[Roadsters] heater core

[Hall, Phillip B. (MSFC-ED03)]

 I remember back in the day, the radiator shops built their own cores
from tubing and rolls of copper in which they ran through a machine to
press it into the fins.  I thought I found a shop here in town that an
old guy ran that could build cores.  I needed a new radiator for my 46
Ford tractor.  He no longer built cores and buys them as Bob was saying.
The labor is just too high.  So, I bought a radiator from China for half
the core replacement charge.

Which brings up another point. Labor in the US has gotten very high.
Try having a car painted, worked on, or components rebuilt, the cost is
crazy.  People approach me on a weekly basis to help them do simple
repairs on their older cars.  The cost to have a shop do it often
outweighs the value of the car.  So, my driveway always has a car in it
for repairs which I do only for the cost of parts (doing an engine
rebuild in a '98 Blazer now - two valve cover gasket replacements in the
wings).  Will we see the costs go so high that we may see the craftsmen
come back to rebuild and just not R&R?  I hope we see the craftsmen come
back.  I have great memories of Richard Crowley at 80 years old
rebuilding my alternators and starters in his dirt floor little shop and
the cost was half if you stayed and talked to him as he worked on your
stuff.  In the meantime, help others out with your talents - it will go
further then you think.

Have a great day everyone!

Phil
SEROC

-----Original Message-----
From: datsun-roadsters-bounces+phillip.b.hall=nasa.gov at autox.team.net
[mailto:datsun-roadsters-bounces+phillip.b.hall=nasa.gov at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Bubba
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 11:47 AM
To: sumton at sbcglobal.net; datsun-roadsters at autox.team.net; geegc at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Roadsters] heater core

Non repairable, might mean they cannot solder a hole which is usually
because the brass is deteriorated too far and the repair will just move
the leak to the edge of the solder repair.  Can the rad shop make a new
one?  A good (willing and not disinterested) rad shop can remove the
ends if they are servicable, and install new cores.  The cores are
purchased in blocks, which are cut to the size needed then soldered to
the old tanks.  If the tanks are bad, only the best shops would bother
to make new ones, and then it gets expensive.  I had one made years ago
for my 1959 GMC Pickup tanks and all, and because the brass for the new
tanks was new and thicker, it outlasted the rest of the truck.

Good luck

Bob Winslade
1966-1600 Missy
1967-1600 Bender
----- Original Message -----
From: <geegc at aol.com>
To: <sumton at sbcglobal.net>; <datsun-roadsters at autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Roadsters] heater core


>I recall, its been a long time, that I replaced my core in my 66 from
two
>to three layers, so perhaps you can do the same.
>
> Gary C