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The original radiator cooling capacity is insufficient to allow full throttle settings except for a short time period when the air temperature is above seventy degrees F. This means one must reduce throttle settings to prevent exceeding maximum engine coolant temperature. It has not been much of a problem, in that, one can find a thermal and use it to gain altitude to reach cooler air temperatures.
My son-in-law replaced a leaking heater core in his pickup. When I saw the core, I thought it may be a suitable replacement on the Victor 1+. It is all aluminum, equal core frontal area, with double or more fin area. Due to the counter flow design, there will be half the coolant flow area and twice the path length of the original. This should slow coolant flow through tubes and allow more efficient heat exchange. Also, the increased fin area will provide increased resistance to air flow. Again this flow reduction should have the same effect of increasing heat exchange between the fins and air. To check out if the above is true, static pressure taps where placed on each side of the core so that core air pressure drop can be measured. Total weight as shown on the left is one pound 12.2 ounces. |
With inlet and outlet ports on top, I expect additional weight savings. The connections to the engine will be shorter, and overall coolant volume will be reduced.
The two bumps on the upper tank are air bleed ports for coolant system filling. Another port is placed on the right bottom tank surface to enable draining the radiator. Another similar port is shown on the vertical surface of the upper tank. This is port was drilled and tapped for a coolant temperature sensor. The small diameter aluminum tube coming from under the lower tank and following the bottom of the steel leg is a guide tube for the shutter pull string. Radiator mounts were formed from 1/4 inch OD steel tubing with the lower end welded into a foot pad that was drilled to fit the outer front Lord mount bolts. |
It is a slab sided heater core which makes it easy to mount things to it. The core was purchased from PartsAmerica.com and is described by: "PCE398001, 39-8001 READY-RAD HEATER CORE".
Stainless steel hangers were made to support the shutter ends. The shutter is a modified Graco Roller Shade. A one inch dam was fabricated out of 0.009 inch thick aluminum flashing and held in place with nine aluminum rivets. The shutter pull string guide tube can be seen as it passes down under the lower tank. Four "U" shaped aluminum brackets hold the radiator to the steel support tubes with stainless steel rivets. One rivet through each top side bracket into the tube keeps the radiator from sliding down the tube. JB Weld was flowed into the space between the brackets and the radiator. All rivets were 3/32 inch in diameter. After the radiator is mounted, I will add an update. |