59 lark radiator leak

just noticed i have a nice little leak coming out of the radiator.. is there a place online i can get a radiator for my studey.. or no?
radiator shop quoted $70-$90 if it's not the core.. and $350-$450 to recore.. please let me know if they're way off.. or if i can buy one and do it myself.. i'd rather.

** danielle m. **

Springfield, Missouri

[JDP]

New radiators are not available, you'll need a good used unit, or repair/recore yours.


JDP
Arnold Md.
Studebaker On The Net

http://stude.com

My Ebay Items

http://www.stude.com/EBAY/

64 GT hawk
64 Commander 2 dr.
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black) #2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert
63 Lark 2 door
63 Lark 2 door #2
62 Daytona HT/ 4 speed
62 Lark 2 door
60 Hawk
59 3E truck
52 Starliner
51 Commander

[showbizkid]

Danielle, good to see you back!

That sounds like a high price for a recore. I just did mine for a V8 car and it only cost $270. Still not pocket change, but less that what you've been quoted. I'd shop around a little if I were you.


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

[dictator27]

Hi Danielle
If the leak isn't too bad, get a can of radiator sealant from your local auto parts store. This is postponing the inevitable, but it should hold long enough to put the necessary cash together for a permanent fix.

Terry

[vegas_vintage]

thank you guys so much for your help. my studebaker mechanic doesn't do radiators, so i needed some alternate advice.
he has helped me alot over these past few months though!

i've overhauled the brakes, put in a studebaker carb that was redone, changed all the locks back to original studebaker locks and the ignition switch so the keys matched, got a light bulb for my speedometer! woo! pretty exciting stuff... i've never put that much money into a car before.. but i'm actually pretty excited about it. it just seems like it's one thing after another though, i get tired of pulling more money out to fix stuff that the previous owner should've been upkeeping, but hey...

i did put some of the stop up stuff in it, i will definitely shop around. thanks for the advice, i always appreciate it!

** danielle m. **

Springfield, Missouri

[65cruiser]

I just picked up my radiator from a local repair shop. It had a leak in the top corner at the top of the core. They charged me $30 to fix the leak, and solder a loose support back on the tank.

quote:Originally posted by vegas_vintage

thank you guys so much for your help. my studebaker mechanic doesn't do radiators, so i needed some alternate advice.
he has helped me alot over these past few months though!

i've overhauled the brakes, put in a studebaker carb that was redone, changed all the locks back to original studebaker locks and the ignition switch so the keys matched, got a light bulb for my speedometer! woo! pretty exciting stuff... i've never put that much money into a car before.. but i'm actually pretty excited about it. it just seems like it's one thing after another though, i get tired of pulling more money out to fix stuff that the previous owner should've been upkeeping, but hey...

i did put some of the stop up stuff in it, i will definitely shop around. thanks for the advice, i always appreciate it!

** danielle m. **

Springfield, Missouri

________________________
Mark Anderson
1965 Cruiser

http://home.alltel.net/anderm

[showbizkid]

quote:Originally posted by vegas_vintage

i've overhauled the brakes, put in a studebaker carb that was redone, changed all the locks back to original studebaker locks and the ignition switch so the keys matched, got a light bulb for my speedometer! woo! pretty exciting stuff... i've never put that much money into a car before.. but i'm actually pretty excited about it. it just seems like it's one thing after another though, i get tired of pulling more money out to fix stuff that the previous owner should've been upkeeping, but hey...

Yeah, I know, an old car seems like it's always nickeling and diming you to death. But look at it from the other direction: You have an excellent, well-built vehicle that you don't have to make payments on (with interest!), that costs you less to insure, that you don't have to worry about ever getting smog checks . I know it seems like you keep spending, but in reality, even withe all the stuff you're fixing, you're dollars ahead compared to the big payments you'd be spending on a new plastic car.

Plus, in a Studebaker, you don't often see yourself coming down the road! [^]


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

[CHAMP]

If your Lark was not overheating and just leaking coolant you probably just need a leak repair and not a recore. But only an honest radiator person can tell you for sure.

GARY H 2DR.SEDAN 48 STUDEBAKER CHAMPION NORTHEAST MD.

[garyash]

Radiator cores do rot. If yours is leaking, and not just a seam leak that can be soldered, then you will need a new radiator or a re-core job. It's not surprising that you were quoted $400 for recoring. However, give a call to Dennis Lambert at SASCO (800) 722-4295. Be prepared to tell him the details about the car - 6 or 8 cyl., manual or auto trans, etc. SASCO has many NOS radiators in stock and Dennis knows which ones will interchange. I recently bought one for my '63 Wagonaire with 6 cylinder engine. It might be about 1/2 the cost of recoring. Putting it in is pretty simple. You might want to replace the radiator hoses when you do it.

[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/gary_ash_m5_sm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

[vegas_vintage]

ohh! *** more info! love it!
but.. unlike what you said above.. i AM making payment and interest! what gal my age has thousands of dollars? i dunno??
but it's ok! and my insurance is normal, cause i drive it everyday..

and you're right! i don't see myself coming.. but everyone around me LOVES me car and that makes it ALL worth it! [8D]

** danielle m. **

Springfield, Missouri

[John Kirchhoff]

Danielle, since it's winter here in Missouri, you might try pouring some stop leak in the radiator and loosening up the radiator cap. Not all the way off, but so that only the last (or is that first?) notch is holding it on. It'll be loose, but that way your cooling system won't build up pressure like it's supposed to. I did that on my 33 year old grain truck several years ago and that stopped it from seeping water. I have to add some maybe twice a year, but it's never overheated, even when slogging around in the hay field in the middle of summer. If it does want to boil over come hot weather, you can worry about fixing the radiator at that time but at least you should have a little breathing room in the meantime. I'm north of Columbia and we've had ice and sleet all day. If you haven't got it, it sounds like you will and cold, icy weather isn't the time to be worrying about a radiator. You save that for July. Right now you're supposed to be worrying about the heater or defroster!

Oh, nice smile you have there!

[raprice]

One of the beauties of those older radiators is the fact that they're made of copper and can be brazed for repair. Shop around.
Modern radiators are disposable and really can't be repaired.
Nice Lark.
Rog

'59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop

[CHAMP]

I just had to solder the radiator in my 48 champion yesterday. I used a small propane torch, some acid core solder, and a small wire brush. The secret to soldering is to get everything real clean! BTW make sure you drain the radiator first!!!

GARY H 2DR.SEDAN 48 STUDEBAKER CHAMPION NORTHEAST MD.

[StudeDave]

in Chicago, we have a Chain called Cool-Heat, with about 40 Mexzicans that do GREAT WORK on ANY Old Radiator - -UnLike the NEW- Mostly Plastic Crap, these can be Soldered and FIXED! - -Find somebody locally, with a GOOD Reputation, and GO With THEM!
THEN, pass the WORD on to your Local Chapter! AND, with Larry Swanson, so he can put them in the GUIDE! {AND with your STATE Regional Manager, as well - HE'll SHARE Your Good Fortune with all the chapters in the state!]
When you Walk In, if you don't get a Good VIBE, Walk OUT!
The ONLY way we can Survive in this OLD CAR STUFF, is to get GOOD LEADS,GOOD EXPERIENCES and SHARE THEM!
BEST of Luck!
For YEARS, I've subscribed to the Mom & Pop RESTAURANT code of conduct, and I've found that that applies to OLD CAR SHOPS, as well!
GOOD LUCK
/dave reid/
SDC Reg'l Mgr, IL


Dave Reid

[StudeDave]

by the way, in about 1963, I took my [now 38 year married wife] home from church in a VERY SIMILAR '59 Lark, which ALREADY had the passenger-side floor-boards rusted-out, so she had to sit CLOSE, in the MIDDLE of the seat...and the REST is HISTORY! [this was in Central Michigan, where they put BRINE on the roads, from out-classed oil wells, winter [for ice] and summer [for dust], and it's now the county that has the MOST CANCER per capita in the STATE!

Dave Reid