[TR] Recore vs Rodding Out TR3 Radiators

[William Brewer]

     So I have the radiator out of the TR3A. The radiator shop (The Radiator
Depot - Lancaster, CA) is charging me $89 to rod it out and resolder all of
the joints that show signs or corrosion (radiator extension, bottom radiator
fitting and drain plug boss). I thought that that is a fair price. They wanted
$380 to re-core the radiator with a new core. I beat about 12 years and 80,000
out of this radiator. I have always used distilled water with my coolant and
think that that helped.
     Man, it is a pain to change the radiator on a
TR3. My mind wanders and rambles whenever I get to doing the radiator. I am
surprised that Ken Richardson allowed it to be so difficult to change out. It
seems like in the flat horizontal bottom part of the nose piece that there
would have been a removable panel to unbolt to allow the radiator to slide out
the bottom front. ISTR a photo of a TR3 in France where the whole front end
was modified to make it flip up forward to provide access to the whole front
end and suspension.

     How many times can a radiator be rodded out? I have
a spare radiator and was thinking that if you can only rod them out once then
next time (80,000 miles from now...) I would already have the replacement
radiator re-cored  and could swap them out on the fly. If it can be rodded out
a second time then I would hold off on that one.
     With aluminum
replacement radiators, do they keep corrosion down? Are they a worthwhile
upgrade to save trouble down the road? I was thinking if an aluminum radiator
doesn't corrode as fast as the copper one then it may be worthwhile. Of course
the radiator can plug with corrosion from the block & head as well.
     ISTR
someone said that they use a secret FT radiator blend of 1 bottle No-Rosion, 1
bottle water wetter, 1 gallon Prestone and the rest in distilled water. Any
thoughts on that?
     I ordered all new cooling system hoses, connecting tube
& thermostats from Moss. I was surprised that they didn't have the top
radiator hose for either the TR3 or TR4 in stock. WTH you guys? It's summer
and getting hot. Thank goodness that I kept a spare in the trunk. If you are
going to redo your cooling system then you may want to stock up ahead of time.
     I am always trying to keep the connecting pipe from rotting out. When I
found the car 22 years ago the steel pipe was completely rotted. Then I used a
brass pipe from a sink drain, but wasn't happy with it because it didn't have
the right bend. Last time I was in there I used a new Moss one and painted it
on the outside with Rustoleum. Inside the pipe was reasonably clear, but where
the radiator hoses covered the pipe it is rusty and very pitted. Does anyone
make a stainless one? Is there something that can be done to the mild steel
one to make it last?
     TIA,

     Bill in Tehachapi