If the application such as...
If the application such as this '41 Willys pickup is a truly one-off build, chances are you don't have the benefit of having a stock radiator support to use as a foundation. In this case, the space available needs to be carefully measured before a mock-up radiator can be fabricated.
With the automotive aftermarket industry what it is today, to say there is no shortage of options out there when it comes to radiator availability is to put it lightly. There are, however, circumstances where the make and model radiator just won't work in certain applications. An aftermarket radiator designed for a stock '32 Ford just won't fit in a channeled roadster with a track nose. Likewise, many fiberglass street rods don't have the necessary hardware (such as a stock-style radiator support) to mount an original-style radiator. In this case, one is left with the only option available; to have a custom radiator built to suit the specific needs of that car.
But when it comes to having a custom radiator built, there are many factors that can wreak havoc if the necessary channels of communication between the customer and the radiator shop break down. A greasy napkin with some rough dimensions laid out will probably not yield the end product the consumer likely had in mind.
We recently came upon such a situation when we were sorting out the radiator issues on fellow Street Rodder staffer Eric Geisert's California Hauler '41 Willys project. Without a radiator support to work from, we were forced to take some rough measurements and try to fab up a radiator mockup that would give Don Armstrong and his crew at U.S. Radiator a good idea of what we needed. But before we jumped blindly into the task, we decided to pay Don a visit and see just how he goes about building a radiator mockup.
Most applications however...
Most applications however will have a radiator support structure that will provide the rough dimensions for your new radiator.
Once the initial measurements...
Once the initial measurements have been made, they are then transferred to a clean sheet of cardboard. Two sides will be made from these measurements: the grille side and the side that will face the engine.
A standard four-row U.S. Radiator...
A standard four-row U.S. Radiator has a thickness of three-inches, so Don cuts a strip that corresponds with the overall diameter of the two sides to make our mock-up three-dimensional.
Here, Don is shown cutting...
Here, Don is shown cutting out the engine side. Note the tank, filler neck, inlet and outlet locations that are drawn onto the cardboard that will serve as visual reference for the radiator shop.
To support the radiator, two...
To support the radiator, two brackets will need to be fabricated and attached to either side that will mount the radiator to the support.
Here's the mockup assembled...
Here's the mockup assembled using packing tape and placed in the radiator support.
The simple mounts will be...
The simple mounts will be made from steel and fastened to the radiator at the factory. Once in our hands, they'll be drilled to correspond to the radiator support and bolted into place.
Here's a pair of cardboard...
Here's a pair of cardboard radiator mockups that illustrate the possibilities of U.S. Radiator's custom shop.