MTFCA Forum

Are the original radiators honeycomb, or horizontal slat style?

Originals had round tubes. A lot of aftermarket radiators have flat tubes and cool better, although round tube radiators are available for those who prefer them.

Horizontal slat.

If that radiator is relatively clean inside and does not leak, do not even think about changing it out to the original Ford type. Honeycomb radiators are excellent performers and cool very efficiently. Yours looks to be in great shape.

There certainly were a lot of different cellular radiators offered as replacements. I think a lot could be said about the merits of each.

Just a little additional info that is often unknown or overlooked: In 1926 & 1927 there were additional variations in radiators. Some Ford radiators were flat tube, and some had no reinforcing bar.

I had a honeycomb on my TT when I first got it. It wouldn't cool very well in the summer. I tried one of the recommended cleaning methods and it promptly cleaned out whatever it was that was plugging all the leaks. I tried to seal it back up with varying degrees of success and continued to live with the occasional leak and occasional overheating until I finally got a belly full and broke down and spent the money for a Berg's radiator. Best money I ever spent on a T. Wish I had done it sooner. When we got Karen's touring car, the radiator on it wasn't cooling very well. It didn't take me NEAR as long that time to do what I knew needed to be done. So now, we own two Berg's radiators and are happy with both.

A honeycomb radiator is very efficient and good radiator, however, because of the construction, it cannot be rodded out so when it gets plugged up, it is almost impossible to clean.
The round tube radiator which is the original type is not as efficient as the narrow tube radiator, but if it is in good and clean condition and the car properly tuned up, will work very well. It can be rodded out to clean. The most efficient in cooling is the flat tube radiator and it can be rodded out. I prefer the flat tube radiator, however if one wants to be 100% authentic, use a round tube. So this is my conclusion: Flat tube for a driver, round tube for a show car.
Norm

Flat tube for a driver, round tube for a show car.

I agree. But an old radiator, round tube or flat tube, may not work even after cleaning. Vibration over ninety years or more causes the fins to get loose. Without tight physical contact between fins and tubes the radiator will no longer radiate.

Steve is right.
Norm

Steve J usually is!

I too have had several honeycomb type radiators that worked very well! And-, - a few that did not.

Hi,

I am hoping to learn more about a honeycomb-style radiator that my father acquired as part of his planned restoration of a '23 Model T. There is no manufacturer name on it that I can find. He unfortunately has Alzheimer's, so I can't ask him. I would like to sell it on his behalf.
How can I identify it? Should I have it pressure tested? If so, at what pressure?

Pictures of the radiator are posted here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Hg9jJ ... 05VX6I9GCk
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_WYKM ... yiMKoHClUj

Thank you for your expert assistance.

The radiator in your pictures is not for a Model T!

If it was for a T:

Have it tested. Any radiator shop should know what to do with it. Just make sure they know it is an unpressurized system and can only take 1 or 2 psi. Just because it doesn’t leak doesn’t mean it will cool well. Sometimes they are mineralized inside and don’t cool well. With all this said; a pressure tested used radiator that doesn’t leak is worth a fraction of a new one. Last time I took A & T radiators to the scrapyard, I got about $30 each.

No pressure! I had a small leak and took it to a good shop to have fixed. I told them "no pressure". They put 10 lbs in it and it was toast. I had to have it recored because they pressurised it.

I have a nearly perfect Hexcel honeycomb radiator that I’m about to try on my car now that it’s running. I have high hopes for it.

I had two aftermarket radiators that I took to a radiator repair shop that knows what they are doing and are very familiar with antique radiators.
One of them was a Hexcel honeycomb radiator that had a top tank crack. After fixing the crack they pressurized it to 1 or 2 PSI and found that it was not worth fixing.
The other radiator I had been running in my speedster developed a leak. I used some stop leak with pretty good results. It cooled well but every time I had to change the coolant it would start to leak again. I finally decided to have it looked at. They cleaned it all out and after testing it they told me it was not worth fixing either.
I ordered a new Berg's radiator and was told it would take 5-6 weeks. I decided I wanted to drive the speedster while I was waiting for the new radiator. I put the old radiator back in after repainting it and it was leaking pretty good so I decided to try the coarse ground pepper trick. It stopped leaking and it cools better than it did before. I got the new Berg's delivered so now I will be changing it out. I know the old radiator won't last.
I thing that the radiator shop told me was, that if you are going to have a radiator repaired it should be an original. That is as far as tanks are concerned. Pick up an original radiator compared to most aftermarket radiators and you will notice a difference in the weight for sure.