Early Radiator construction

[Marcus Ling]

Thanks Mike,

That certainly looks like a tube radiator. The Rinsey Mills book says that early car had tube radiators but doesn't give any information on when they changed to film radiators

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Thanks Hedd,

I've never heard of a radiator core made of steel but if you have one then they must exist.

I can imagine that rust would be a problem especially as tubes used in radiators need to be very thin which is why I  have only seen brass or copper cores. The other issue with steel might be it's thermal conductivity.

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Thanks Chris,

I was given a copy of this film over 20 years ago and it certainly is fascinating to watch, however, they are making film radiators rather than cartridge tube radiators and I assume it is a later production maybe in the 1930s.

I've been told that in the early years of the Seven, Austin used to have radiators made externally but started manufacture in-house at the end of the 1920s or early 1930s

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My 1928 tractor, ex Ray Walker and originally an R type saloon, still has its honeycomb core as does my chummy (1925). I think they changed to the A film type in 1928/9.

Gerry Marshall at Anglia Radiators in Cambridge now has the tooling to make honeycomb and A film cores in house. He has restored several radiators for me over the years and his work is excellent.

Thanks Lance,

Could I ask a favour and get you to measure the inside diameter of the round portion of the tube as well as the dimension across the flats of the Hexagon please.