesser viva ones in stock. He has a good stock of other obsolete rads too.

There are a viva and a chevette ones on Ebay at the moment.