TR2/3/3A radiator question

[RC64]

It can't be going any slower than mine. My 3A has been in restoration now for 16 years. It's been in the hands of other "restorers" until recently when it was finally planted firmly in my own shop. Now I can only blame myself for any further delays. I'm energized though because I finally found a great paint shop and the body work and paint job turned out far better than I had ever dreamed it would. I'm really happy with the result. The only down side is that I now feel the pressure to make the rest of the car look just as nice. I guess that's not a bad position to be in though, is it.

As for the radiator duct, I bought the one piece version from Moss. I believe you have the same one. Since my apron was already installed I used the "through the nose" approach. It was rather confusing at first because it was hard to picture how it should fit (I didn't have one before). The fold joints were clearly marked so I first made some light folds and then started the trial and error method. Work it in the space and see how it fit. After several cycles it gradually took shape and would slide in fairly easily after each adjustment. Initially I had the tabs from the vertical folds coming forward along the front of the radiator so the duct didn't want to stay in place. Once I reversed that fold and ran that tab back along the side of the radiator that problem was solved. I then had to "adjust" the folds on the bottom of the duct to fit snugly along the base of the apron where it bends up. Once that was done and the hole in the duct was aligned with the over rider support hole it stayed in place quite well. Someone else suggested that with the support in place it tends to hold the duct in place. Since I didn't have any pre drilled holes in the apron I am considering eliminating the four screws that are supposed to be mounted through the lower tab. I might try it that way to see before I go to the trouble of drilling holes.

I did all the adjusting with the bare duct. Subsequently my paint guy primed and painted the duct with the body color paint. It looks nice but I'm waiting to install it as a clean up step after I know that everything is in place for good.

One other suggestion. Unless you car is now on a lift (from your earlier pics it doesn't look like it was), build yourself a comfortable nest in front of the car because you'll be doing a lot of sitting on the hard floor fitting, and fitting, and refitting. <G>

Rick...

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Just to add my 2 cents.

A few miles from my house is an old fashioned radiator shop. I took him 3 old junk radiators. He took the core from one, the broken neck from another and the bottom from the 3rd. He said he could get the new core, but after 'rodding' the old one out, it looked fine to him. He soldered it all together, reinforced the neck and changed the cap for the standard depth pressure cap. It cost me $50, plus the old radiators. The hole stayed in, because I really want to hand crank the car. Also, I have fitted an electric fan, just above the hole, and wired it to an automatic temperature switch. I have not had any overheating problems, though I have not driven it in the Houston summer -and I only have 4,000 miles on it since "new". I do know the fan will cycle on and off if I let it idle in my garage after a heated run. I do not have the cardboard duct -but the inside of the engine bay gets so much road dirt, I may add one.

The only reason I am waiting to hand crank the engine, is I hope it will be easier when the engine is "broken in". But hand cranking is something a lot of people have never done, or seen done. I predict a car show hit in the near future.

 

[TR3driver]

But hand cranking is something a lot of people have never done, or seen done. I predict a car show hit in the near future.

It's been a long time since I was there, but at the annual AACA car show in Hershey, PA, they at least used to have a race where the driver had to crank-start the engine as part of the race. Interesting the first 2 or 3 times, but I wandered away and didn't watch the whole event. Too much else going on.

Most memorable part of that show, for me, was getting a ride in an old Ahrens-Fox fire engine. (Ok, so I was 12 and my interests have changed a bit since then.) Later we visited a friend of my Dad's, who demonstrated how to crank an old John Deere tractor (by spinning the flywheel).

 

[Geo Hahn]

I always do a few crank-starts at car shows (just showing off) and once had the starter fail on day one of a seven day trip -- got lots of practice that week.

But I just put in new 86mm liners and pistons and found (as I suspected I would) that I was unable to hand crank with enough gusto to get it to fire. Maybe it will loosen up with time -- hope so as I am unlikely to get any stronger.

On the subject of radiator shrouds... I was under the bonnet a few minutes ago and thought to take this pic of how I did the 'shroud origami' at the top corners of the radiator:

I do not know if this is correct, so file it under 'what worked'.

 

[TR3driver]

That looks the same as what I did. Actually seemed to go in quite easily, but I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about everything being just so. I just creased the flaps and slid it in place, figuring that small leaks wouldn't hurt anything and in time it would conform to the apron better. Should be good enough as long as it doesn't block the radiator opening.

 

[smdichter]

I live in Phoenix, so other than if, perchance, someone has a TR3A in, like Death Valley, Phoenix is about as hot as it can get for one of these cars. I replaced the 4-blade steel fan with the yellow plastic TR250 fan, bought an aluminum radiator, installed an oil cooler, put in the cardboard deflector, and installed a thermostatically controlled electric pusher fan. Pretty sure that is about as much as can be done.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...I replaced the 4-blade steel fan with the yellow plastic TR250 fan, bought an aluminum radiator, installed an oil cooler, put in the cardboard deflector, and installed a thermostatically controlled electric pusher fan. Pretty sure that is about as much as can be done.

In slightly cooler Tucson -- I have the Triumph tropical fan and added a air dam below the radiator to throw air at the lower half when at speed (ever notice how poorly the shape of the radiator matches up with the shape of the opening?). I also block the bypass hose (the wisdom of that is controversial but I have driven it that way for 30 years). I also make sure the coolant jacket is very clean -- especially around #4.

Other than that - stock rad w/ crank hole, no oil cooler, no electric helper fan. Never overheats, even climbing out of town on the Mt Lemmon Hwy (6,000' gain in 19 miles).

The air dam:

I had an electric pusher as a helper fan prior to getting the tropical fan. Although it certainly helped cool when I was stuck in traffic I always suspected it blocked a lot of air flow at speed.

 

[TR3driver]

I had an electric pusher as a helper fan prior to getting the tropical fan. Although it certainly helped cool when I was stuck in traffic I always suspected it blocked a lot of air flow at speed.

I agree.