Graeme Robinson Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Does anyone have any photos of an installed radiator shroud? My 59 is nearing completion (although I seem to have been saying this for months!!) and I suspect I should have installed this before the front apron was fully & finally fixed in place. I'm aiming to stick with the cardboard version and apply some form of waterproofing but have I left it too late in the assembly? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 No that is fine Graeme - if I recall correctly the shroud goes in last and is fixed to the apron by screws along the bottom and clamped each side by the bumper over-rider support. The cardboard shroud on my '59 3A has been there for 30 odd years and has been in-and-out at least twice, so they do last if painted. Mine is just body-colour cellulosed. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Larnder Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Graeme and Rob. That is exactly how I did it, but mine is made of 2mm thick aluminium with a top plate as well, which I find not only directs the wind into the radiator but also strengthens the ducting forming it into a box section. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) Yes Dave is right. Mine is also aluminium with a top plate. The top plate is essential to make sure the air is directed through the radiator and not over it. PM me your eMail address if you'd like a photo. of my air duct. Tom. Edited August 9, 2014 by Fireman049 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley James Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I didn't fit mine at first because it is a pretty rubbish bit of cardboard, but it makes a big difference. Cars runs far cooler with it. I was surprised, but I agree aluminium would be better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Its down to personal choice of course Tom but for normal road use I wouldn't go as far as calling a top plate 'essential' , given that an awful lot of cars (mine included) have been running with the standard set-up for years without any cooling problems. Its certainly worth including if you are going the aluminium route but the standard shroud arrangement works perfectly well. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) I don't understand what is meant by a top plate. As many of you know, I bought my 1958 TR3A brand new here in Montreal. The speedometer read something like 7 miles in May, 1958 when I went to the dealer to get it. "TRusty" was "born" on Feb 14, 1958 (a Friday) and it had no air deflector for the radiator when it was built. It was not until later during the hot summer of 1958 that TR3A owners started to experience overheating. The TR2 and TR3 had the air deflector as part of the sheet-metal front apron or valance so this was a new problem for the designers at S-T. The only time I took my TR back to the dealer was for the 3000 mile check-up. All he did was top up the battery till all the acid overflowed. By this time, S-T had developed the cardboard air defector to solve the overheating problem. But since I did all my work myself, I never went back to the dealer and no-one told me that my dealer would have put in an air deflector free of charge. This was a low cost retrofit hence the simple design. In 1972, I stored my TR as it had become a basket-case. It still had no deflector at 80,300 miles - a lot of that was hard rally miles and high-speed touring. The engine had overheated many times and I had to replace the head gasket about 4 times during its first life. During my restoration from 1988 to 1990, I bought an air deflector and painted it body colour . It now has about 5 coats of paint on it during the past 24 years (114,000 miles) and is still the same one I installed in 1990. It is made of three pieces as shown. It is held on by the flange s for the upper support brackets that also secure the top of the bumperettes. I have no holes drilled into the flat valance plate and no screws to hold it down. There is a flange bend along the bottom of the cardboard and it stays in place with only the two attachment points. The notches you see are for clearance for the brackets I have to mount my 12 inch Kenlowe pusher fan located in front of the radiator. Edited August 9, 2014 by Don Elliott Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vivdownunder Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 The top section of the air deflector prevents the sides distorting under highway speed air pressure. Waterproofing greatly extends its service life. Viv Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) Here the alu. air deflectors on my TR3A attached at the bottom and top.. Cross section unfortunately not visible. Also added an opening to the front valance which covers 20% of the radiator. Edited August 9, 2014 by jean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 It is much easier to fit the cardboard version because it has a bit of flex. I did think about an aluminium one but rejected it for that reason. I sealed the cardboard with waterproof PVA. The first coat was thinned about 4:1 and allowed to go tacky before a second coat at about 2:1 and a final coat neat. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Like Ian, I waterproofed the cardboard version. I used an old cardboard one as a template for an alloy one and was ready to install the alloy version, until a 3A was brought in in the garage where I did the work on my car. That car ran into another car and despite the fact that it had been a low speed impact, the alloy shroud was pushed backwards and had punctured the radiator... I decided to stick to the cardboard version... That's when I pulled out the waterproofing stuff. Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MilesA Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I did the same as Ian - both sides - and then several coats of body matching paint. Did it after bending the edges as required for fitting rather than before so as not to break any seals. Also was very careful to do the same to the open edges, particularly along the front foot edge. Cannot see why it wouldn't last for a decent period of time and can testify to its cooling effect. Miles Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boggie Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 We used the old cardboard shroud and added bits of a cereal packet to ensures we got a perfect fit. Then, using this as a template, created one in 0.8mm annodised aluminium using simple tin snips. With some rubber door seal around the edges we then fitted the whole assembly, painted to body colour, through the grille aperture (after removing the grille and bumper supports) without the need to remove the front panel. Now ALL the air is forced through the radiator (I learned the importance of this when restoring my Lotus Seven which always overheated beforehand). Hope that helps, B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 We used the old cardboard shroud and added bits of a cereal packet to ensures we got a perfect fit. Then, using this as a template, created one in 0.8mm annodised aluminium using simple tin snips. With some rubber door seal around the edges we then fitted the whole assembly, painted to body colour, through the grille aperture (after removing the grille and bumper supports) without the need to remove the front panel. Now ALL the air is forced through the radiator (I learned the importance of this when restoring my Lotus Seven which always overheated beforehand). Hope that helps, B You may want to trunk some cold air to the carbs now though if your using it anywhere warm. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 You may want to trunk some cold air to the carbs now though if your using it anywhere warm. Stuart. ... E.g. By cutting a round hole in the RH shroud and fixing a flexible hose to it, leading to The carbs. Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boggie Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Sounds a plan. I used to have exactly that on the Severn; two corrugated hoses from the side of the nose cone that fed the 45s. These have since been replaced with a side-scoop bonnet now so the hoses are back in stock! Cheers all... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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