Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: Sandyman on Tuesday,February 26, 2019, 04:17:49 AM
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After sitting for over 40 years the original radiator is pluged full or rust from the badlty rusted coolent transter tubes. To increase cooling capacity and reduce weight I am looking into an aluminum rad and tubes. Any North American sources other than R. D. Ent?
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I bought mine from Saldana racing through a group buy https://saldanaracingproducts.com/. I think Steve Veris organized it a number of years ago. It works very well.
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Here are some photos.
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That looks like a really nice setup. I like the twin fans.
There's usually someone on eBay selling direct replacement aluminum radiators - sometimes with fans. They are made in China. I have one as do several people on the forum. I'm very happy with mine. Here's one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-Alloy-Radiator-Sports-For-Lotus-Europa-Coupe-S1-S2-TC-1-5-1-6L-1966-76/153391278474?fits=Model%3AEuropa%7CMake%3ALotus&hash=item23b6d5298a:g:tEkAAOSweDhak282
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The ebay radiator that BDA references is probably the cheapest option and from all that I've read, people are fairly pleased with the purchase. I bought the Macs radiator from a group buy about 10 years ago and the cost was at least double what the ebay example was.
http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/cooling/alu_rad.html
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That’s another thing on my to buy list for awhile now . Without fan 184. 00 :with fan $224.00
Lol , right after my door hardware/ seals etc. gotta love them.
Dakazman
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I had Ron Davis radiators make me custom aluminum radiator with a puller fan (Spal) mounted on the other side of the radiator which sucks the hot air into the wheel well.
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Ebay do not ship to Canada, pitty.
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Ebay is just the middleman. Different sellers on ebay have different shipping policies, and I'm sure there are plenty who will ship to Canada. Try this search
https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?&_nkw=lotus+europa+radiator
Look closely at the pictures, some of the Chinese radiators have three rows and some only have two. I bought one with two rows because I didn't spot the difference. If I was buying one now I'd make sure to get a three row radiator (also called a three core radiator).
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Eh? I bought a Chinese rad for a little over $200 with shipping included. Right to my door in Edmonton AB. Just do an evil-bay search for Lotus Europa rad.
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I just got mine off eBay and it’s not a bad piece for $184. I’m using on on each side for the Zetec
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My original brass/copper radiator still holds pressure, and has been flushed out. Other than weight,what would be an advantage of switching? Do they have a high failure rate?
The tubing, plumbing, going to and from the engine should be swapped out during a frame-off Resto so that is where I’m going with first . The question is stainless or aluminum?
Dakazman
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As the Great One said "add lightness ". The cost of getting old rad ready to go is going to be close to an aluminum one. Some of the reading I have done hints that there can be cooling issues. 30% greater efficacy of an aluminum rad will give me added security.
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They look cool, too! 8)
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They look cool, too! 8)
There you have it , COOL WINS.
But what tubes?
Dakazman
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I haven't decided between aluminum or stainless steel.
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r.d. has stainless steel transfer tubes (which may or may not come from Richard). I would go with them from either source. r.d. warns about high shipping costs for the S2 version because one pipe is very long. The TC shipping is apparently more reasonable. If the shipping from Massachusetts is bad, I imagine the shipping from England would be terrible but it may be worth a call to get the straight skinny.
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r.d. has stainless steel transfer tubes (which may or may not come from Richard). I would go with them from either source. r.d. warns about high shipping costs for the S2 version because one pipe is very long. The TC shipping is apparently more reasonable. If the shipping from Massachusetts is bad, I imagine the shipping from England would be terrible but it may be worth a call to get the straight skinny.
I don't know where r.d. source their transfer tubes from but i do know that the Banks replacements (the direct replacements for the O.E. tubes) are in stainless steel and have all the shapes formed into the lengths.
The alternative that used to be fitted to the vast majority of the Banks cars and also any race cars where aluminium tubes - straight lengths down the chassis with rubber/silicone bends to direct them to where they needed to end up (with additional aluminium tube between the bends) - it is actually possible to remove the straight lengths from the chassis without pulling the engine/transmission etc should you ever need to.
I suspect that you may be able to source the correct diameter aluminium tube locally to yourself - saving on what i imagine would be a hefty shipping cost for an awkwardly large but relatively light pair of tubes?
Hope this helps
Jon
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Thanks for all the great suggestions. I am having a Spyder chassis built and shipped from England to Canada. Sean at Spyder said that I could source tubes there,have them installed and shipped with new chassis, suspension, disc brakes and 14 in. rims. S J Sportscars has formed aluminum tubing. I think this is the route to go.