eBay radiators?

[DarkRose]

Just found out today I'm in need of a new radiator for my 79 Futura coupe (200 cid). Anyone had any experience with the all-aluminum radiators on eBay?
My local Autozone has an OE radiator for $160+tax, and I can grab

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-FAI ... 3cab7ac13f

for $180, no shipping, no tax, another $20 for aluminum sounds like a good deal. Motor is all original right now, occasional summer cruiser, with mild performance in mind down the road (exhaust, 2bbl, header maybe, upgrade ignition, etc.).

Are these any good? Is it gonna be worth the $180 if I grab one?
That and shaving a bit of weight here and there is always a good idea...

 

[350kmileford]

I bought this radiator http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... AUS%3A1123
from this mass seller http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/radiatordealz/

The performance difference exceeded all imaginable expectations. Car went from overheating over 65 mph to running cold at 85 mph.

 

[Quick 8]

I am not familiar with these specific sellers, but I have bought aluminum radiators (yes, plural) off eBay before, and the quality was fantastic. Especially for the price.

 

[Gene 64 2dr]

I just purchased one from these guys and it looks well made. Just a heads up they are made in China. I usually go out of my way to buy US but money has been is a little tight.
Mine is a three row for $139. Must not be a great demand for the three row radiators. It’s pretty thick and it doesn’t look like it would work with a standard fan. I using a electric pusher.

I’ll be putting it in a few days and will let you know how the fit is.

Gene

 

[kukm66]

watch the inlet/outlet sizes on those as they do not always match stock dimensions.

 

[Gene 64 2dr]

I put the radiator in last night and it was a perfect fit. The inlet and outlet connections were in the right location and the correct diameter. The flange mounting holes were also in the correct locations. The thickness made the space between the water pump mounting screw heads and the radiator at about 1/2". Now to see how well it cools.

Gene

 

[DarkRose]

Well that's the kind of good news I like to hear. Still going to contact the local radiator shop and get an estimate on repair, but might be worth just getting an aluminum and being done with it.

@350kmileford - That's the same seller I was looking at, good to know it's good stuff.

It's not something it needs right away as at the moment it's not being driven and parked in grandma's garage, but as the house will be sold in a few months probably, eventually it will have to come home with me, and unfortunately sit out in an apartment parking lot, though under a cover (as long as I move the vehicle every 3-4 weeks)

 

[Gene Fiore]

For what it's worth, I just read this little tid bit of information concerning working on older cars...

"After years of wear and tear on rough roads, original radiators may no longer function as heat exchangers. Though it may not be leaking and water may still flow freely, years of vibration and use can cause micro-separations between the tubes and the fins that prevent an effective heat transfer from the water to the air. If you’re overheating and you’ve checked everything else, it may be time for a reproduction radiator." --Hagerty April 2010 Newsletter

 

[350kmileford]

The radiators that he sells (the one I bought) turned out to be a Silla brand, fyi. There was one issue with the radiator and that is the radiator cap did not fit very tight at all when tightened fully. I cut out a piece of gasket and put it in under the cap. That helped out a bit but it's still not as tight as I'd like. I'd still buy from that guy again though.