Aluminum Radiator For Sunbeam Alpine Series V (EBAY)

[jumpinjan]

Any of you have any comments or recommendations on these aluminum radiators.
The price is right, and I think cheaper than recoring the factory radiator!
(I'm thinking of trying one)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274544839717?fits=Make:Sunbeam&hash=item3fec25cc25:g:KuEAAOSw765fkkxI

jan

 

[hartmandm]

Jan,

I'm guessing they are made in China, as they reference shipping from a Chinese warehouse.

Mike

 

[Scotty]

I’ve seen them in person. They look pretty but I don’t know how much confidence I’d put in it. I’ve had a 100% fail rate with anything made there for the car, all of which I got just to see if it’d work as a decent source for spares. It’s not. YMMV tho.

 

[husky drvr]

Hope that's a pic of a pre-production prototype because it seems the mounting flanges are attached to the wrong face.

Otherwise, YMMV.

 

[ernestovumbles]

I was considering an aluminum one similar to that for my S-III, but wound up having my existing radiator re-cored to a more modern spec instead.

It was more expensive, but I was concerned about fitment of a generic replacement.
Turned out I did need to do a bit of fiddling with the mounting slots anyway.

Once I got everything back together, I've been happy.. it runs cooler than before and doesn't leak like my original did.

 

[Alpine 1789]

(I'm thinking of trying one)

That is certainly a good price. The seller has a fair number of negative reviews, but still overwhelmingly positive. Please report back if you do try one.

 

[DanR]

To each his own....

But, I have hed and am still having excellent results (cooling especially) with the Copoper core replacements.

Price wise at $400 to $450 is a GREAT deal and NOT Chinese Commuist produced.

 

[John W]

So where do you get a copper recore and what does that mean? (if that's what's best).

I can still get a "recore" and pressure test for about a hundred bucks, at the only radiator shop still in existance near me.

 

[DanR]

Gerald's Raditor Shop in Anderson, SC does a great job for me.

I get 16 or 17 Fins per inch (FPI), three (3) tubes, all copper with modifications I design for the FORD 2.8 in the Sunbeam Alpine for $400 to $450. The all copper core fills the entire Alpine frame which will be near 3/4 " thicker than the stock core.

Gerald's is also one of the few "old time" shops left in my area too,

 

[John W]

"3/4" thicker than the stock core?" "entire Alpine frame?" What does that mean?

 

[Knightowl61]

Fit Sunbeam Alpine Series V 1.7L I4 1965-1968 MT aluminum radiator | eBay

This one has the mounting brackets on the correct side. Make offer & free shipping. Looks cheaply made.

 

[alpine_64]

Advantages of the aluminum ones is they are a lot lighter and cool better than the stock rad.
But.. Probably not repairable.. And not aa good as copper

If you want a good quality aluminum one there is a race company in the UK that does early amd late series... They are about £700 iirc

 

[DanR]

"3/4" thicker than the stock core?" "entire Alpine frame?" What does that mean?

The copper core "fills up" the entire stock radiator frame, near flush withh the outside of the frame whwreas the stock core sits inside of the frame at least 1/4" front and back.

1/4" in front and 1/4" in the back adds up to 1/2" lost cooling area.

I suggest you take a look at a stock radiator and measure with a straighedge across the frame work and you will see what I am saying.

 

[DanR]

a lot lighter and cool better than the stock rad.
But.. Probably not repairable.. And not aa good as copper

Michael we could discuss the merits of the differences but as you wrote above copper us better and reparable, not so with aluminum.

Search the charactics of the two metals, copper is a better, aluminum is cheaper.

 

[phyrman]

And with aluminum, you MUST take care to prevent electrolysis! Water wetter works well. Also to add, those with the stock aluminum heads should heed this as well!

 

[jdoclogan]

I purchased an aluminum radiator for the Sebring Alpine (Series II) over two years ago. It looks to be a good product. It's priced at 300bps = $350. This one has the powder coating which is extra cost. https://www.motorsportradiators.co.uk/store/Sunbeam-Alpine-MK-1-S2-S1-Radiator-p146886801



Dan is right, aluminum has 60% the heat transfer capabilities compared to copper.

 

[Barry]

Posted before and the facts have not changed:

It is true that aluminum does not conduct heat as well as pure copper. In round numbers and OTBE, the thermal conductivity of pure copper is about 400, the thermal conductivity of aluminum is about 200 and the thermal conductivity of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) is about 100.

What matters in a conventional radiator cooling system is heat transfer from the metal of the radiator to the air and that has very little to do with the conductivity of the metal. Radiator surface area (tubes and fins) and air flow through the radiator are MUCH more important than the type of metal.

The bottom line is that there is not much (if any) difference in engine cooling performance between otherwise equal aluminum and copper radiators. There is, however, a BIG difference in both weight and cost; copper is over three times as heavy by volume as aluminum and over three times as expensive as aluminum. IMO, the only advantage of a copper radiator is "repairability."

There are tens of millions of cars with aluminum radiators, heads and/or engine blocks sold every year. Any decent "anti-freeze" will prevent electrolysis.

 

[hartmandm]

I thought the stock radiators were brass and the re-cores are brass as well.

Mike

 

[jdoclogan]

Good points on the heat transfer Barry.

 

[DanR]

What matters in a conventional radiator cooling system is heat transfer from the metal of the radiator to the air

That is why I prefer having my radiators built with a minium of 16 to17 fins per inch (FPI).

A stock Alpine radator had 9 FPI and most have only two tubes for transfering coolant. I perfer three tubes and Having the copper adds that additional disipation of heat.