1977 FC Radiator needed ISO / Looking for

[nk1234567]

Dear all i have an opportunity to buy a 1977 WanderLodge FC Gas motor. i am in search of a Radiator. it currently does not have a radiator. my search results have no come up with anything. and shops are cautious building something that will not work for my needs.

All leads comments and help is very welcomed and appreciated.

i am also very new to this group so thanks in advance

Nate k 402.594.5434 or natekalt2018@gmail.com

very excited to get this bus as i have has 4 skoolies and only have 2 left. i am ready for the upgrade.

Hi,
You want air brakes, 534 Ford engine.
If 391 Ford and juice brakes, run away. Run Forest run!

[clyndes]

Nate,

I'm not seeing a lot of replies to your post so I am piping in with my 2 cents despite it not being completely relevant to your situation.

First question, is the radiator completely missing or just removed and sitting in the garage or something?

My experience with my '83 FC with the diesel was the same as yours. No one is making a replacement where they list our model and year bus, including Bluebird. There are places where they will fabricate a radiator to your specifications. These seem to be few and far between (none in Vermont). Mike Hohnstein did this once for John Flynn, which is documented in a thread here. I'm sure you would need to get all sorts of measurements for this to be successful. Maybe find a Wog member who has the same setup as you?

Getting an existing radiator re-cored is what I ended up doing. Even that isn't cheap and took quite a while. And the re-cored radiator was slightly larger so it messed up my swing radiator, which Tim Kelly in Topeka just straightened out by fabricating a new piece of the mounting for the radiator.

So, finding the old radiator if it is no longer present and accounted for would be a great beginning, even if it is in rough shape.

Good Luck and welcome to WOG!

[Randy Dupree]

a little more info would be good.
Engine size?
Does the tranny have its own cooler?
etc.

[gspappa]

If I recall, the original radiator in the 70's FC's are very similar to an old radiator that Mack used to use. I am sure a good radiator shop would be able to duplicate. If I recall, it was pretty deep and sort of rounded at the top. It was a fairly large unit and pretty heavy. I wish I had some dimensions on it, but I do not.


I have a good shop here in NJ that might be able to help you with the proper dimensions which I am sure someone on the WOG will have or can get.


Let me know if I can assist.


Good luck!

[Bob Horner]

Originally Posted by nk1234567

Dear all i have an opportunity to buy a 1977 WanderLodge FC Gas motor. i am in search of a Radiator. it currently does not have a radiator. my search results have no come up with anything. and shops are cautious building something that will not work for my needs.

All leads comments and help is very welcomed and appreciated.

i am also very new to this group so thanks in advance

Nate k 402.594.5434 or natekalt2018@gmail.com

very excited to get this bus as i have has 4 skoolies and only have 2 left. i am ready for the upgrade.

Radiator supply Inc. They will build anything you want. There is an online template you can fill out for a quote.

[Jarrodpimentals]

So I’m in need of a radiator also and can not find any info about a replacement either. I’m just checking to make certain the ONLY route really is a recore? I was quoted 3000$ in Florida for a recore. I’m not excited about that at all.

[Mike Hohnstein]

Welcome to bus ownership. Breakout Uber Samoleans.

[1984Lodge]

Originally Posted by Jarrodpimentals

So I’m in need of a radiator also and can not find any info about a replacement either. I’m just checking to make certain the ONLY route really is a recore? I was quoted 3000$ in Florida for a recore. I’m not excited about that at all.

Are you still in Florida? The radiator shop I used was 2900 for my huge PT radiator, of course this was several years ago so who knows now. The guy I used is here in Tampa, Precision Radiator, talk to Steve, he is the owner.

[tqwrench]

I paid $1500 in March for a recore on the radiator in my '84 FC/3208. Kool Radiator in Southgate, MI. Didn't someone just post that they had a radiator available for picking up? I just looked in parts or other items for free. Maybe I dreamed it??