Tripp's TR6: Radiator Time

The one thing on Tillie that I really didn't need to replace was the radiator, as the previous owner had replaced it just before selling me the car. However, the replacement was the stock type, and I wanted aluminum with an electric fan. The 6-Pack forums have lots of posts regarding this topic, so I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into...not all aluminum radiators are perfect, several 6-packers have removed their aluminum units and replaced them with the stock copper types due to leakage. Having said that, many aluminum radiators are being used in old British cars with no problems, so I forged ahead. There are several vendors providing the aluminum units, but one name jumped out at me during my search. Brice Thomas Radiator in Gadsden, Alabama, makes radiators, oil coolers, and intercoolers for heavy duty semi trucks and other industrial applications. They also cater to the off-road crowd and just about any antique/classic car you can imagine...TR6's included !

My radiator arrived with the shroud and Maradyne fan installed.

Someone in the Brice Thomas shop owns a TR6, so the mounting brackets are a perfect fit.

However, setting the the new radiator / fan into place quickly brought a "clearance " problem to light !

I called the good folks at Brice Thomas and they acknowledged that due to the "variances" in Triumph automobiles, the Maradyne fan could be too thick. They don't sell the Spal line of fans but suggested the thin Spal unit as a fix. They paid for the return of the Maradyne fan and quickly removed the fan price off my credit card.

A Google search turned up JayCorp Technologies as a Spal dealer for almost 15 years, and they had the 16" thin fan in stock.

The Spal unit arrived in just a few days, and the existing holes in the shroud fit the new fan.

Ok, that looks better !

Of course, a new radiator needs new hoses. 18 months earlier I had bought a set of hoses from BPNW (British Parts Northwest) when they were on sale. I know I got them, and I know I put them in my "new" parts box, but do you think I could find them 18 months later? Nope ! After carefully going through every box of new and old parts, twice!... I gave up and ordered another new set .