Duster Survivor Radiator Dilemma

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Bookmaker

Bookmaker

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I took my new 1974 Duster survivor (see it here) to a local cruise-in last night. I received many compliments on the car and people were astonished at the miles. Several people told me I should put it in the survivor tent at Carlisle next summer.

When I got home, I noticed that the radiator is leaking near the front, bottom center.

So what do I do?

1) Replace with a new, aftermarket radiator? There are suitable replacements from rockauto.com and the newer aluminum radiators. The ones from rockauto.com are 26", but will fit and I can get a Mopar shroud for it. The car currently has a 22" radiator on it.

-- or --

2) Take the leaking radiator somewhere to have it repaired? How do I find a reputable shop?

Would a black 26" radiator w/shroud look "stock enough"?
 
if you want to keep it survivor condition then the only proper way to do it is get the stock one fixed. find a radiator shop near you that will do it. even if it needs to be recored.

screw the aftermarket one if you want to keep it all stock"survivor" condition.

Would a black 26" radiator w/shroud look "stock enough"?
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NO!


in the end though its just a 74 318 duster so it really doesn't matter what the hell you do to it.
 
Yes, bring it to a radiator shop thay can fix and re-core it. I would try to get the correct color (sheen) and paint it while it's out. Spray paint works fine
 
Sounds like a recore is the way to go. Gotta expect these things with a 42-year old car. I may also replace the heater core out of caution.
 
Do what you can to keep it. My /6 car & two of my 318 cars had aftermarket radiators in them & it took a while but I found radiators with the right part numbers for them.

Aftermarket radiators in otherwise stock engine bays just look goofy to me.
 
We still have a real rad shop up here in Waynesboro VA; I have asked about re-cores there for my '62 Dart survivor's rad. I'll ask my son to check around Roanoke/Salem where he lives. And there may even be one in Bedford or Lynchburg. If you want, PM me and I'll get you the phone number of the one here.

Keep the original and recore!
 
A friends dad had a radiator for his 1951 chieftain recored a few months back. It was EXPENSIVE! I believe it was well over $500 due to metal prices/supplies being high. That was the cheapest place he could find locally.
 
1994redram said:
A friends dad had a radiator for his 1951 chieftain recored a few months back. It was EXPENSIVE! I believe it was well over $500 due to metal prices/supplies being high. That was the cheapest place he could find locally.
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yup.. i've got a price of $600 to get my stock 340 radiator recored..
 
abodyjoe said:
yup.. i've got a price of $600 to get my stock 340 radiator recored..
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That's insane. Unless it's a rare or completely mint original numbers matching car. It just doesn't make sense to me to re-do an original. If a guy wanted an OE looking engine bay you could buy a budget friendly aluminum radiater for better cooling and just paint it black.
 
Or do what I once did. Find the leaky core, jab a needle nose across it, tear it in half and fold both ends over tight to seal them. My rad was so old and soft, it tore like nothing. A stock teener will never notice.
 
abodyjoe said:
yup.. i've got a price of $600 to get my stock 340 radiator recored..
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I had Glen-Ray restore and re-core 2 radiators for $1150. One is 68 GTS 383 numbers. the other is 70 Cuda 383 numbers. They are beautiful.
 
Glen Ray for me too! they make the stock 2 core into a 3 row for max cooling with unleaded fuel and and cheaper oil. looks the same but better.
 
well the key is finding a GOOD rad shop. they will soak it in their nasty stuff. pressure check to find where it is leaking. the tank, the core? both? sometimes the core can be rodded out. if the tanks are good and needs recore, last on I had done this spring cost me $265, it was a 2 core out of a Lancer . other slant rad will not fit without cutting up the support.
if the car is worthy of keeping original and striving to be recognized as "survivor", work to keep the orig rad in there.
 
I've4 taken the stock top and bottom tanks and sides off an OE rad and resoldered them to an aftermarket repop, non numbers matching rad. Best of both worlds - not gouged for a resto rad and it looks OE because most of it is. No one is going to question whether the core, fins, etc. are NOS quality.
 
go to a GOOD radiatator shop that knows their jobs well.... they may be able to dunk it and look at the area and maybe braze the leak and any other spots...that would be the 1st step, if they get it all cleaned up and need recore....you know what you gotta do.
 
on these old style rad a GOOD shop can clean it and tell if it needs rodded out. the tanks come off and go back on easily. much cheaper than a recore job. that might not even be necessary, a good trip to the cleaning vat and fix a few leaks. all depends on the condition of everything. like I said, find a good shop!
 
Its hard to find a good radiator shop these days... there is one by me that has been around since the 1960's Im thinking the "talent" people have retired... at most of them and not many learned the trade...or passed the knowledge on...
 
I've got the radiator out of the car. I will try to find a radiator shop tomorrow. I'll start by calling the dealer where I bought my Challenger and see who they recommend.

I pulled the thermostat too, and it is the original 195F. It has a tiny pentastar embossed on it. I'm going to replace that along with the upper and lower hoses.

Should I stick with a 195F stat or go lower?

I appreciate everyone's advice.
 
180/185 failsafe by stant the failsafe if it fails it sticks in th open position... alot safe than the closed.... god security
 
Bookmaker said:
I've got the radiator out of the car. I will try to find a radiator shop tomorrow. I'll start by calling the dealer where I bought my Challenger and see who they recommend.
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Very few dealer people are into the old stuff any more, in ANY way shape or form. You might get lucky or might get a bum steer. A local private shop would be better...IMO. Petie's Radiator here in Waynesboro is good but that may be a bit far for you. There is Gibson in Roanoke.
 
Motorad makes the fail safe thermostat. Found that at Rockauto.

This seems like a good opportunity to change the water pump. What do you all think? Rockauto lists a bunch of water pumps for my 1974 Duster 318, including HD ones and ones for use with AC. (My car does not have AC.) Any recommendations for a water pump?

Thanks.
 
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