72' F250 CS "Rex" Sold! -update

[fireguywtc]

Another thing I think I forgot to mention is reheating the air and recirculating. I don't know if that unit has the heat in it but if it does make sure the heater core is blocked off. Also if it draws air from the outside it will be more difficult to cool incoming air then recirculating. Just some thoughts.

[mcheath]

Thanks. It's an only recirculating unit, it has two squirrel cages blowers under the dash and it simply sucks up the cab air and blows it back out. It's a really primitive AC system, it can't even blow the cooled air up to the defrosters as it's totally separated from the heating system.

I drove the other day in it for a few miles at constant speed, and it worked well to cool the cab down. Stop and go in town is another matter, and I'm pretty convinced that I'm going to have to add some more freon now, my low pressure reading is now 27psi after finding the leak. I should have been checking that closer.

[flyboy2610]

For your dad, mcheath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvQBjJrwJCI

[mcheath]

Ha! Here's my dad on a similar bike to his own in 1976. (this was a friends bike, not sure why he's not on his)

1976.jpg

The freon leak seems to have been stopped, cross fingers, looking to get some more freon to replace what I lost.

[mcheath]

Pulled the radiator this morning to get the minor leaks fixed. (pretty easy job) It's seeping at a few spots where the top tank meets the core. Inside it's all rusty, hmm. The PO said that he'd just had the cooling system "redone" with a new water pump, all new hoses and the radiator "fixed". Looks like whoever did the work merely soldered up a leak or two on the rad, as it started seeping not long after I got it.

I flushed the block water jackets with a hose after pulling the rad. I wonder how the freeze plugs are with that rust in there.

The fellow at our local radiator shop never ceases to amaze me. I can walk in with any odd radiator or heater core and he will immediately identify it by sight alone. Today I carried in the rad and he blurted out:

"Haven't seen one of those superduty Fords in a while. Good radiators, all copper and brass."

Claims that a full clean out and repair will be in the 75-95 dollar range and that I'll get it back later this week.

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[KnockKnock]

It's nice when the guy working the shop knows what he's looking at before you tell him. I've got a guy a few towns over at Jerry's Radiator Shop in Belton that's good like that. Makes me confident that he's been at it a while, and still doing good business.

[mcheath]

Ha! I know Jerry's Radiator Shop because I used to live in Belton! Small world eh? Nice area around there, the lakes, rolling hills, I liked it there. Belton used to have huge 4th of July parades each year which were fun to attend.

[Alstoyz]

It's nice when the guy working the shop knows what he's looking at before you tell him. I've got a guy a few towns over at Jerry's Radiator Shop in Belton that's good like that. Makes me confident that he's been at it a while, and still doing good business.

My stepfather was from Gatesville. I've spent some time off and on down there over the years... Nice country.

[KnockKnock]

I moved here to Killeen when my dad took over a church in Gatesville (Bethel Heights). It's a little ole' country church that I've been going to on Sundays for a good while now; it's harder now that I've sold my truck (I'm currently rideless for the first time in a LONG time), but y'all are all welcome to come on in for a visit, and I'll make sure to be there if I know you're coming

...small world after all.

[fireguywtc]

It is a crazy-small world. I also use Jerry's radiator shop, Belton is the next town up from where I live. He has done all of my heater core stuff as well as my condenser for my 70's AC system. It's hard to substitute old school experience like that.

[mcheath]

So bad news on the radiator front. There is serious decay and it's going to need a new core. Ouch.

The shop is working up a price, but I can see this getting expensive fast. Any options that might be better?

[DCrusher]

Orielly's has a reasonable price I'm not saying its not going to be sticker shock but after the repair out weight a new one just buy a new one. That what I did on the old dodge after trying to keep the top tank from cracking any more I just went out and bought another one. It has plastic tanks rather than brass but it works its been running for 3 years now. No leaks drips or runs no dealing with leaks or trying to find them.

So bad news on the radiator front. There is serious decay and it's going to need a new core. Ouch.

The shop is working up a price, but I can see this getting expensive fast. Any options that might be better?

[Heirloom]

Can't help much on the copper/brass rads. Had to replace one in a 79 recently, a new aluminum radiator was the most economical choice.

Edit: Collision Parts Warehouse lists a 4 row for $275. Cpwusa.com I would link ya, but I'm on a cell phone at the moment. They are about 45 minutes from me.

[mcheath]

Anyone know anything about these radiators? Found it on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141008656309?ss ... 1423.l2649

[Heirloom]

It looks similar to what I installed in the 79 step side a few months back. So far it functions fine. There were a couple issues though. The mount flanges were on the wrong side of the radiator. Had to cut them off and adapt some factory steel brackets cut off an old copper/brass radiator. Second, it was warped. One corner was about 1/2 off so I shimmed it, rather than stressing all the welds by forcing it straight.

You get what you pay for, generally.