Radiator Color

[601HP]

Were the original big block car radiators: natural brass, natural aluminum or painted black? If painted were they flat, satin or gloss?

Thanks,
David

[mickmate]

Hi David, the ones I've seen are black with whatever is left of a gloss after quite a few years and heat cycles.

[Cobra #3170]

My radiator (not currently installed) is a Lauck unit of copper and brass construction it is 24" wide x 18" high with a 3.25" core it is painted a black that is sort of a combination of flat and satin.

PS painted radiators are a bad idea for cooling, my car used to over heat all the time until I put in an aluminum radiator with "turbulator" tubes fabricated by Roush racing.

[wtm442]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

PS painted radiators are a bad idea for cooling, my car used to over heat all the time until I put in an aluminum radiator with "turbulator" tubes fabricated by Roush racing.

You beat me too it.

NEVER paint a radiator

Every coat of paint reduces the efficiency of the radiator by a lot. Its just like adding insulation to a radiator.

[601HP]

Looks like NO PAINT for me!

David

[mickmate]

The guy from Fluidyne told me painting it is fine as long as you don't make it 1/4" thick. I would avoid a high gloss paint as it would reflect heat back in like chrome and polished surfaces, conduction, convection and radiation right. David if you have the HiTech brass one it will conduct heat (cool) better than an aluminum one anyway.

[601HP]

I actually do have a brass unit which has been moth-balled for most of my ownership of the car. I replaced it early-on with an aluminum unit.

Eastwood has a radiator paint they tout as not affecting heat exchange like regular paint does. I had considered using it on the brass radiator and aplying it as sparingly as possible.

David

[convincor]

this topic came up before, maybe not here but. I guess everone has an opinion..
From the thread linked-
"My Bro in law works for an outfit that fabricates radiators for NASCAR, IRL, etc. He told me they have run tests before and found that radiators painted black are slightly more efficient than if left in bare aluminum."
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a.../t-151362.html

[601HP]

Originally Posted by convincor

this topic came up before, maybe not here but. I guess everone has an opinion..
From the thread linked-
"My Bro in law works for an outfit that fabricates radiators for NASCAR, IRL, etc. He told me they have run tests before and found that radiators painted black are slightly more efficient than if left in bare aluminum."
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a.../t-151362.html

Amazing. Seems if we look long and hard enough, we'll find the answer we want, whether right or wrong.

David

[convincor]

yep, and who's to say which it is.

[KevinM]

If we are talking aluminum radiators, look in to having it anodized black instead of painted. The anodizing shouldn't cause any insulation effect and black definitely radiates heat better than natural aluminum.

Kevin

[sllib]

The neatest radiator I've seen on a Cobra was painted black but the owner had masked out a large skull on the front before painting it. Imagine having THAT Cobra coming up behind your 'Vette!
Bill Stradtner

[ERA Chas]

To throw another element besides color into the discussion; the orig. rad in my early ERA was copper/brass and weighed 31 lbs. I R & R'd with the current spec all aluminum Griffin made for ERA which weighs 15lbs.
Also cools substantially better because it sheds heat more quickly than the old.
Neither were/are painted.

[mickmate]

Radiator shops, OE suppliers, anyone building cars have painted radiators since there were radiators. They don't spend money unless it's justified and they certainly don't do things that don't work. Aluminum has become more cost effective to produce, hence its popularity with manufacturers. It is less efficient for radiators and needs a bigger radiator for the same heat transfer.
http://www.copper.org/applications/a...ml#performance