Here’s a radiator used in a 427-big block Ford powered car I once owned. As you can see, it’s manufactured from aluminum rather than copper-brass (the original rad was copper-brass). The text provides insight into why aluminum has superceded copper-brass as the radiator material of choice for most applications, but the short version is a properly constructed aluminum rad such as this has increased cooling capacity, offers more strength and is considerably lighter.
There might be something else important here too: Typically a formed radiator hose (the type Detroit uses on their vehicles) will deliver superior performance to one of those universal “fits-all” hoses that are available at the local discount auto parts stores. The belief is there is considerable laminar flow within the hose, and the ribs of the universal radiator hose disturb this flow. So what’s the answer? Simple. Watch out for cheap, universal ribbed hoses, and be careful when selecting a rad – smooth outlet bend radius is certainly more efficient than sharp turns.
So what’s the point of all this? Simple. Aluminum radiators definitely work better in a drag race application and there is a definite difference between radiators manufactured by various companies. Not only is there a weight savings, aluminum rads can be built to cool better than their copper-brass counterparts. In the end though, the reality is, you get what you pay for. That ends our initial look at radiators. Next issue, we’ll take a closer look at fans, and perhaps more important, fan shrouds.
SOURCE: Ron Davis Racing Products 7334 N. 108th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85307, PH: 623-877-5001 |
Click here to read Part 2.
