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MGB Fair price for an MGB radiator re-core?

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Scott_Hower

Scott_Hower

Luke Skywalker
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So the rad shop called over lunch. The pressure test revealed that the radiator is leaking, which really does not surprise me. Shop boss told me that he could probably patch it, but that soldered copper joints subject to constant water/corrosion/vibration wear out over time and he would not guarantee his work due to the age. He is working up an estimate to recore it and remove a dent from the brass lower tank, which he will guarantee. He told me it would look exactly like the old one, which is sort of important to me. Anyone have an idea of what this is going to cost? Should I go with a 3 or 4 row core?

Moss has MGB radiators in stock, but I understand they are on "quality hold" or some such and won't ship one. Anybody bought one recently? If the quality is questionable, I probably don't want it anyway.
 
Recore the one you have with a four row core and go merrily down the road. I'd not risk money on the *new* one anyhow. Not unless I'd run out of old ones to re-core first. You're lucky to have a shop around that'll take the time to DO that work!
 
FWIW, I had my Midget's radiator re-cored for $100. The only problem was when I went to install it the guy had soldered the lower bracket on backward, not realizing that the mounting holes were offset from the center. Oops. But he fixed it quickly and I haven't had any trouble with it.
 
The MGB here had a re-core with a foour-row a number of years back. Great improvement in cooling efficacy and was about the $100 range. But that's been a while ago, and it was a "jobber" price as the guy who did it was the fella we used for all our shop work... he loved us: Rolls rads are NOT cheap! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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Recore the one you have with a four row core and go merrily down the road.... You're lucky to have a shop around that'll take the time to DO that work!

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Thanks; the shop is only a few miles away from me. Owner seemed like a nice guy.
 
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was about the $100 range. But that's been a while ago, and it was a "jobber" price

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Got the quote. It's more than a new repro radiator /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I gave them the Ok to rebuild it anyway. They're going to remove a dent from the lower tank and glassbead the tanks and the frames. Comes with a 3 year warranty. It's only a three core, but the tubes are spaced closer, and they swore it would have at least as much cooling capacity and likely more than the original. Or so they claimed. They cannot do a four core "flat-fin" radiator. I would have had to go with a corrugated fin which they said would look weird on an MG. My temp gauge has never made it beyond halfway, so hopefully it'll be Ok.

Will post photos when it's done.
 
WOW!! I have em recored & repaired around here for around $100 also - the new ones aren't all that bad - quality-wise...but anything OE is always the best to use.
 
I got a recore recently..cost me $380 NZD - which, compared with new/repro items, and what you guys are quoting is a bit of a price gouge. Having said that, I think it's one of the things that is just more expensive here in NZ. Sigh. At least it's only a 10-yearly (at least) job.
 
I think we had this dance before but: You're onna north island, yes?
 
$380NZD...how does that convert to US or Canadian?
 
Like he's been gouged.
 
$380 NZD = $240 USD. Yup. Gouged. Ouch.

DrE - North Island...but I'm actually in the UK and have been for a couple of months (and two more weeks) on study leave in York. Rest assured my luggage is loaded (to the 20kg limit) with cheap, VAT & duty-free MG bits. Makes me feel better about the radiator. Actually, so do the cheapish Superpro (=Superflex) bushings I just bought from a NZ supplier, which are a good deal compared to the US/UK, since they only have to come from Australia.
 
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Like he's been gouged.

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Then I'm getting bent over.

Edit: I hate to feel like I'm being ripped off. I wonder if we are talking the same thing. They are not going to remove a tank and rod out the existing core. They hot tank, completely dissasemble the entire radiator, glass bead the components and hand solder a new custom made core into the tanks. Reassemble, pressure test, paint. My lower tank has a pretty good bash in if that they are going to remove as well.

I called back and told him that folks are having this job done "in the $100-$125" range, he flat out told me that his wholesale price on the core itself was close to that and that price was simply not possible for a recore.

Maybe I'll dig out an old Hemmings and call around...
 
Cooling is made by the number of fins per inch. If you add more tubes, you are creating a heater core. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif The trick is flow and fins. Hope this helps.
Cheers, David.
 
Well, another reason north Alabama is the best kept secret in the country! Course I probably do a dozen or more radiators a year plus gas tanks with my guy so he might give me a deal.
 
...that N everyone who knows you thinks your a reseller anyway - hehehehehehehe. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Well, true, they know I'm shipping them to customers....
 
Scott, as I said: this was a while ago and it was at a "jobber" price in my case. It wouldn't shock me to find it would cost $200~$300 for that job on a "walk-in" basis. I'd still have it done over a replacement with a "new" one.
 
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Scott, as I said: this was a while ago and it was at a "jobber" price in my case. It wouldn't shock me to find it would cost $200~$300 for that job on a "walk-in" basis. I'd still have it done over a replacement with a "new" one.

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Ok, thanks.

I don't understand the comment on fins and cooling capacity. The fin surface area is exactly the same. I've always been told by the hot rod guys that adding more rows (going from 3 tube to 4 tube) of tubes increases radiating efficiency. I don't understand how you can add more fins to a given radiating area. Someone said this would be analagous to building a heater core - I'd think that's exactly what I want to do - transfer heat from the coolant to the rad. And let the fan/roadspeed airflow carry it away.

The shop I'm using specializes in radiators, that's all they do. I really dont want to second guess them (at least not on price).
 
As I commented before: you're lucky to find a shop that'll DO this kind of work, IMO.

Most just rod 'em out and send ya packin'.
 
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