Spitfire Spitfire Radiators - Does Size & Material Matter?

[dklawson]

I am raising this question well in advance of when the answer will be of real importance. However, Christmas is coming and it's always nice to give automotive gift suggestions.

Our project '72 Spitfire started life as a 1300 with the narrow radiator. When we discovered the 1300 was "ill" a friend gave me a good 1500 which has been in the car for several months now.

The 1500 is strong and healthy. My concern is that come spring time (and certainly by summer here in NC) we may find the narrow radiator is not up to the task of dealing with summer heat. Therefore, I have been looking at the full width radiators used on the later cars that came stock with the 1500.

Spitbits has what looks to be a very nice brass radiator. However, for about the same money I have seen quite a few aluminum radiators showing up on eBay. People who have switched to the larger radiator have told me that cooling was never an issue again... but they were all talking about brass. Is there any advantage to brass over aluminum (or the other way around)? Are there different/better brass radiators available? (Is Spitbits' radiator different than ones sold by VB, etc.?)

Your comments, observations, and suggestions are all welcome.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Having dealt with many Spitfires of all vintages over the years, I don't know that I ever experienced a significant difference between "wide" and "narrow" radiators, although the "narrow" ones seem to have a fairly bad reputation. Honestly, that was never the case in the five years' worth of abuse and neglect that my Mk3 got, nor several years' experience with my own '74 1500 or almost 20 years helping keep a buddy's '72 MkIV running well. All had "narrow" radiators. I've also had plenty of Heralds and earlier Spitfires with the "wide" radiators; no troubles there, either. (Well, if you don't count the one Herald radiator that got pretty much folded over the engine when I rear-ended a Rambler wagon in spring 1970! :blush: )

 

[mikecyc72usa]

The Spitbits rad is a 3 core if I recall, and a higher quality than most others. Aluminum is lighter, I'd guess, but I have no idea if it'd be a better heat diffuser or not. Here in central TX everyone seems to use the Spitbits rad and has no cooling issues.

 

[Mark Jones]

Brass is a better heat conductor than aluminum.

 

[dklawson]

Thanks for the comments.

Andy, I appreciate your observations about the narrow radiators. Remember that I lived in Troy many years ago so I remember what typical NY summers are like. The demands here are going to be more like those of Mike in TX.

Prior to posting here I had been reading about Al vs brass radiators on other sites. Routinely the argument was made that aluminum allows for alternate core designs that effectively increase surface area and subsequently end up offering more cooling even though aluminum has lower thermal conductivity. Therefore, it sounded to me like an appropriate brass core could or would outperform an aluminum radiator of the same size.

Based on the comments here I am leaning more towards the Spitbits offering based on its success in TX. Thanks again for the comments and advice.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Andy, I appreciate your observations about the narrow radiators. Remember that I lived in Troy many years ago so I remember what typical NY summers are like.

Right. Folks 'round here still ask why you left.

One other point I'd meant to make is that, overall, the quality and durability of the OE radiators on Triumphs tended to be pretty good. What that often means is that, barring physical damage (or freeze damage), these radiators can often be disassembled, rodded out and otherwise cleaned up, and put back together to be as good as new. Alternatively, they can be recored, sometimes with greater than original capacity. Either way, they're likely to last longer than most repros.

And then there's my borderline-annoying mantra about making sure the engine block cooling passages are clear, as sediment buildup often leads to problems.

I'll wager that aluminum has its advantages, perhaps most in cost and weight savings. True, low-volume units such as Al radiators for most Triumphs might cost more, but that's the reality of volume production -- along with where said production takes place -- more than anything else (as evidenced by the fact that, in recent years, I've been able to buy new aftermarket Al radiators for Toyotas and Hondas for very little money on eBay)!

 

[dklawson]

Right. Folks 'round here still ask why you left.

Hardie-har! I'm sure you've seen downtown Troy!

I think the last straws were when my car was stolen on Thanksgiving day and a couple of months later a guy slid all the way down our icy street and hit the driver's door on our Rabbit.

Back on topic, the 1500 engine came from Jamie P. and was off the road (dry) for years. I acid flushed the block (head on) before putting the engine in the car. The current radiator is not an OEM unit but one of those Chinese aftermarket parts installed by a previous owner.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Right. Folks 'round here still ask why you left.

Hardie-har! I'm sure you've seen downtown Troy!

Yep, see it at least once a week; it's pretty much the way you left it. :wink:

Back on topic, the 1500 engine came from Jamie P. and was off the road (dry) for years. I acid flushed the block (head on) before putting the engine in the car. The current radiator is not an OEM unit but one of those Chinese aftermarket parts installed by a previous owner.

Ok, then I think I'd also be a bit worried about that radiator!

 

[dklawson]

Yep, see it at least once a week; it's pretty much the way you left it. :wink:

That is really too bad. After 20 years I had hoped for some improvement.

In all seriousness... one of my recurring nightmares is that I have to move back to our 500 square foot apartment off 2nd St. in Troy (near Russell Sage). Thankfully I haven't had that dream in several months.