Careful, folks, bigger is not always better. There are about half a
dozen different radiators you can find on Spitfires. The earliest ones
were narrow, wrinkled fin design. On these, the core tubes are put in,
and the fins are an accordian style fold stuck between the core tubes.
Then the same construction style was used to make the wider radiators.
The next radiators were of a different and more efficient construction.
Here the fins are flat, horizontal plates that go all the way across the
radiator, and the core tubes go through the fins. There's more fin metal
in contact with the core tubes, and you get more heat transferred to the
fins. A narrow flat fin radiator is probably better than a wide folded fin
unit.
In the Killer Spit, though, I have one of the wide flat fin designs. Not
driving it on the street (yet) I don't know how well it works for around town
driving. When my co-driver Pugs and I run the car at autocrosses, overheating
is not a problem.
Speaking of accordians, this fellow drives his Herald Coupe over to Red Rocks
for a pint or two on his way to band practice. Sitting at the bar, he suddenly
thinks "Oh no, I left my accordian in plain sight on the seat!" He rushes out
to the car, and is dismayed to see he is too late, as he feared. The window's
been smashed and there's two more accordians in the car!
mjb.
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