Cool/Heat: Has anyone tried this aluminum truck radiator?

[52-fan]

My truck was running and cooling fine with a Lark radiator, but someone had cut the top out of the radiator support. I replaced the support and used a Hawk radiator that my brother had used in his truck years ago. Everything hooked up fine, but now the engine slowly gets hot. I tried to add a stock shroud to improve slow speed air flow, but the radiator sticks out too far at the top.. I am now wondering if I should get the radiator checked at a shop and hope there is a fix or just replace it with a new one.
I found this company on-line, but know nothing about the fit compared to stock. https://www.championradiators.com/St...ator-1949-1952 Has anyone here used one of these?

[tsenecal]

I haven't used one, but it's not a terrible price, and it claims to support 550 HP, so it must do a pretty good job. Hopefully somebody that has tried one will respond.

[StudeRich]

The thing about many Stude. Truck Radiators is, the Height is critical on most like my Transtar because of the radiator Saddle that goes OVER the TOP!

This one is made to order in Orange County Calif. so you can talk to them (in English!) and have the Overflow Tube installed on the Correct Side! >Facing the Truck's Right.

And maybe put the Filler Neck and Inlet Tube in the Center where it belongs.

You get what you PAY for... USA, USA, USA!

[52-fan]

The Hawk radiator in the truck now has the neck repositioned. The Lark radiator that was working had to use a long curving hose on top that did not look right. In the past I would have taken the one I have to a radiator shop and had it checked out, but labor is so high buying a new radiator seems like a better idea.
This particular radiator sounds good because it is made for a Studebaker truck. The others I have seen have to be adapter from some other application. I like the look of a stock radiator better, but the main thing is dependable cooling.

[sweetolbob]

If the original shroud fits I would strongly consider it. A lot of us are successfully running 150 - 250 dollar aluminum radiators on much larger engines than yours.

Be sure of the outlet sizes as their diagram is different than the stated specs. Not a big deal as hose size can be changed or shims added but just a heads up.

Bob

[52-fan]

If the original shroud fits I would strongly consider it. A lot of us are successfully running 150 - 250 dollar aluminum radiators on much larger engines than yours.

Be sure of the outlet sizes as their diagram is different than the stated specs. Not a big deal as hose size can be changed or shims added but just a heads up.

Bob

I'm not sure about the shroud and I would like to use it. The fan appears to touch the lower part of the shroud now, but I wouldn't have to trim much.
Yes the hose size is troublesome. I just went through this with the radiator currently in the truck. The closest hose I found for the top required a sleeve, but it fit well.

[Brianbo]

52-Fan,
just went thru a radiator mess myself. The often suggested Jeep rad is too wide to fit between the rails on my ‘52 Champion. I found this unit and figured if it’s a “Champion”, how can I go wrong?!?

I did pay the extra to have the ears flipped for the car.
I had to trim almost an inch off of each side of the ears and the tops of the ears. The aluminum was easy to work. Using the provided hole location put the fan too close to the upper hose, so I raised it almost an inch. I checked for hood clearance by placing a glob of Play Dough on the high points and measured the squish.
I lucked out at the FLAPS and found a guy that would work with the pieces of wire bent to the size and shape of the hoses I needed. I also read that using a piece of 2” aluminum, heat riser tube and bending to shape works well too.
Since you are working on the truck, most of this doesn’t matter, but I was VERY pleased with the company and the product.
It arrived well packed and in good shape. The in and out may not be the advertised size, but easy to work with.
Brian

[52-fan]

Thanks for the info. I have just about decided to take the radiator I have to the shop and see what they say. This would be the same shop that modified it late in the last century.

[52-fan]

A little update. I repositioned the converted Hawk radiator and installed the shroud after some reshaping and trimming of the lower part. I also found that the truck had no thermostat and I installed one. I went for a short drive and the engine still gets too hot.
Yesterday, I took the radiator back off and took it to the shop. Sonny is the grandson of the man who ran the business when I was a kid. His dad, Ronnie, reworked this radiator for Joe in the mid 1980s. Ronnie is retired now, so Sonny runs the shop alone. Anyway, he flow checked my radiator and it flowed 25 gallons a minute! definitely not the radiator.
BTW He did not charge me for the service even though I tried to pay him. Nice folks.

[RadioRoy]

Time to pull the freeze plugs (that's Minnesota terminology) and flush the crud out of the cooling system?

[52-fan]

Time to pull the freeze plugs (that's Minnesota terminology) and flush the crud out of the cooling system?

Maybe, but the truck was running really cool before I replaced the chopped off radiator support and changed the radiator. I did put everything back on today. I also used a shorter fan belt to be sure the belt was not slipping under load. The truck ran a little above the center of the gauge, but not bad. I need to take a longer drive to be sure its okay.

[Jeremy]

On the aluminum radiator issue, I found this replacement for my '59 Silver Hawk, with the 259. It's aluminum and looks decent. Would just feel better knowing someone's used it with success. Ships from NY, which is a long way from where I am. Thanks! Wizard Cooling--link below:
https://wizardcooling.com/1957-1959-...inum-radiator/

[doofus]

Howard, how about flo testing that Lark rad against the hawk unit? something isnt adding up. your welcome to plunder through my rad stash. Luck Doofus

[52-fan]

Howard, how about flo testing that Lark rad against the hawk unit? something isnt adding up. your welcome to plunder through my rad stash. Luck Doofus

Thanks for the offer, but I think the problem has resolved itself. I don't know if there could have been an air pocket or other anomaly. You may not have noticed, but this thread started last summer. I had the truck up to Branson and several other places since then.
I never got an answer on the original aluminum radiator question. I guess no one on here had tried that one.