Would you paint aluminum radiator?

Would you paint aluminum radiator

  • No - I like the look of bare aluminum

    Votes: 10 30.3%

  • Yes - helps blend with rest of engine bay

    Votes: 23 69.7%
  • Total voters
    33
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BB73Challenger

BB73Challenger

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Ok I tried a search and couldn't come up with much.

So let me see some pics or hear your opinions.

I'm not opening the which cools better debate, this is all about aesthetics.

This is for my 67 Barracuda.
All stock-ish under the hood and I'm concerned the champion radiator will now not look right.
I will attach a recent pic of my current under the hood situation.

What do you guys and gals think?

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One of the reasons people put aluminum radiators in is because of their looks. :D
I say if it looks to out of place to you paint it.
 
I'd hit the top,bottom and sides with flat black but leave the cooling fins alone
 
not a big fan of aluminum...black for me.
nice Griffin rad in a car i have since sold.

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Aluminum showing through a grill doesn't look good to me. Paint it but be sure to use the special paint for radiators. Regular paint insulates the fins

Run it by a radiator shop and they'll put the proper paint on it for just a few bucks and most likely do it right then and there.
 
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Black, looking through the grille you want to see nothing but black.
IMHO it looks better with the hood up too. Go with a stock 3 row core replacement.
 
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If you like the looks of your stock radiator, why don't you just run the stock radiator?

But for your question, paint it black.
 
I have heard all my life that painting aluminum affects its ability to dissipate heat. I remember hearing some old timers talking about not painting transmission cases for example, because it tended to "seal them" and make them run hotter. Same with radiators.

Whether any of that holds water, I haven't a clue but I have heard it all my life from many sources.
 
I totally agree with Sedanman. Paint the outside perimeter but don't even think about painting the fins. Or your next post will be about "Why is my engine overheating?"
 
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I painted mine satin-black with BBQ spray-paint. Every exposed molecule got paint, even the fins;all of it. I like black rads.
You didn't have that choice in your poll so I couldn't vote.

I painted my 367 Orange.All of it; aluminum heads, aluminum intake, aluminum covers,everything except the carb and headers. Every last exposed molecule. Why Orange? weren't 360s black? I like Orange. And I like satin-black.
In other words do what you like.
 
Aluminum is funny.
Especially when thin.
I would paint it fins and all, but I live expecting heavy corrosive road salt.
I have watched aluminum fins in a fairly new recore literally melt away over a period of 5 years in a daily driver.
My choice would be all brass, always.
And if you study black body radiator concept, flat black rules.
Extensive studies in heat emissivity showed that silver outermost surfaces radiated the least heat, while flat black the most.
It did not seem to matter how many layers were present or what pigment they were, only the outermost layer.
This is common knowledge in steam heating.
 
nope, not painting it - I like the look - in fact last time I had mine out I cleaned and polished it.. it matches the heads and a few other things. I think it really depends on the look you want - blacked out gives you a more original look where natural aluminum gives a custom look... the differences between mine and ir3333's image are obvious - yet they appear to be essentially the same car.. his looks to be a restored 340 Duster, mine isn't... it's all in what you want.
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I have a Griffin Perfect Fit radiator in my 69 Barracuda. It has a very stock look to it. I painted it black with Eastwood's Radiator Paint, and it looks good.
 
Here are a couple pics of the raw aluminum radiator installed and then with it painted with Eastwood black paint. It all depends on the look your after.



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If you do paint, do so right away. Paint doesn't bond well to oxidized aluminum. Indeed, even bare aluminum already has slight surface oxidation so many paints don't stick (read can). The thin paint layer shouldn't change the heat transfer much and might even exceed that of oxidized aluminum you will get without paint. The white powder is aluminum oxide, in crystalline form known as "sapphire". All the metal in your car is striving to return to the earth.
 
Mopar64340 said:
How many coats you give it ?
No overheating issues ?
Click to expand...
This is a very old post, But I can answer this question. I have a Griffin Perfect Fit radiator in my 69 Barracuda. It has a very stock look to it. I painted it black with Eastwood's Radiator Paint, and it looks good. I ran it for a while unpainted but did not like the look. I noticed no difference in the radiator's ability to cool the engine after painting it. Like I said, I did use Eastwood's Radiator paint. I sprayed one light coat on the whole radiator, fins and tank. Then a medium wet coat on everything. Then another medium wet coat just on the tanks. Don't spray heavy wet coats. The first coat should always be a light one. You are not looking for total coverage on the first coat. You are just giving the following coats something to stick to. It's just like painting a car. Don't go for full coverage on the first coat. I used a little over on can of paint. I don't think you could do a good job with one can.
 
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The 70 e body style aluminum radiator in my 68 GTS is painted black. I will go up to 190-195 in the heat of summer if I hot lap it at the strip. I use a light coat of VHT engine enamel.

The factories used lacquer and the eventually switched to enamel.
 
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