It is radiator time!

[rdorman]

Well the radiator has sprung a slow leak. From previous experience I am not even going to mess with repairing a 18 year old radiator.

So what is the replacement? Chassis 9006 date of the body is 12/85. Appears to be a standard Ford radiator with dimensions of 26.5 by 19. Appears as though Griffin makes one in that size. Will it be a direct swap?

By the way, NAPA wanted $128 for a coolant system pressure checker! Thinking that was a bit excessive I purchased a radiator cap with no releaf provisions, 703-1400, and a bolt in type tire valve. Drill the cap, install the tire valve. Now I can pressurize the system and check for leaks, even the rate, all for a saving of $122 over their checker!

Thanks
Rick

[clayfoushee]

Rick,

The Griffin alum. radiator is standard on Uniques now. If there are no frame differences that I'm not aware of on the older cars, it should be a direct swap.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[bittentoo]

Rick, Way off topic but you're the one I need to ask. It's about DVSF and the hotel situation. I'm trying to get there if I can get my hands on an enclosed trailer. Started calling hotels and the Hampton, Fairfield & Cross Country are booked. Best Western has a few rooms left as does Hawthorn (sp) Suites. Haven't tried the Days Inn yet. My questions are, what does everyone do with thier enclosed trailers and what is the hotel lacation layout in referance to the activities? In other words, If you can't stay at the Hampton or Fairfield which one would be best?

Thanks,
Kelly

[rdorman]

Clay, I just got a note back from Griffin saying that they make them to 'Uniques specifications' what ever that means. What a week for the radiator to go with the Weavers on vacation. You won't know the part number and/or dimensions would you?

Kelly, The core three hotels are cross country, fairfield and the hampton. The next closest, just a SHORT walk, is the days inn. The others are accross the road/freeway and really are not in walking distance. The fairfield is at 1309 St. James Lutheran Lane. Get the other addresses and look in Mapquest to get a better feel for locations. I booked clear back in January and I know there are people that book multiple rooms just to help their friends out!

I was told by the owner of a Ryder company that they can load cars into their trucks although they really are not supposed to. None of the TX or AZ folks have space? Check with the local chaptor of SCCA as welll. All those folks have trailers!

This is going to be HUGE!!!!!!!

Rick

[clayfoushee]

Rick, I think the Weavers are still there today. Or if you'd like give me a call, and I'll go measure it for you

(443) 994-0783

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[rdorman]

So right Clay! It says that they will be gone from the 11th to 20th! I will call.

I looking at photos of the newer cars it appears that the top hose is on the passenger side and the bottom hose is on the drivers. Mine is the opposite.

Rick

[rdorman]

Here is the deal, I just got off the phone with Alan and the radiators have always been made for the cars. There is no oem replacement piece even for the older cars! So, I am going to yank it and see what I can find! News at 11.

Plus my hose outlets are backwards from standard. Alan says "what do you have a Cleveland?" Does he know his product or what.

Rick

[427sc]

Rick - My car must have a radiator similar to yours. Top hose on drivers side and bottom on the passenger side. This make sense to me as early style SB windsor water pumps have the bottom hose inlet on the pass side. My car was purchased and built in the early 90's. As far as I know, this is the original radiator. Although I don't need a radiator right now, I would be interested in what you come up with for future reference. Len

[Jim Harding]

Rick,

Mine is like yours too... makes the upper and lower hoses cross over each other on their way to the radiator ... (pump inlet on drivers side). When you fianlly determine where you're getting the new one from, post the source and part number...... might come in handy for me one day!

Jim Harding
La Plata, Maryland

1982 #3004
http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/albums/album26/1aLeftside.thumb.jpg

[Silk]

Kelly,

No problem with large trailers. There's a huge shopping center parking lot just across Trabue Rd. (about ¼ mile from the Cross-Country/Fairfield/Hampton Inn) where you can park. I think it’s the SW corner that’s reserved for the Fling. Plenty of room. I think DV also said he’s arranged for the local constabulary to swing by periodically to check on trailers.

Hope you can make it! [8D]

Gary
Unique FIA 351W

[Brent]

Kelly,

It is too bad you don't live closer, you could use my trailer. I am on your way but probably too late in the leg of your trip to be any assistance.

Brent

[rdorman]

WEAVERS!!! ARE YOU STILL THERE!!!

Griffin says that they can not sell me a radiator or tell me the specs with out your OK? So, how much is a radiator for my car? Also, I have the top inlet/outlet is on the drivers side and the bottom one is on the passenger side. Can you give me good dimensions so I can look at my options without dropping the radiator?

Thanks
Rick

[bittentoo]

Steve, thanks for the offer, but your right, I'd be pretty road worn by then[xx(]

Rick, I have a cleveland in mine. If you want, I'll take measurements of mine and post them.

Kelly

[bittentoo]

I'm going to be out of town the next few days so here are the measurements off of the griffin in my car.

26 1/4" wide
18 1/4" tall
3" thick

And from sitting in the drivers seat looking at the radiator:
the water pump suction is on the lower left corner and the return is on the upper right corner.

Good luck and hope to see you at DVSF if I can find a trailer!
Kelly

[rdorman]

Thanks for the measurements! Are the tops of the tanks angled for body clearence?

Rick

[rdorman]

I found out that my local radiator shop can make darn near anything for about $350. Plus I am thinking I might be able to take the griffin racing radiator, chevy style, measures 26 x 19 and angle the tank, removing the filler cap and make it fit. Just have to get under there and check it out. Part number on the griffin is 475-125222X and at $180 from Jegs is a bargain. Same two row 1" tube construction that I beleive to be standard on the current crop of Uniques.
Rick

[casaleenie]

Rick,,
I guess it's time to spend some of the "Dorman Millions". Remember, you can't take it with you...

AL

[rdorman]

OK, here is the deal. I dropped the radiator and what had happened is that the top drivers side tank was rubbing the body and wore a hole clear through the tank! Who says these bodies are not tough?

After calling everyone and their brother and not wanting to spend $450 on a radiator from Griffin, here is what I did.

I went down to Jeg's and picked up a new Griffin radiator (2 row 1" tube, just like the $450 dollar one and like what comes on the new Uniques) that measures 26"x19" for $180. After I test fit the radiator to determine that it would indead fit, I cut off the filler neck. Then re-assembled the whole thing. Made templates for the radiator mounts from cardboard. Took it down to the welder and had them weld on the brackets and weld the filler caps hole shut. About $100. I could be done at this point but noooooooooooooo. I made some templates of the water hoses and went down the the local muffler shop. $20 later I walked out a upper and lower pipe bent to fit. Mock it all back up, drill the new radiator brackets, cut the pipe to length and have a bead welded 1/4" from each end to keep the hoses from blowing off. Down to NAPA to pick up some hose to connect the pipes to the radiator and engine and there you have it! For about $100 less than a custom radiator I replaced mine with one of the same construction and changes all the water lines over to hard lines.

Of course I took the oportunity to do some spring cleaning with the radiator off, clean up some wiring, clamp the oil cooler lines down, fix up the fan and the fan thermostat, shrink sleeve some wiring, etc.

The new radiator has clearence to the body and will no longer rub. I am in the middle of the process now but it is looking really good. While I am at it I am going down to the hardware store and have some 1/8" hardware cloth mounted in a frame that I will attach to the front of the radiator for protection.

Rick

[rdorman]

The project is all done and works perfectly! The Griffin radiator was $180 from Jegs, Jegs part number 475-125222-X. The brackets, two simple flat pieces at top, two 90 degrees pieces at the bottom, and the welding up of the radiator filler neck cost $60 to complete. Total of $240 plus tax beats the heck out of $450! It looks and works great. The two core, 1" tube Griffin radiator really does cool better than my old four core brass and copper radiator.

So if you have a older Unique with the brass radiators, here is your solution. The new radiator actually fits BETTER than the old one did!

Special thanks to Rob Frink. Rob is a new Cobra owner, Superformance unfortuniatly ;), and local CNC machine shop owner. I took the pipes over to Rob to weld a bead around them so the hoses would not blow off. Rob played around with a couple pieces of spare pipes, and a couple of different options, and did not like the look. I told him that it will be hidden under the hoses but that is still not good enough for Rob! So Rob MACHINED out of 2" bar stock pieces that fit the ends of the pipe, tapered to aid in installing the hoses and welded them to the pipes! CNC machined radiator hoses. Who would have thought! There is NO way the hoses will blow off now. By the way, Rob does custom work. He has built parts for many things including the SAE Formula cars. He can make darn near anything you want and is itching to find some Cobra bits to make up!

Rick

[eliminator]

Now that the way it should be done:D, Rick you need to appreciate Rob's detail and design work. Good JOB[^][^]!

Rick
#4279405

[rdorman]

Rob is indeed an artist with those machines of his. Of course I have always been one to appreaciate a nicely machined part. Check out his web site http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/. I put my new hubs on display for weeks before I got around to mounting them!

With all this talk about metrosexuals recently I was feeling a bit left out! So I decided to a make over, an engine make over that is! Right now I am just as 'phase one'. I will post some picks eventually. Trying to give the engine bay a more vintage, OEM type of look.

Rick

[ralphscott]

Rick I thought the bead was a great idea as I have double clamped mine and only polished that which shows after the hoses are on to keep them from blowing off. Your friend really went the extra mile. I like the tapered add-on. I use Go-Jo to get the hoses on. A tapered fit would make it so much easier. Nice engineering!

Ralph

[rdorman]

A bead, tack welds, flare or the custom machined sleeves(!) I think are a must have! I have had to many blow apart, and of course they always do it went the system is presurized and HOT! Go-jo, install your hoses and clean your hands all at the same time! I never thought of that. I usually give a quick spray of WD-40 and seems to work fine. The new hard lines where then painted bright aluminum and look great. I was able to do the bottom line in one peice. I think I went from 20 hose clamps to 8!

Next, the expansion tank...... and yes Rob volunteered to make up an adaptor to fit the tank to my Cleveland. What a nice guy! Since he is going to do it in CAD, for him to make another requires no more than throwing a chunk of aluminum in the machine, push the button, and voila!

Rick

[ralphscott]

Rick when the go-jo dries it grips the pipe and the hose a bit better. No blow outs yet but bead sounds like a smart move. Gosh CAD/Integrated Manufacturing is amazing!

Ralph

[rdorman]

quote:Originally posted by ralphscott

Rick when the go-jo dries it grips the pipe and the hose a bit better. No blow outs yet but bead sounds like a smart move. Gosh CAD/Integrated Manufacturing is amazing!

Ralph


go-jo grips the pipe when it dries!!!! Oh that explains what happened the other night. NO WAIT, different topic. ;)

Rick

[ralphscott]

Different size tube

[Jim Harding]

Ralph,

You refering to 'tube' as somewhere between pipe and straw? :D

Jim Harding
La Plata, Maryland

1982 #3004
http://www.capitalareacobraclub.com/albums/album26/1aLeftside.thumb.jpg

[ralphscott]

:D:D