Seeking radiator for '72 145..

Well, most of the work on my 145 is finally done, but the radiator
needs replacement. Anybody know where I can get a new one or an
alternative that will drop in? No AC to worry about.


Gary

 

They seem to be rather scarce. Have yours recored, install a new cap
(save the brass shim) and install a new seal. Should be good for many
thousand miles.

Bob

 

Hello Gary:

Glad to hear about the 145. Is this a car you have been restoring?

You don't mention in your post where you live (important for someone
to help you on parts) and what your budget is.

Hmmm..and what year is the beast? If it's 1967 to 1970 you are in
luck.

IPD has a rad and while pricey at $375 US will do the job.

Here's a link:
http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?CategoryID=1771&NodeID=5523&RootID=629

I'd recommend exactly what the other poster said in his reply: take it
to a local rad shop and have it boiled out and recored.

Unless the car has been in the Northeast or an area with a lot of salt
on the roads in winter (which can turn the fins into powder) it should
be easily repaired.

Look for a shop in your area (Alabama?) that rebuilds rads as their
only business. We have such a shop here and they generally rebuild
rads on big trucks etc but also do car rads.

I had then do one for me on my 1800 about 12 yrs ago and it was
$25--but am sure it's much more now.

If the rad is in otherwise decent shape and you can't find anyone
locally I'll give you the particulars on contacting them but would
need a good pic of the rad first.

If nothing else works, find a good shop that does rads for race cars
etc. I do know around here I could have one custom fabricated for less
than the $375 IPD is asking--but only by 50 to $75.

Cheerio,

Doc

 

Catching up on a lot of maintenance, along with getting the valve
problem fixed. After 34 years, a lot of things wear out.

North Alabama. I'm not tight on money, but prefer reasonable prices.

Never in luck; it's a '72. Apparently they started transitioning
between the 140 series and the 240 series about then (the '73 had
the 240-style blower fan, for example), so there seems to be a gap
in parts availibility.

That's more than I paid for the car initially...

Hmmm... The image doesn't quite match mine; the image has a cap on the
top center, mine has the cap on the reservoir bottle. They must be showing
the WS8601065 part.

I'll suggest that to the shop next time I talk to them.

It was originally purchased in Germany, then went to New Mexico, and
ended up in north Alabama. Didn't completely eliminate rust problems,
but they aren't too bad. As far as I know, it hasn't been in the north.

Cheap at twice the price. With the head swap, steering box, distributor,
exhaust, and whatever else I was having done, even another $100 wouldn't
be a problem.

I'll keep that in mind.

Yes, mention "racing" and the price triples...


Gary

 

I, uh, persuaded a 240 rad to fit in my '74 one time. The 140 fan
shroud didn't work, and just so you know the fan shroud is very
important to getting enough airflow through the rad (at idle or when
driving).

 

How about an aftermarket electric fan?

 

I'm not sure how much difference there would be between the '72 and '74.
Hopefully not a lot, but no telling.

Would a 240 shroud have fit? Maybe some creative mounting brackets for
the 140 shroud?


Gary

 

You're probably on your own getting a 240 shroud to fit. There is a lot
more distance between the rad and engine on the 240 than the 140.

I should stress the part about airflow when driving. When I put that
radiator in my old car and found the fan shroud (140) didn't readily
attach to the rad, I left it off but found the car would run warm at
highway speeds in the summer. It would cool off and run at the right
temp going down hills, but get pretty warm uphill. I had figured
there's be enough air just blowing through there at speed, but I was wrong.

 

That would work, but it would run quite a bit. The car ran warm idling
and on the highway. I didn't keep it long after that anyway, so I
didn't get around to trying to fit an electric fan.

 

An intercooled 240 Turbo shroud might work, they're much more shallow.