Radiator fins (GT6)

[petegardner_901]

Hi

 

I am wanting to make the radiator in the GT6 look half decent - it's out on the bench and has been flushed through etc. It is all in good condition with no leaks but the outside is not pretty.

 

Is it ok to "sand" blast it with aluminium oxide powder (100 grit) or is that going to wreck the fins immediately?

 

Plan is then to spray paint it with black gloss high temp paint - but not the fins...?

 

Advice welcome...!!!

 

Thanks

 

Pete

 

 

[Pete Lewis]

Any blast medium will likely destroy the foil , the tubes are quite strong but the cross foils

 

with age can be very fragile

 

you can get ( or adapt ) a fin combe to straighten any distorted foils

 

I would tread careful with this idea.

 

a coat of paint may be thought to reduce cooling but it is important the foils are pretected from

the ravages of corrosion from salt and driven rain

[Colin Lindsay]

Fin combs are ok but fiddly to use, and the fins never quite go back to their original alignment. You can blast / repaint the body but I'd mask off the fins first to protect them. 

[petegardner_901]

Yes - I think I'll do that - many thanks both!

[jamesdennison]

I used paint stripper on mine + radiator paint from frosts.  Came out looking good.