The 'E' Type Forum

In the UK there is an array of alloy radiators available...does anyone have any experience of these, and a recommendation of where I should look for the best quality and performance?

Just to throw a spanner in the works.

I have aluminium radiators fitted to both my S1 cars, along with Cool Cat fans, and this is a big improvement on the original.

In my S1.5, which has the same radiator and dual fans as your S2, I have the original radiator, which works very well, even in 40*C heat. All I ever did to it was have the top and bottom tanks taken off and have the cores cleaned out.

If you look around, you'll find a huge variation in the price of aluminium aftermarket rads. I put the cheapest EBay radiator I could find in my S1 roadster. The PO of my S1 coupe fitted a very expensive, brand name radiator. It cost about 7 times as much as my cheapo one. Both are still working, and both cool well. I am not, so far convinced, that you get what you pay for here.

Thanks Andrew...I guess another option would be a very efficient 'standard' radiator as you say.

Unless you want one for aesthetics only, there is no benefit from fitting one. We have standard radiators rebuilt with upgraded cores (if required) but a properly functioning cooling system works perfectly ok.

My standard radiator was corroded and leaking.

I took it to Boston Motorcool who refurbished it with a modern core for £225 incl VAT.

I refitted it with new hoses and a Fosseway otter switch. My mobile auto electrician refurbished the original twin fans for £70, I refinished the shroud with a satin black crackle paint.

The car easily holds its temperature, even when I was stuck on the M25 for 2 hours in the heat, crawling in first gear.

Difficult to see why you would want to spend more? I also did the heater matrix, all the other hoses, might do the bulkhead heater pipes this winter.

I might move to Evan waterless coolant now all that is sorted.

James

I have had a Cambridge Motorsports alloy radiator fitted since 1999 and after 50,000 miles it is going strong. I also have one of their gorgeous curved header tanks which looks so good it should have been standard:


http://www.cambridgemotorsport.com/partsxy/79062

I’m going to be doing something about my radiator very soon. I do have a place locally that could re-core it but the money that they quoted was not that different from some of the prices that I’ve seen for new aluminum ones. The price is for all of this seem to be much higher than I would expect. I wanted to ask if anyone has found a less expensive option for the series 2 cars. Mine is a 69 FHC.
Thank you Anthony

I bought a 2nd hand standard S2 rad off someone who was swapping it for an alloy one for no reason other that the alloy one was perceived to be an upgrade. I cleaned it out with kettle descaler which removed quite a bit of crud, and had to replace the studs for the otter switch were snapped. It is much better than my leaking original, which got a bit marginal an heavy traffic. At some point, I’ll get my original re-cored and refit that, but I expect the biggest difference will be when I eventually strip the engine and get the block cleaned. There’s only so much sludge you can get out by draining and flushing the coolant.

I bought an alloy radiator from Welsh Enterprises for my 1961 flat floor far cheaper than I could get one in the UK. I have no idea as to the price you have been quoted but maybe this will be cheaper:-

https://www.welshent.com/Jaguar-E-Type- ... 24202.aspx

Thanks all. It seems like my options for aluminum are to take a risk on a Chinese radiator or pay about $750 bucks for something made in the US. I believe I can get my original copper recored for about $400 and I’m leaning that way right now.

Just curious if anyone knows which fan this is on my car.
Thanks
Anthony

They’re not standard S2 fans. They’re probably a standard size Spal fan or similar from a catalogue, rather than off another car. I expect they shift more air and draw less current than the originals. The only downside is they don’t look particularly period correct. Do they work alright?

Yes Tom they do work well. I realized earlier today they were blowing the wrong way. Reversing the wiring fixed that. Now they blow air from the radiator toward the engine. I presume that is right.
I will still be planning to recore my radiator because of 90 degree SC weather that will be here before I know it.

Thanks much!
Anthony

It seems you have hit on the right way to go, but out of curiosity I had a look elsewhere just to compare prices.

https://www.coolcatcorp.com/Merchant5/m ... ry_Code=CS

I use their fan on my S1 3.8 and it is a great improvement over the two-bladed windmill. If your's work then fine, but if one day you need to change then just bookmark this site. You never know!