Radiator Paint
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
That's certainly cause for debate, but it's my understanding that the proper black paint may actually improve radiant heat transfer into the air stream, but you need to be careful not to cake on material in such a way as to hinder that process. Eastwood sells rad paint for just this purpose...
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...iProductID=726
Also, IMHO I'd think protecting that alum from the elements another reason to vote for paint. BTW, the factory alum rad on my former '70 ZR1 (
) was painted black...
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...iProductID=726
Also, IMHO I'd think protecting that alum from the elements another reason to vote for paint. BTW, the factory alum rad on my former '70 ZR1 (
) was painted black...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Tom DeWitt will actually paint his own radiators before shipping them off to the customer if they want a painted aluminum radiator, and doing so does not void the warranty. If he does this to his own product I don't think there is a problem at all with painting them so long as you use the correct product.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
That paint does need to be a type that is a good therma conduction. Also, flat paint transfers heat better than a gloss paint, because it has more surface area to do so (rougher surface). I really don't know how much better the heat rejection is with flat black paint...I'm guessing not very much. I would think that getting the 'appearance' you want is more important than painting it.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
I would think that if there was not a GOOD reason to paint the aluminium radiator GM would have left them bare. GM didn't like to pay for anything unneeded. Remember the great quality of the paint on the chassis?
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
