Walker/Cooling Components

I have a small rant. I paid probably close to $1000 for my Walker radiator (Z series for high performance or hot running engines blah blah - LT1 runs hot) and Cooling Components fan and shroud. They seem to be the same ownership from what I can tell. They have a certain part number shroud that fits my radiator as well as other part numbers to fit other certain radiators yet they want me to trim this hard plastic to fit the radiator. Well why do they have a part number for one of their products to fit another one of their products, but I still have to trim to fit??

Big deal, I have to trim it that's fine, but the bracket mounting the fan to the shroud is wider than the radiator!? So when I trim the shroud down a little the bracket mounting the fan will stick out! Not much, probably as much as a 1/4" on each side, but clearly these products from the same company do not work as well together as I expect. I will make it work and assume that the Walker reputation will not let me down.

I hate it when your pay big $$ for things that don't fit properly...I would
personally give them a call and ask why you have to trim something you
just paid big bucks for......

I guess that when I got mine and saw that very thing, did a 'fix' and never looked back. My biggest gripe for that assembly were the huge sheet metal screws that they expect you to assemble the shroud to the radiator frame with and just waiting for you to slip and drill into a cooling tube.

Not a very good photo, but:HMMM:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i8...w-system-1.gif

Building a "homebuilt/street rod/race car" is a series of compromises.

rdobbs- that is exactly my problem here, but when I called to question it he basically just said yea you need to trim it and screw it on.

Dave- it is difficult to see what you did there...if you are able to post a bigger pic I would appreciate it. I am hesitant to screw into the radiator also. When they first told me that I thought "you want me to do what to my $700 radiator?" :eek:. yea the outter core is dummy. ok, whatever you say :rolleyes: I do realize things on these cars don't always (ever) go together as planned, but two products from the same company I was hoping would work better together.

I bought a water neck and air cleaner from Street & Performance for my car and the air cleaner did not clear the water neck. I called them up and he said they got a bad batch of water necks that were cast a bit too big. So they sent me another, and then another. Finally they said we'll send one out significantly smaller. They did and it worked great. Aside from still being owed after sending one of them back (waiting for the next credit card statement) I am a happy customer.

I've only had a couple of dealings with Walker and my biggest complaint is their beside manner. They had an attitude when I spoke to them over 20 years ago about building a radiator for my 27, and they had the same lousy attitude when we spoke to them about the radiator my Son bought for his 23 T. I have dealt with friendlier companies, especially ones who get big bucks like Walker does.

Maybe their business is so good they can act any way they want and think they can get away with it. Every time we have spoken to them it was like we were inconveniencing them, or something. I'll never darken their doors again as I like the products and service I've gotten from PRC and the Brassworks. And they are friendly when you call them. :D

Don

I work for Evans cooling and we make custom radiators. We have never had a problem with any radiators to be made. Ours are also all aluminum being able to flow more coolant due to larger tubes than a copper brass one.
We have made them to fit very difficult situations and they always have fit perfectly when the customer gets it. We also do custom shrouds for the radiators we make along with fan mountings.
I just wanted to let people know there are other alternatives when it comes to having a custom made radiator, we don't shy away from any vehicle.

You can't see where I narrowed the fan bracket on each side after grinding and paint but what I did for mounts is to use a couple of light angles on each side and bolt through some open area on the front side of the radiator frame so I could have a better system of attaching using some bolts with nyloc nuts(and I did move the overflow to the other side) I don't have the Z-Line, but the next one down for my SB Ford, so might have some space you don't.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i8...anbracket1.jpg

Ahh yes, Street and Performance. Interesting plus pretty stuff, but I think I spent about as much for shipping incorrect parts back as they originally cost. Then there was that crank pulley on my last car that was wrong three times. They did finally send me a Tee shirt tho for my pain:LOL::LOL: That bracket under the alternator - S&P. I also have a surplus A/C bracket

I was going to get a Griffen, but at the time a couple years ago they were on back order for several months and the engine was waiting to go in..

They do have poor customer service, Don and had you not said you had that issue 20 years ago I would give them a bit of slack thinking maybe they are short staffed in this economic slump. I don't remember how many weeks it took for me to get my shroud and fan, but it was longer than necessary. I called Cooling Components after a couple weeks. He answered and took my information saying he would call back. I called twice a day for a week after not hearing back and never got an answer. I even emailed. I gave up and told my dad to try and he got through on the first try and the next day we had it :rolleyes: This is all assuming they are the same company, but I think I even talked to the same guy when calling both companies :LOL:

Dave- so what is the purpose of those angles the bolts go through because the bolts go through the radiator, right? just extra support? I was assuming I would just put a screw into the radiator, but I guess a bolt through would be a safer bet. Then you have the overflow tank bolted right to the shroud?

S&P is overpriced, but I was overall happy. There isn't really another option for a nice shiney air cleaner for an LT1 off the shelf. Then I was blind sided by the fact the coolant bleeder on the stock water neck didn't clear the air cleaner so S&P was very nice to design a $100 water neck with a relocated bleeder. I should have just plugged up the bleeder on the stock water neck :o

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I like the products and service I've gotten from PRC. And they are friendly when you call them. :D

Don

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PRC gets my vote too, super nice people to deal with.

Mike

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Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

Dave- so what is the purpose of those angles the bolts go through because the bolts go through the radiator, right? just extra support? I was assuming I would just put a screw into the radiator, but I guess a bolt through would be a safer bet. Then you have the overflow tank bolted right to the shroud?

:o

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The angles are used to attach the fan to the radiator frame rather then using those big pointy sheet metal screws that end up a fraction of an inch from a cooling tube after spreading several fins. They also have a more positive fastening capability with the nyloc nut then a SM screw.

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Originally Posted by Mike52

PRC gets my vote too, super nice people to deal with.

Mike

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Yeah, I rate them right up there among the best. We first met them at Turkey Run a bunch of years ago and their President spent a lot of time with us talking radiator theory, and we learned a lot. Been using their aluminum radiators since then with zero regrets. And, they cool like mad.:D

Don

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Originally Posted by IC2

The angles are used to attach the fan to the radiator frame rather then using those big pointy sheet metal screws that end up a fraction of an inch from a cooling tube after spreading several fins. They also have a more positive fastening capability with the nyloc nut then a SM screw.

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That frame folds over fins on the radiator though doesn't it (dummy fins)? So you have the bolt through the radiator, right? Maybe I'm still not quite sure where that bolt goes on the short side of that tab. Then you also have a screw in the side of the radiator to attach the angle tab?

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Originally Posted by IC2

My biggest gripe for that assembly were the huge sheet metal screws that they expect you to assemble the shroud to the radiator frame with and just waiting for you to slip and drill into a cooling tube.

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That's exactly what happened to me!:CRY::CRY:
I found a brand new Walker radiator for a 37 Ford on ebay almost 3 yrs ago. I won the auction at less than half price of retail. I then ordered the Cooling Concepts fan to fit it. During the installation, the bit slipped and drilled right into it! Argh! $85 later at the radiator shop, it was good a new but what an unexpected PITA! Ah, but that was just the beginning.....my little radiator replacement mushroomed into rebuilding the whole car!!!:eek:

It's all good. It'll be great when it's finished......one of these years!:whacked:

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Originally Posted by randyr

That's exactly what happened to me!:CRY::CRY:
I found a brand new Walker radiator for a 37 Ford on ebay almost 3 yrs ago. I won the auction at less than half price of retail. I then ordered the Cooling Concepts fan to fit it. During the installation, the bit slipped and drilled right into it! Argh! $85 later at the radiator shop, it was good a new but what an unexpected PITA! Ah, but that was just the beginning.....my little radiator replacement mushroomed into rebuilding the whole car!!!:eek:

It's all good. It'll be great when it's finished......one of these years!:whacked:

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You mean THAT was the beginning of all this fun you are now having:eek::LOL::LOL:

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Originally Posted by IC2

You mean THAT was the beginning of all this fun you are now having:eek::LOL::LOL:

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Yep, THAT was IT!! LOL! The rest of it all needed to be done but that wasn't the original plan when I was installing the radiator......now look at what I've done...:eek::whacked::D

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Originally Posted by randyr

Yep, THAT was IT!! LOL! The rest of it all needed to be done but that wasn't the original plan when I was installing the radiator......now look at what I've done...:eek::whacked::D

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WOW, you've got it really bad, don't you!:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

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Originally Posted by Mike52

PRC gets my vote too, super nice people to deal with.
Mike

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I agree. I just bought a radiator from PRC for my flathead powered '29 Model A RPU. Easy to do business with and the radiator is a beautifully fabricated piece. The delivery time was projected to be 5 1/2 weeks, and it was right on schedule. I considered Walker, but felt they were overpriced.

Bob

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Originally Posted by randyr

Yep, THAT was IT!! LOL! The rest of it all needed to be done but that wasn't the original plan when I was installing the radiator......now look at what I've done...:eek::whacked::D

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You guys are scaring me, I`ve been thinking radiator for next season. I`ve got to keep control.....:3dSMILE:

I am thinking about leaving the shroud wide and mounting L brackets to the side of the radiator with the small part of the L pointing out on each side. I would also mount the overflow tank between two of the L brackets and shroud on one side.

My only concern is how long the screw can be before I drill it into live fins? :eek:

I didn't do anymore on this over the weekend because I was working on other things, but I bought some aluminum angle pieces and decided to run that down on each side riveted to the side of the radiator. I will mount the overflow tank on that angle piece too, but without the hood I'm not sure where it has to be to clear..

I found another fun problem too. the Street and Performance water neck I referenced earlier in the thread might have to be cut shorter so the lower radiator hose can clear the fan bracket on the shroud. I would really rather return the $100 part instead of cut it so I might try and use the stock water neck. The issue was the bleeder not clearing the air cleaner so I am hoping blocking it off and no other modification will fix it. The stock one is shorter and angles less out toward the fan.

I have just finished replacing the early thicker CCI fan on my Walker radiator with the new thinner one. I do understand that the bracket is slightly wider than the 40 radiator, but not a big deal to me. I realize that they have three sizes to fit many sizes of radiators. By the way, the outer fins do not carry water, as long as you use small screws straight in, no problem. At least not for me on the five I have installed. I have this set up in my 46, 53 and 40. They work so darn well, the slight overlap of the brackets do not bother me a bit.

I still have not done this yet with back to back weddings, but I hope to this sunday. Going in from the side there should be about a 1/2" before hitting a live tube. 1/4" fin, dead tube and another 1/4" fin so I plan to use a drill stop at just less than that and hope for the best :eek::HMMM: I don't like that the fan bracket is wider than the radiator. sure I'll probably rarely notice or care once it's built, but I am planning on mounting it with aluminum angle all the way down so it will at least look flush