Handcrafted reproduction radiators for Model
T, Model A, Early V8s, Dodge Brothers, classic cars & custom Street Rods. Made in the U.S.A.
1.805.239.2501
sales@thebrassworks.net
1.805.239.2501
sales@thebrassworks.net
FAQ
How long have you been making these radiators?
Where are the radiators made?
Where are the heavy duty and standard radiators?
What is the difference between Brassworks Model A and the other ones Model As I see in catalogues?
Do you sell Aluminum Radiators?
How much does a Brassworks Street Rod or Classic Car radiator cost?
Is it better to restore my antique radiator or buy a reproduction?
How much does a radiator restoration cost?
Can you just recore my old radiator?
My Honeycomb radiator leaks, can you fix it?
Does a Brassworks radiator have a warranty?
Can the Brassworks repair my antique radiator?
I did not see my car on your list, can the Brassworks make me a radiator?
What should I do with my old radiator?
I have seen different cores in 1928 and 1929 Model A radiators, which is original?
Why does my Model T (or Model A) run hot?
Why is my Model T frame slightly wider than Ford's original spec?
Will you boil out or rod out my original radiator?
Why am I am seeing foam and/or bubbles in my radiator?
How do you ship these radiators?
Radiators have gotten expensive...why?
What is FlowKooler?
Q. How long have you been making these radiators?
A. We have been manufacturing radiators for over thirty years.Q. Where are the radiators made?
A. We manufacture our radiators in Paso Robles. A small town in the wine country on the central coast of California.Q. Where are the heavy duty and standard radiators?
A. Heavy duty and standard are marketing terms that do not mean a whole lot to cooling performance. Radiator buyers might instead ask questions like ...what is the tube configuration, how many fins per inch, how is the fin material constructed, what type of solder was used, where is your copper sourced, how deep is this core, what gauge are the size walls and mounting brackets, how thick is the tank material, how do you test your radiators, what size radiator do I need for my application, do you actually make these cores etc. The answers will help you find a qualified radiator manufacturer and the best radiator for your car.Q. What is the difference between a Brassworks Model A and the cheaper ones I see in catalogues?
A. Where to begin...our dies stamp the correct direction, we use galvanized steel to prevent rust, our tanks are a heavier gauge of brass, each tube in our cores is lock seam welded in a more efficient tube design, our 28-29 inlet has the funnel neck and the 30-31 has the correct angled tube, our 28-29 tanks are three piece part and our 30-31 is deep drawn like they're supposed to be, we have the wire harness tabs and baffles, we use the same paint that Ford did and we do not gob-on the solder to save time in production. In short, we pride ourselves on building our radiators to mimic Ford's design and improve them where you cannot tell. It takes more time and more effort to do it properly and it costs us more to manufacture in the United States. This is reflected in the 10-20 dollar price premium over the discount radiators offered in some catalogues.Q. Do you sell Aluminum Radiators?
A. The Brassworks does not manufacture an aluminum radiator. Here's why...Physics – The material property that indicates its ability to conduct heat is known as its thermal conductivity. Copper has a thermal conductivity of 231 Btu/hr/ft. Aluminum has a thermal conductivity of 136 Btu/hr/ft. Copper is a significantly better heat exchange medium.
Chemistry – Aluminum is more vulnerable to electrolytic corrosion than copper/brass because aluminum is a highly reactive metal. If the corrosion inhibitors are used up and the pH of the coolant drops to 7 or below, aluminum becomes a sacrificial anode and is eaten away resulting in radiator seam failure and coolant leak.
Environmental - Half of the failures of Aluminum radiators are simply thrown away.
Economics – Aluminum in 2007 costs around 1.20 a pound and high quality production grade Copper costs over 5.00 a pound. Material costs of Copper and Brass radiators are greater than Aluminum. Aluminum is a more profitable metal for radiator manufactures but that does not make it a better value for car owners.
History - In 1975, the federal government established Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and 20.7 mpg for light trucks. Car manufacturers began to immediately lighten the load. After all, for every 100 pounds of weight removed from a vehicle, there's an increase of half a mile of fuel efficiency.
Longevity - Aluminum radiators have a shorter life. We frequently restore copper and brass radiators that are over 100 years old. We never see an Aluminum radiator this old.
We find most car enthusiasts who are battling an overheating engine quickly come to understand and appreciate the heat transfer benefits, reduced maintenance, longevity and long-term value a copper radiator affords them over the aluminum alternative.
Q. How much does a Brassworks Street Rod or Classic Car radiator cost?
A. Our radiators are priced individually based on material cost and time required for fabrication and assembly. Radiators start below 600 and go up depending upon the time involved in their construction. Radiator restorations too vary greatly based on materilas nad fabrication or build time and are priced based on time and materials. Please call 805-239-2501 or email us for a quote.Q. Is it better to restore my antique radiator or buy a Brassworks reproduction?
A. It really depends upon the car owner and the condition of the radiator. Restorations help hold a car's value but some restorations may cost more than a reproduction replacement because repairing is a labor intensive process.Q. How much does a radiator restoration cost?
A. We frequently receive calls asking for the cost of a restoration of a radiator. We will do our best to estimate the cost of a "sight unseen" radiator but no quote is firm until we can inspect the radiator from the inside out. We estimate upon receipt and charge on a time and materials basis.Q. Can you just do a recore?
A. Recoring a radiator with a new core but not addressing the underlying problems is a quick fix and often pennywise but pound foolish. When we restore a radiator we dismantle, clean all materials, resurface, and inspect the radiator from the inside out. We straighten and remove dents, fabricate, build and installing new core, test and paint. A simple raditaor can take over twelve hours and fabrication from drawings can take over 90 hours. It may cost a little more but it is done properly.Q. My honeycomb radiator leaks, can you fix it?
A. Honeycomb radiators are a unique and attractive core design. People may used the term honeycomb to refer to a vaiety of designs with flared cartridge or cellular film style cores. The shapes or patterns may be squares, diamond, hexagons, chevrons, circle, A type, Auburn or Moreaux patterns . All are a challenge to work on and best left to professional restorers. We usually replace the honeycomb core with a new honeycomb core for improved cooling and radiator longevity. Call 805-239-2501 for honeycomb core radiator restoration pricing.Q. Does a Brassworks radiator have a warranty?
A. Each radiator is tested to ensure there are no leaks and each radiator is fit to an original shell. Brassworks radiators are manufactured one at a time by human hands and because we are human, we can make mistakes. Each Brassworks radiator comes with a non-transferable warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for two years from the ship date. During the warranty period, Brassworks will repair, or at its option, replace at no charge components that prove defective. Radiators must be returned with proof of purchase and shipping and insurance prepaid. Please do not send radiators the facility without calling first.Q. Can the Brassworks repair my antique radiator?
A. If a Brassworks radiator has a failure outside of the warranty period we will repair the radiator at our shop rate. If your radiator requires repairs and parts fabrication please visit our restoration page to learn more about the process. A neck replacement or front trim piece is simple enough but if the top and bottom tanks need to come off, the price can approach that of a new radiator. An approved customer estimate is required before any work is done.Q. I did not see my street rod on the list, can the Brassworks make me a radiator?
A. We fabricate many radiators from our customer's existing radiator and frequently from our customer's drawings. An approved estimate and customer approval is required before any work is done.Q. What should I do with my old radiator?
A. Despite the all-time high price level of metals used in radiator construction, the value of your radiator as scrap metal is quite low due to the mixture of metals and the condition of the metal. The Brassworks retains perhaps the largest radiator pattern collection in the world and we use that to confirm accuracy of measurements for unique classic cars. If your going to send it to the scrap yard, contact us and we might be interested in it for our radiator pattern collection.Q. I have seen different cores in 1928 and 1929 Model A radiators, which is original?
A. Ford began producing radiators for the 1928 Model A at their Green Island Plant and then outsourced to three other radiator manufactures due to popularity of the Model A. The three outsourced radiators are referred to as "The Long", "The Flintlock" and "The McCord." Original Model A's in 1928 and 1929 may have 3 or 5 rows and 87, 94 or 100 round tubes. Our most common reproduction radiator for these cars cool better than Ford's original design due to advances in radiator design.Q. Why does my Model T (or Model A) run hot?
A. Your Model T can run hot for a variety of reasons; carbonized cylinders, low speed driving, a fuel mixture that is too lean, spark may be too far retarded, defective ignition, clogged muffler, improper carburator adjustment, a slipping fan belt or your may be trying to cool with a radiator that has become clogged. Over the last 80 to 90 years your radiator will have accumulated dirt and grime both inside and out. This build up will impede the heat transfer between the coolant and tube or the tube and fins. Either inside or out, it will impact a radiator's ability to cool.Q. Will you boil out my original Model T (or Model A) radiator?
A. We do not boil out radiators. It is not an effective solution to the root cause of your Model T or Model A's overheating. Oftentimes people boil out a radiator and then still have to purchase a new radiator to remedy their overheating problem.Q. Why is my Model T frame slightly wider than Ford's original specification?
A. Regrettably, we all sag with age. You may find the distance from the center to center of the mounting bolt holes has spread open 1/4 to 1/2 inches. To restore the frame first unbolt and drop the front spring, loop a chain through cross member around both side rails and securely bolt together above from cross member. Using a bottle jack on top of front cross member, jack the chain up to pull in the side rails of the frame. When it has returned to 21.5" you are ready for radiator installation.Q. Why am I am seeing foam and/or bubbles in my radiator??
A. Foam in the radiator may be caused by anti-freeze and low water. To remove low water foam, fill the radiator to within 2"s from the top of the radiator tank. This will allow for natural expansion of the coolant and help evacuate air. An alternative explanation for foam may be the use of a detergent in the cooling system to remove excess oil from the cooling system - it is commonly done with older cars and takes quite a while to remove.Foam from an over flow tube or bubbles however may may indicate a compression leak. Fill the radiator with water to the neck and run the engine at a fast idle watching the coolant for bubbles. With a compression leak the hotter the water gets the larger the bubbles get e.g. generally growing from 1/8? to ¾?.
Q. How do you ship these radiators?
A. We ship via UPS ground. Each radiator is encased in a foam cocoon to protect against damage. It is then inserted into a heavy stock box easily identified by the box color and The Brassworks logo. Some overseas orders can be shipped via the USPS but it largely depends upon the receiving country's postal service acceptance of the box size.Q. Radiators have gotten expensive...why?
A. Building handcrafted radiators is labor intensive and cost of materials e.g. copper, brass and lead has risen as world demand has outpaced supply. A A copper price chart for the last twelve years can be seen here.Q. What is FlowKooler?
A. FlowKooler is The Brasswork's sister company. FlowKooler manufactures over 85 different high flow water pumps designed to cool engines that overheat at at lower rpms and stop and grow traffic. If you wish to learn more please visit our website www.flowkoolerwaterpumps.com.
Our radiators are made with pride in the U.S.A.