VW Polo radiator

[swissdave]

Hi, with the hotter (literally) engine in my V66 cooling has always been a bit marginal, I had the original rad recored and fitted an electric fan but this didn't help on those really hot summer days when sitting in traffic after a fast run.
My rad 2 years on is looking distinctly second hand and is very rusty around the steel mounting pins at the bottom so I have been looking around for a modern alternative.
The VW Polo one I have found is looking promising, it will need a little fiddling to fit but the great news is they can be bought new for £30!
The width is identical as is the top hose fitting. The bottom hose fitting is on the wrong side for us but I will run a metal pipe across the bottom of the radiator to solve this. The bottom outlet is the same 32mm as the top one which means a step down from the original 37mm of the standard bottom hose size.
Also the rad is slimmer and a bit shorter but this leaves space for a bracket to match up the mounting holes.

You would also need to use a header tank, I've got an old brass one from a Landrover fitted.
These rads are popular in the kit car world and fitted to all sorts of engines in Lotus 7 types with good results.
I know it sounds like a lot of work now I've written it down but an uprated modern radiator for £30 delivered? C'mon!
I'll post some pics when I'm near a PC.


m.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-RADIATOR-VOLKSWAGEN-POLO-1-0-PETROL-1983-TO-1990-KIT-CAR-380mm-CORE-/282665235439?txnId=1733043744018

[triumph66]

Good to know.

Post up some photos of it when it is fitted to your car.

[swissdave]

I have fitted the Polo radiator although I have ended up using an aftermarket alloy version, these are readily available if a little dearer than the £30 special but the fitting is exactly the same as these are made to the same dimensions as the original plastic bodied type.
I made a bracket for the bottom mounting using bits of alloy angle bolted together and the top mounting from a short length of alloy channel (not shown in the photos).
The plumbing to join the bottom hose to the radiator outlet uses Samco silicone hose bends and a couple of alloy pipe joiners.
With this and the newly fitted oil cooler I'm hoping my overheating worries are over.

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[andrejuan]

That is looking good, thanks for posting. On the radiator subject, has anyone got experience of fitting an electric fan?
I tried a Triumph one but there is too little room, I have looked briefly into finding a suitable viscous fan but
with no luck. This is something I would like do as we haven't had manual fans on cars for years.

[swissdave]

I fitted an 8" electric fan on mine a while back, I just haven't mounted it on the new radiator yet. A slimline one off eBay is ok, mine is approx 70mm max thickness at the centre and this fitted to the standard radiator offset to the left to clear the water pump pulley.

[andrejuan]

Thank you, that is useful. An easy winter job.