TR2/3/3A TR3 Radiator Damage

[Hatman]

Removed the radiator from my 59 TR3 this afternoon. Upon inspection, it looks like the lower tank has some significant distortion, probably from the coolant freezing? It's always had a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water in it since I've owned it (25 years), and it's never leaked, so I tend to think it's pretty old damage. Still, considering the difficulty in accessing the TR3 radiator, it seems prudent to replace it while I have everything apart, no? An aluminum replacement radiator would be very nice, but I think the budget will dictate a used OEM radiator that I'll have cleaned and pressure tested.

As always, any thoughts/advice are welcome.

Pics at: https://www.woundedduc.net/TR3


Mark

 

[TR3driver]

Looks to me more like someone missed the frame rail and jacked up the car by the radiator tank. Of course we won't talk about how I know what that looks like ...

Anyway, what I would do is trot it to my local radiator guy (who I happen to trust with such matters) and ask his advice. They've never steered me wrong; and if it can be repaired, he will say so.

 

[NickMorgan]

I was going to say the same. My radiator had a great big dent in the bottom so I took it to a radiator specialist who checked over the whole thing and proclaimed the rest of the radiator in good shape. He then took off the bottom tank and beat it into shape and soldered it back on. That was 15 years ago and about two years ago I had to take the radiator back to have the top extension re-soldered. Again he pressure tested it and said it was in good shape. Not bad for 49 years of service!

 

[Don Elliott]

By 1972, the fins on mine had separated from the coolant tubes so heat transfer was very bad and I was overheating. Then the TR sat till 1987. In 1988 when I was restoring it, I had a local rad shop put in a new core. I cost less than a new rad and very very much less than an alumimium rad.

 

[Hatman]

My radiator shop said it would be at least $200 and he might not be able to rescue it. I bought a used radiator on eBay with a 60-day warranty for just a bit over $100 with shipping. I'll have it boiled and pressure tested and should be good to go.

Thanks for the input.

Mark

 

[3798j]

These glowing comments on the local radiator shop's skills are so similar to what I've found. You stand there (Smitty's Radiator is mine) holding a useless radiator/heater core and he eyeballs it, then tells you it can be saved. My shop has been there seemingly forever and I'm more than thankful.

 

[Moseso]

This is sort of academic, now that you've had the rad assessed and ordered a new one -- but a swollen bottom tank (only) couldn't be ice damage. Ice floats. Any damage at the bottom of the rad would be accompanied by damage to the rest of the rad on top of it.

 

[Hatman]

This is sort of academic, now that you've had the rad assessed and ordered a new one -- but a swollen bottom tank (only) couldn't be ice damage. Ice floats. Any damage at the bottom of the rad would be accompanied by damage to the rest of the rad on top of it.

Unless, of course, there was only a few inches of water in the radiator . . .