HAS ANYONE PUT A LATER RAD ONTO AN EARLY VAN, 1.6D

["WEAZLECHIN"]

i just aquired a 1983 rad but its completely different to my 1982 1.6d rad, you wouldnt think they were for the same model van, the hoses are on different sides and one mounts from the sides and the other mounts top and bottom. has anyone fitted the later(better) rad to an early van?? is it possible or just too much to bother with??

[Bendyknees]

I have just gone through this wit my van after findin a hole in my rad. if u mesure the rad u have aquired u will find that its actually a little smaller if i remember than ur original 1, the sensor screws in a differant place as do the hoses, the fan mounts differantly, and so does the rad. I decided that it was definatly do-able but i didnt think it was worth the grief, an went out an bought a new 1.
Depending on who u speak to at gsf sum phone operators tell u that they cant supply as new rad for the 1.6 N/a or they will tell u no problems we have both styles of rad(they told me the second answer after id ordered it for a lot more somwhere else). Although on the gsf site they have the part numbers all the same for all rads, so theres summit wrong there.

[Plasticman]

Easier to go to a rad building company, we used to get rads recored with appx30% more cooling using the existing tanks/casings for racing stuff I was involved in,

Price wise cheaper than dealer recons etc, might have to look at this myself as my 1.6d gets a bit warm as it "races" up 1in 4 hills, well not exactly racing up,, well not even remotely racing in fact lets leave the racing bit out in fact lets suggest it manages to ascend under its own steam...
Mike

["WEAZLECHIN"]

believe it or not i used to repair radiators for marston. ive lost touch, i just thought as the old rads were crap, and new rads were fitted as an improvement. but im getting the feeling a replacement crap rad is the only way. copper core, thin cheap copper...... yack

[bigbluebus]

is your old rad the small half height one?

I fitted a 1.9wbx rad from an 86 into an 82 Aircooled and plumbed that to a 1.6d

If you can see the van the 'new rad came from, directly under the screen, behind the upper grille is a horizontal thin strip of metal spot welded on. Lump hammer and thin chisel, knock this piece off n bolt / screw / weld it onto your van. If I remember rightly, 2 of the holes in it match directly to 2 holes already drill in the van. The upper rad mounts slot into this.

At the bottom, there should be 2 'legs' sticking out the rad with 2 holes drilled in them (if you haven't got these, find some). These mount into the holes in front x member (every T25 I've had has had these holes in the cross member)

Then it's just down to plumbing . . .

(oh, and remember I'm a numpty, my words aren't gospel)

["WEAZLECHIN"]

ta for that bigblue, it probably is a bit too much work in the long run but the newer design rad is loads better than the copper trash of old.