Leaking radiator in a classic 70s Ford - ideas / suggestions/ suppliers / DIY recore ?

[Nomad]

Hi, the welding on my Mk1 Escort project is coming to an end, the next job is to do something with the radiator as it now loses water from a couple of places almost as fast as I can fill it
I tried to find the leaks and soft-solder the problem cores but it's close to failing in a few places so I'm declaring it a lost cause.

Looking at the price of new radiators now I'm shocked, over £200 ( + vat +delivery) for a shiny alloy one that will look out of place, £500+ for a traditional black one with a couple of extras added ( temperature sensor, brackets for an electric fan, painted black)

Has anyone bought a new core for a copper/brass radiator and replaced it as a DIY job ?

Any suggestions where I can buy a standard radiator for a Mk1 Escort at fair not ££££ prices ?
Some models (Mexico ?) had a cutout in the lower radiator panel and used a larger radiator, I'm happy to go that route if I find a suitable radiator so 100% originality isn't an issue but I'd not want to reshape the whole front end to fit a totally different rad.

In the past I've sent my old radiator away to have a new upgraded core fitted by a radiator specialist, that worked well but wasn't a cheap option.
This time I'd like to either buy a complete new rad or try a DIY re-core.

All suggestions welcome

 

[RWD3M]

The closest I got was having the core replaced on my '36 Morris 8 ten years ago at a place over at Avonmouth. Even that was pricey (£250 rings a bell)!

As you're not that fussed over originality, how about the alloy one with a coat of black paint £200 seems quite reasonable.

 

[barracuda816]

I looked into having a mk1 triumph gt6 radiator recored 2 years ago. I was also shocked at the price and how few places still do it. Last time I actually had one done I think it was around £60 so that shows how long ago that was (must be atleast 20years) I managed to get a water tight second had one. But I would also suggest a coat or Eastwood rad paint on the alloy one for that price difference. https://www.frost.co.uk/eastwood-radiator-satin-black-aerosol-340g/

 

[Onoff]

AliExpress have them cheap.

 

[Smallfry]

As Escorts are fetching £500,000 now even for a basic model, it worth a couple of hundred to get the original recored. There are a couple of places local to me that do it, but they are getting few and far between. Any replacement is likely to be Chinesium or Indianium.

The core will come with top and bottom tank bases fitted, so all they do is solder on the top and bottom, then solder the side frames.

The core tubes are soldered by immersion, so you are unlikely to be able to do it yourself as it needs to be perfectly clean. It is also a bit of a closed shop, so very unlikely you will be able to buy a core yourself AFAIK.

 

[RWD3M]

As Escorts are fetching £500,000 now even for a basic model...

I think you may have added a zero there!

That said, although 40 - 50k is being asked for Mk1 RS's and Mexico's (50 - 70k for a Lotus twin cam), I'm not seeing many actually selling for that.

 

[Onoff]

I think you may have added a zero there!

That said, although 40 - 50k is being asked for Mk1 RS's and Mexico's (50 - 70k for a Lotus twin cam), I'm not seeing many actually selling for that.

A MK1 went for over £200K in I think 2017.

It was Diana's RS Turbo hit £700K something.

 

[RWD3M]

A MK1 went for over £200K in I think 2017.

You know the saying, pictures or it didn't happen!

 

[Onoff]

You know the saying, pictures or it didn't happen!

Ford Escort driven by F1 driver Jackie Oliver sells for record amount at auction

The MK 1 Escort, which was one of six cars Ford loaned to the Alan Mann racing team, sold for £203,100

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Smallfry]

I think you may have added a zero there!

You are out of touch mate, that was last week !

 

[Nomad]

Thanks everyone. It looks like I'm just waaay out of touch with prices, it feels wrong paying more for a radiator than I normally pay for a scruffy car that will serve me as daily transport for several years

Does anyone know if a Mk2 Escort rad can be persuaded to fit a Mk1?
I need something with a straight top hose. The only Mk1 rads I can see that look ok and are sensible prices have a 90* elbow on the top hose to suit a Pinto (RS2000 ?) As they are alloy I can't cut & reweld the outlet.
There are a couple of rads that look similar to mine but they're listed as being Mk2 only - I'm wondering if they might be a reasonable solution for me
I'm comfortable redrilling the rad brackets to suit the car if needed.


Trawling scrapyards for parts when they had old cars stacked 3 high was a lot easier than trying to work out what will fit from poorly described mail order adverts.

It's not long ago that I was using a Hillman Hunter as daily transport, amazing how many places I went to asking for spares had a "Computer says no!" attitude.
I asked at my local fast fit tyre / exhaust / battery shop asking for any 12v battery, they made a big pantomime then told me the car needed the right battery or it wouldn't work ... I now have a choice of 4 salvaged batteries that are all working well on the car

My latest problem was looking for a backbox to fit an old Morris Marina (ie any backbox that I can make fit), the only scrapyard near me wanted my car reg then told me they had no Marinas in the yard so had nothing that would fit ... I'm sure 90% of the cars in their yard would have had an exhaust that I could have adapted if I'd had a chance to look

 

[Cheesie]

500 is cheap fir a radiator I pay around that for a core alone before I even touch it, I repaired one last week for a cortina with 2l pinto in it , a couple of the tubes where leaking where they joined the header plate

 

[barracuda816]

That’s crazy a core costs that much! Is it made of pure gold?

 

[Nomad]

500 is cheap fir a radiator I pay around that for a core alone before I even touch it, I repaired one last week for a cortina with 2l pinto in it , a couple of the tubes where leaking where they joined the header plate

Thanks. Information is always welcome but wow !

I can't remember what it cost to get an upgraded core in my Hunter rad 5 years ago but I'm guessing £200-£300, if it was over that I would have found a different solution.

The cars I've bought in the last 10 years have cost £300 (Hillman Hunter needing new cills), £free (tax exempt Marina needing a couple of MOT patches - swapped for ~ £300 of building work), £300 (Renault camper van - solid shell but engine needs work), £800 (Alfa 145 - just after MOT expired) ....
I was hoping / expecting to be spoilt for choice about standard Escort rads under £200, I'm shocked how wrong I was

 

[Mark 5]

Trawling scrapyards for parts when they had old cars stacked 3 high was a lot easier than trying to work out what will fit from poorly described mail order adverts.

It's not long ago that I was using a Hillman Hunter as daily transport, amazing how many places I went to asking for spares had a "Computer says no!" attitude.

Can't help I'm afraid but I know what you mean, your comments struck a chord.

Eons ago, as teenagers, living in W, London there was a huge scrap/breakers yard, huge, near Park Royal, happy memories of walking in spending a couple of hours and searching for what was wanted, anything from a seat for an Imp, speedo for an Allegro, many parts for several Ford Capri and MK3 Cortinas, had a couple of complete exhausts, sumps, headlights and yes rads' for a fiver if we were lucky and pleaded poverty, none of us had real money and no doubt acquired a few things and no memory of money changing hands.

It was a one way in and out s**t hole site, the gate being guarded by a very large gentleman, he was alright with us kids, our arses hanging out of our greasy jeans, armed with tools ready to get salvaging, you'd never, ever take your car or bikes on the site, you wouldn't dare, not if you wanted to return to them whole.

Many vehicles were stacked 4-5-6 high, you weren't supposed to go climbing but we all did, had to some times, equally as perilous was diving in to the bowls of these stacks, I, my mates almost came a cropper a couple of times.

The hut where you paid you had to circumvent quick mud, getting to the counter by traipsing across really slippery scaffold boards.

Those days, long, long gone, car reg required nowadays and in most cases paying almost as new for parts.

But those days, it was fun and an achievement and kept what ever car, we shouldn't have been driving on the road, scrap larks we were.

 

[Onoff]

Breaker's yards!

Don't forget the obligatory pair of stained alsatians fresh from their oil puddle bath, on chains just long enough to stop them ripping your throat out.

 

[Mark 5]

Breaker's yards!

Don't forget the obligatory pair of stained alsatians fresh from their oil puddle bath, on chains just long enough to stop them ripping your throat out.

Ha, funny you mention that, there were a couple and a most ferocious Jack Russell, that little bleeder we was most scared of, fortunately it stayed by the hut.

 

[zx9]

That’s crazy a core costs that much! Is it made of pure gold?

Economy of scale or rather expense of small scale, classic radiator supply or rebuild is not mass market which is why almost no one is doing it.

 

[Onoff]

Economy of scale or rather expense of small scale, classic radiator supply or rebuild is not mass market which is why almost no one is doing it.

In the States custom exhaust and radiator builders appear plentiful still. Scale I suppose. My mate out there has recently moved from California to Oregon. Had both parts made for his 4 Capris, copied from the originals.

 

[MetalMonkey]

£200 for an alloy one for a classic sounds very fair in all honesty. You can easily pay £100+ for a bog standard aftermarket cheapy plastic one for a modern eurobox.