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Radiator Options

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
My Radiator shop wants $700+ to recore my series IV radiator with copper! Needless to say I am reviewing my options. Can anyone tell me what aftermarket radiator to use? Has anyone used a brass core? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
I get my Alpine radiators re-cored all Copper with 3 tubes and 17 fins per inch for $450.

If you need assistance let me know. Only problem might be shipping.
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Joel, The Griffin is a good product. I'm wondering if the one pictured was fitted to the 2.8 V6 like my Commodore Blue?

It seems as if it would be difficult to mate the bottom to the 2.8 V6. The bottom radiator connection looks as if too high. Also the filler on the side might cause a clearance problem with the Hood.

I like the idea of top left and bottom right for the 2.8 V6 connections but don't see how it would work for me because of the tanks are rather small and on opposite ends.

Wonder if an inch & a half 90 degree elbow could be put under the right hand side pointed back to the opposite side and still have clearance?

Do you have the measurements for that specific radiator?

I have included the radiator I have modified for my V6's. Sine this picture was taken I have moved the drain to the right side.
 

Attachments

  • Recommended Radiator Modification with Shroud fabricated by DanR 20170317_194144 (7).jpg
    Recommended Radiator Modification with Shroud fabricated by DanR 20170317_194144 (7).jpg
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  • Radiator Modification recommended by DanR20170317_194144 (2).jpg
    Radiator Modification recommended by DanR20170317_194144 (2).jpg
    982.2 KB · Views: 28

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
Dan, I picked this rad for the size width and height from Griffins web site I looked at a lot of different rads until I found this one it had all the right stuff for the Alpine. I used to build my own buying cores from C&R buy the time I fabbed tanks etc. etc.
this rad was 246$ delivered Griffin by the way will build from your drawing, but there are a lot of people in that business, what you can't see is this rad is no lower than the bottom of the valance and .50 away looks like all the air is going thru the rad,were going to make a new hinge panel which will be lower and match the top of the rad. only down side ya need to get rid of the core support, never an issue at our place. This radiator has a 1.75" inlet and a 1.50 outlet and is a double pass which just so happens to match a Ford Explorer short water pump set up.
 
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DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Tom I believe it was because of this POST:
gwhitf2927 said:
My Radiator shop wants $700+ to recore my series IV radiator with copper! Needless to say I am reviewing my options. Can anyone tell me what aftermarket radiator to use? Has anyone used a brass core? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And perhaps a reference sent to me by a person wanting to do the V6 and He too referenced this post....

Perhaps I made my comments because of the extreme high cost, near 2/3's more than what it cost me!
 

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
Dan, your right about the cost quote for the recore seems to be abit excessive you can buy an aluminum rad for a lot less $.
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
Just wanted to add another question to this topic - For the V6 in a 1963 S2, what are my radiator options?
Seems like everyone is saying get a custom build from Griffins or another custom radiator shop.

Nothing off the shelf. or a set of specifications that everyone has done a build to?
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Jerry, There are several options that seem to please the owners.

I tried the way a lot of the V6 conversion went and was not at all pleased with the trouble aligning the bottom left hand hose connection for the radiator and the Modified thermostat housing being offered at the time I first started a conversion.

Entirely too much hassle trying to fit a small piece of hose between the radiator and housing! I knew there had to be a better way! I experimented with several options and finally came up with what I do now. Top left side of the Alpine radiator modified to angle slightly upward 3 -4 degrees and 7-8 degrees toward the center of the engine toward the water neck. I modify the water neck t turn from pointing to the right of the car toward the left of the car. The bottom hose connection of the Alpine radiator I plug off and add the drain cock. Then add a 90 degree elbow downunder pointing straight back toward the left side for connection to the thermostat housing.

Gates Part Number 22080 works very nicely for the bottom connections.. Not hassle and the hose is available in most Auto Parts stores should you need one out away from home.

I just remembered Allan Ballard has recently done the V6 in the early Series I & II Alpine and would be a Great member to make contact for questions on his radiator modifications....
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
The connections are in the wrong place for my V6's! Just beware of locations of the radiator in relations to the 2.8 V6!

I picked up a Tiger radiator (stock) that was damaged just so I could measure the connections and study it. My observation first off was the position of the hose connection on the right hand side (outlet) was sitting about 4-5" from the bottom. Why would that be? Maybe just because the 260-289 had to have it that hight to mate for lack of adequate clearance?
The cross flow design of the Tiger does not appear to allow much if any flow of coolant across the bottom 4 inches of the radiator!

In the Ebay link you included above, that radiator will work like mine "if the bottom connection is plugged off (move the drain cock to this position) and a 90 degree elbow is added down under pointing back across to the left side! See my Recommended Modification PIC'd below. In this picture the drain cock is yet to be moved to the bottom right side.Radiator Modification recommended by DanR 20161109_174637 (1).jpg

I'd suggest you make contact to see if they would do that mod?
 

SIVAllan

Gold Level Sponsor
Just wanted to add another question to this topic - For the V6 in a 1963 S2, what are my radiator options?
Seems like everyone is saying get a custom build from Griffins or another custom radiator shop.

Nothing off the shelf. or a set of specifications that everyone has done a build to?
Just curious but what's the problem with the S II factory radiator?
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
Just curious but what's the problem with the S II factory radiator?
Two things there - The location of the lower hose connection makes for a very short and awkward connection back to the engine. Second, there's a small leak, that is probably repairable, but sends a message that the radiator core is getting old.

Overall it looks pretty good and for the moment is functional. But considering I am in the hotter parts of the country want to get it right before summer.
 

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
A few comments. You may want to look to the experiences of Tiger owners for cooling. There is a particularly bad air flow situation on Alpine Tigers. A lot of the air does not go through the radiator. It goes though the holes on the sides of the radiator where the horns are, and it goes under the radiator, never getting up. This has nothing to do with what radiator you have.

To address this, many Tiger owners make plates to block the horn openings and the areas under the radiator down to the front valence.

That said, I used to have overheating problems with my stock Alpine. They went away when I rebuilt the engine with the Holbay head. There are two variables here: the Holbay head and that the block was fully cleaned of the sand that is in there from the manufacture process. I don't know which one it was. But I hear both help. Once I did that, I never have had a problem.

Finally, if you are worried about overheating in a parade (or really bad bumper to bumper traffic), consider that all the hole covers aren't going to do a thing if you ain't got air flow. I'd suggest that the factory fan wasn't designed for that use. Consider an electric fan or fans which will provide that missing air flow!
 
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