New radiator GT6?

[Dave the tram]

Have done few searches of past threads but might still benefit from some guidance. I don’t trust my radiator because, as well as looking a bit battered in places, over the years I’ve fixed various hairline cracks on the top with epoxy resin stuff for rad repairs and these weep occasionally. As I use the car regularly, with some long journeys  I think I’m chancing it a bit. You can’t go forever with one eye on the gauge plus a water container and repair kit in the back.
 

I think better to get a new or recon one rather than this one repaired. Do folks agree? In which case any preferences where? Not really tempted by alloy substitutes which seem like a gamble. Club shop don’t do rads and tempted by T D Fitchetts who do recon for 210 plus vat. Happy with that, but they say they also keep the £150 surcharge if mine not re-usable. I guess it might not be so that starts to get a bit steep at a possible £430 inc vat - so close on 500 with new hoses and cap etc, but perhaps just need to bite the bullet. Any views?

Cheers

Dave

 

[Pete Lewis]

i would look for a local rad repaier and get a firm quote for a recore and possibly a replaced header 

just had a herald done locally for £120

[Badwolf]

I'm sure that I read on here, some time ago about an oriental import for a GT6 or Spitfire, which had incredibly good reviews?

It may be something like this one...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-Triumph-GT6-1966-1973-67-68-69-70-alloy-aluminum-radiator-70mm-2-75/264648618839?fits=Car+Make%3ATriumph|Model%3AGT6&epid=19017010291&hash=item3d9e497357:g:rgsAAMXQ2q9RalT3

I think that this was what I remember reading..

Use the forum search funtion for aluminium radiator

[chrishawley]

The ebay one looks like absolute tut. For starters it not drilled either for the mounting bolts nor for cowling mountings - so that's a couple of hours bother putting that right.

Fitchett's £210 + VAT is not unreasonable but a local repairer will be better because if the header is not servicable they can give you an opinion before parting with any money. Biting of bullets may be necessary!

And the Chinese tut should stay where it belongs, In China.

[Dave the tram]

Got me thinking there Pete. It might not even need a recore as it never overheats either on long journeys or when I often drive enthusiastically, just a dodgy patched up header. We have very soft water which will also help. Still, I  might as well go the whole hog if I could get that sort of price for a repair job and can find somewhere reputable within less than 100 miles. Must be someone in Sheffield or Manchester area. Will investigate. 
 

As for the alloy versions, I’m not obsessed with originality, rather usability, but somehow distrustful of them. 

Just seen your reply Chris - will look for that repairer.

cheers

Dave

[Paul H]

Check out Anglia Radiators Cambridge , very old school . Purchased my Vitesse radiator from them £210 and they took mine in exchange and it was original and rough .

Paul 

[Qu1ckn1ck]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

i would look for a local rad repaier and get a firm quote for a recore and possibly a replaced header 

just had a herald done locally for £120

I had my spare radiator refurbished by Kempston Radiators for close to that price. 

[Colin Lindsay]

11 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

i would look for a local rad repaier and get a firm quote for a recore and possibly a replaced header 

just had a herald done locally for £120

I had the GT6 rad recored and uprated to modern spec for about £120; there's bound to be a local company near you that can do the same. The Radtek versions look good but they're about £450.

This one is already uprated and seems like a good price, plus only £30 surcharge:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Gt6-Radiator-Extra-Cooling-Core-High-Efficiency/324143374526?hash=item4b787360be:g:VCEAAOSwstxU8Z4T

[68vitesse]

Just paid £72.00 to a local company, they seem to be getting abit scarce, to have a leaking joint repaired on my Vitesse radiator. The radiator has a high density core but the standard core radiator, a bit tatty and had to straighten some fins, I pulled out of the shed seems to have performed just as well in the current hot weather.

Was quoted about £220.00 plus VAT for a new core.

Regards

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

This one is already uprated and seems like a good price, plus only £30 surcharge:

nice advert   but when has hereford  ever been in hertfordshire   big problem if you wish to collect ????

Pete

[NonMember]

51 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

nice advert   but when has hereford  ever been in hertfordshire  

Where does it say "Hertfordshire"? When I looked it said "Hereford, Herefordshire"

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

nice advert   but when has hereford  ever been in hertfordshire   big problem if you wish to collect ????

Pete

I've just checked, and it's ok: Specsavers deliver..

[Dave the tram]

Thanks all. Yes, the one in Herefordshireland looks worth a punt. Covered by eBay guarantee, the £30 surcharge is already in that price and the postage already covers the return of the old one. Had found a likely looking repairer in Manchester, but think I’ll go for this one. I’ll just check that the photos look identical to mine first.

Ta

Dave

 

 

[Pete Lewis]

i did a helpful reply but its  in the cloud    somewhere 

Pete

[Dave the tram]

Also, are silicone hoses any advantage? I might just get standard rubber top and bottom hose plus new drain tap, cap and clips to complete the job.

Dave

[Nigel Clark]

21 minutes ago, Dave the tram said:

Also, are silicone hoses any advantage? I might just get standard rubber top and bottom hose plus new drain tap, cap and clips to complete the job.

Dave

Silicone coolant hoses are expensive but well worth it in my opinion. Modern rubber hoses perish, split, fail with monotonous regularity, often only lasting a couple of years. I've had silicone hoses on my GT6 and TR6 for over 10 years and they are still as good as new. I've recently fitted a set of silicone hoses on my Spitfire. If you're going the silicone route, fit a full set and you'll probably never need to replace a coolant hose again.

The silicone hoses from the Club Shop are good. It's also worth using good quality stainless clamps, Mikalor or similar.

Nigel

[NonMember]

I can't say I've ever had serious trouble with rubber hoses, although they do "show their age" rather quickly. Mind you, I'm fairly sure the GT6 is still running all the hoses I decided didn't need replacing when I rebuilt the engine in 1993. One of them did fail a couple of years ago but as I was miles from home with no spares I just cut it a little shorter. I think that one's an original.

[Pete Lewis]

club shop silicon hoses carry a lifetime warranty

they are the way to go but its the old utopia or compromise , and a balance of £££s how long you keep the car  how much usage   and so on 

as a  cost comparison you can get 3 sets of rubber for one set of silicon  all needs to weigh up 

Pete

 

[Badwolf]

I have found that with my hybrid beast, conventional sets don't have everything in them but appear to have bits that I don't recognise so I'm stuck with ordering single pieces as needed.

[poppyman]

3 hours ago, Dave the tram said:

Thanks all. Yes, the one in Herefordshireland looks worth a punt. Covered by eBay guarantee, the £30 surcharge is already in that price and the postage already covers the return of the old one. Had found a likely looking repairer in Manchester, but think I’ll go for this one. I’ll just check that the photos look identical to mine first.

Ta

Dave

 

 

For the £30 surcharge Dave, i would have a go at soldering the leaks in your old one. It is quite easy if you get everything nice and clean. You will have the new one to fall back on, or do it the other way round and use the old one as a spare.

Tony. 

[Dave the tram]

Good thought about keeping the old one, but I’m reaching the point where I’m storing a few too many items like this. Also, I view repairing a radiator the same as I view welding and paint spraying. I’d probably get it wrong too many times before I mastered it so leave it to someone with experience. I think for now I’ll stick to spanners and soldering is for wires only! Good to have a cross section of people giving me food for thought though.

Cheers

Dave

[AidanT]

8 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I had the GT6 rad recored and uprated to modern spec for about £120; there's bound to be a local company near you that can do the same. The Radtek versions look good but they're about £450.

This one is already uprated and seems like a good price, plus only £30 surcharge:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Gt6-Radiator-Extra-Cooling-Core-High-Efficiency/324143374526?hash=item4b787360be:g:VCEAAOSwstxU8Z4T

I have one of these.  It's a good replacement- can recommend 

 

Aidan

[Dave the tram]

Thanks Aidan, good timing as I’d just ordered it. I am reassured, cheers

Dave

[SpitFire6]

1 hour ago, AidanT said:

I have one of these.  It's a good replacement- can recommend 

 

Aidan

Hi,

 This radiator has no header tank. It would need an expansion vessel added to the system & then would be better than OEM.

[Dave the tram]

Forgive my ignorance, it looks the same as my current one. Mine has an expansion bottle clipped to the side fed from the side of the filler neck alongside the cap. On mine the second top house outlet is blocked off with a blanking plug. Although it’s a late mk3 GT6, (1973 Non-rotoflex) it doesn’t have the thermostatic vacuum switch. Looking at the manual it isn’t clear to me why some have the extra top hose. Also, don’t they all use an expansion bottle? Having learnt my way around this car reasonably well, it appears I am still fairly ignorant about the cooling system.

Any further guidance welcome

Dave