Replacement Radiator for M37/56?

[majrjo1967]

Hello all. My M37 radiator sprung a leak, and as I see it, I have two options....recore, or purchase another. In the event recore is too expensive, or my tanks are worse than I hope, I saw in this forum a Toyota FJ 40 radiator will fit with minor modification. However, when I looked at those radiators, the radiator inlet hose connection is on the top left, and my original radiator inlet connection is on top right.

Has anyone had luck fitting a radiator, other than M37 radiator with any luck? If so, do you have any descriptive info I can research (part number, description, stock number, internet link, etc)?

~Rick~

[JimC]

Move the Toyota inlet connection to the other side.

[8543bob]

GOOD MORNING, I HAD MY RADIATOR RE-CORED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO $500 +. FYI
BOB

[Elwood]

GOOD MORNING, I HAD MY RADIATOR RE-CORED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO $500 +. FYI
BOB

Similar story here. I was quoted $600 for a recore about a year ago.

[jim lee]

Last week. Recored, or at least rebuilt, not just patched up. $200

-jim lee

[Kaegi]

the stock radiator is hard to beat. huge capacity. probably repairable the usually are. I couldn't sleep at night with Toyota parts in my dodge... ;/)

[majrjo1967]

Just came from a radiator shop in Lowell, MA. Recore....get ready for this....$800 plus! To his credit, he warned me. Anyone out there with a good M37 radiator for sale?

[w30bob]

I'd love to know someone in the radiator repair business to find out if it's the cores that cost that much (a bit hard to believe) or if the shops think they have you over a barrel and are charging excessively because of it. I don't even know the names of companies that supply cores, but there have to be a few out there. If anyone has a friend in the business.....ask him the next time you see him why it costs so much to recore an M37 radiator.

regards,
bob

[Kaegi]

I would post in classified and keep asking around someone must have a good used one. what is wrong with yours?

[kelley]

A few years ago I had my M37 radiator re cored in gardener Ma. It cost somewhere around $700. The guy in the shop who actually did the work spent a bunch of time going over the procedure with me, it's a time consuming job in a nasty environment. He did an excellent job and i would use them again.
A year or 2 ago i had a Chevy G506 radiator re cored in Worcester, Ma. It cost about the same. That guy also did a great job and went over everything with me. I wouldn't hesitate to use him again too.
Both of these shops were modest, small business's in working class neighborhoods.
Based on my experience, that's about what it costs.

[kelley]

How about this one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-M37-radia ... 6016.l4276

[majrjo1967]

Thanks everyone. I'm leaning toward sucking it up and getting mine recored. THe tanks are good, one of the middle tubes let go, and if one let go, it's bound to happen again. Going the Toyota FJ route, could work, but I'd spend more time and money to get hoses to go to the top connection because the top connection is on the opposite side. So, between an aftermarket radiator + shipping + crossing fingers it will work and not have to ship it back, I might just be better off to get my original rad recored and know it's going to work. Oh well, there goes the $ for the 4 tires I need.

[w30bob]

majrjo,

I've picked up a few good M37 radiators (used) at the military meets for between $100 and $200, but it sounds like you need a solution now. I'd call John at Midwest and see if he has any good used radiators....and if not ask him for a recommendation on who could recore yours. He restores MVs and must know who gives the best deal on re-cores........or at least who's reputable. Just my 2 cents.

regards,
bob

[majrjo1967]

Thanks, Bob. Will do.

[MSeriesRebuild]

There is no such thing as a good used radiator, UNLESS it was just removed from a well functioning system that you know the history.

There is also no such thing as a good repaired radiator that has been sitting in storage since repaired.

This info came from a much respected radiator repair guy we dealt with for years until health problems forced him out of the business. He said that a radiator that was in service, then is removed from service is much like breaking old habits in people. A unit that is accustomed to regular expansion and contracting as a result of heating and cooling, then is repaired and set on the shelf will fail quickly when put back into service. His exact words is they are like humans who are set in their ways, they don't like change.

A recore for M37 cost us in the $400 range, we use a local shop, in the same family for generations. This is a 1 man band, he works out of a 1920's era tin covered pole building, and has no overhead or employees to pay and insure; thus the cheaper cost. A repair service run out of a modern facility, paying employees to perform the service work would be forced to charge much higher rates. It's the world we live in today.