Hi Folks,
I'm looking for a real, honest to goodness, radiator shop in the Denver / Boulder / Longmont area (I live about 20 miles due north of Denver). One that can work on copper and brass radiators, not just replace them with plastic. Anyone here know of one?
I'm getting near putting Bessie's radiator back in. It worked fine when I took it out a few years ago, but I imagine it could use a good clean and test, since it was last replaced in 1988. With a used one.
Thanks,
-mB
Yeah, I'm also tired of the 'full service' radiator 'shops' where all they do is replace your radiator with one of those plastic POS's. Try looking for a shop that services truck radiators and inter coolers. They have the capability to do the work you want.
It'll prob cost you. I got an all aluminum radiator for our Seville for less than the place was going to charge to fix the old one. ~$500, IIRC. quicker, too. I got the replacement in one day, vs. the 2-3 day turn around to repair. I still have the OEM unit, though.
You can try:
Spike Radiator
Sheridan, CO (next to Denver)
303+762-7522
The Johnny
Thanks, John! That's 30 miles pretty much straight down I-25 from me. That'll work.
-mB
Thanks again, John. I just got my radiator back from Carl at Spike's Radiator, and it looks great. And it was only $165 to remove both the tanks, rod it out, and resolder the side tanks. And straighten the fins and paint it. I don't think you can even get one of the plastic and aluminum replacements for that little. Great recommendation!
-mB
$165 is about the starting point for the more common replacement aluminum plastic ones. If you have a more oddball one they can go double that.
Repairs on copper ones can still be reasonable if you can find a shop but what I have been told is the copper replacements started getting thinner in the 80's and have just gotten thinner since then. The thin ones apparently sometimes can't be repaired because the material is just too thin not to mention they also put less fins in em so the didn't work as well either. IF you have an original hang on to it and if it needs to be re cored be ready for sticker shock. The 'good' OE style core material cost a few bucks. You really got to want it. I didn't want it that bad so I am running plastic aluminum and happy with the results. I kept my old ones just in case I ever feel a need to go back but its been a few years now and so far am not looking back.