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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Moss Radiator

With the current Moss sale their "heavy duty" replacement radiator is about $420 plus shipping through Lbcarco.

I'm contemplating having my existing radiator recored. I don't have a quote for that, yet, but my impression is that it would run between $300 and $400.

Is that a realistic recore estimate? Should I just get the Moss piece and be done with it? Anyone have any experience with it?
David Littlefield

I had one recored over here and it cost more like £100/160USD.
Dave H
Dave Hill

There are different quality cores. I had mine done with the best core available, and it cost around $350. I would go this route before a complete replacement, but only if you have a shop that is experienced with this type of radiator. The fit of the grill shell, alignment of the body panels and alignment of the hoses is critical down to fractions of an inch to ensure everything goes back together properly. If they don't ask for you to leave the grill shell there to test fit, then I would find someone else.
Steve Simmons

80 euro for a recor here. That's about 100 us $
D Lamb

There is no longer anyone in my area I trust to record my radiator. All the good shops have closed and owners long passed.
Does anyone know if the Moss radiators are brass or aluminum and need I ask are they made in China?


Rich (TD 3983) Taylor

I have had a Moss rad in my TD vintage race car for a few years. Very happy with the fit and performance. Even racing on 85+ degree days with the engine at a constant 5-7k rpm do i ever see temps at 90c. More typically 75-85c. I do not use a thermostat or restrictor and use a mgb plastic fan. It is made of brass.
F Filangeri

The last I knew, the Moss radiators came from England. Tey're brass/copper, but the construction (a few years ago) was the old style where fins are forced fit down onto the core tubes.

The best heat transfer is achieved from the newer construction process where the tubes and fins are brazed together.

We paid around $200 for the rebuild. R&B Radiator in Ann Arbor did the job with a core that came from Detroit Radiator. Someone lost some money because it took 3 or 4 core fabrications to achieve the right fit. I traded a perfectly good radiator to a club memeber for one that had frozen, so he got a sound one for free and the damaged one was rebuilt better than new. It significantly dropped the temps in the summer for our supercharged TD! On a hot day cruising at 80mph, it was not uncommon to run a steady 230F; now it is more like 190-200F with the brazed core.
JRN JIM

David,
It isn't clear why you want to get it recored,. Is it leaking badly or are you after more rows?

Steve
SPW Wincze

I had mine re-cored by a long gone shop some years back. The guy actually had a tattered book that listed the exact correct core. Not easy to find anyone to do it anymore however. The above stressing exact location of all brackets, etc. is crucial. I ended up having to carefully unsolder and move one anyway. Using the shell as a jig is a great idea, but I would sure figure out a way to protect the chrome, etc. The total height has to be exact also.
George Butz

Steve, I'm doing a nut and bolt restoration on a car and the radiator I've got has been sitting around corroding for about 40 years, so I want to make sure it is top-notch before installing it.

I've actually got another radiator that is in worse condition, but perhaps I could take it to the radiator shop as a pattern to ensure the dimensions of the repair are correct?
David Littlefield

My son rebuilt mine using a thicker core with an extra row of tubes. He since sold his shop after 30 years. Got tired of the hassle with the EPA regs. PJ



Paul S Jennings

David, I would fit that spare before counting on it as a template. I removed my 100% original TC radiator and fit another, and it was slightly off.

Like George, I had to unsolder and move one bracket to get the fit correct, and even then the radiator stays had to move to make the bonnet line up as it did before.
Steve Simmons

This thread was discussed between 30/06/2015 and 01/07/2015

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