Radiator brackets

Decided on the mounting for the new VW Polo rad. 

The bottom bracket made with aluminium angle sitting on the chassis radiator mounts. 

The radiator sits in it locating via pegs sitting in grommeted holes.

...and plates at the top which will be bolted to tapped radiator mounting points.

Fan offered up to check the nose clearance.

Update - modified this slightly to give better pipe routing and radiator position.

Plumbing

A picture of hoses to mull over. Top hose will be fine,. Bottom hose will hopefully re-use the existing stainless dog leg pipe, shortened, to get over the steering rack and meet up with the cold outlet currently closed off with blue masking tape.

Missing one radiator

Instead of repair or like for like replacement I am going to try a new 1983-1990 VW Polo Radiator. 

The core size is smaller than the GBS original at approx 380x323 but received knowledge indicates it will have enough cooling capacity. Readily available and at under £30 delivered (vs. approx £150 for the bespoke GBS one) the price is right if I ever need to replace it again. 

First step is coolant out and old radiator off. An 8 litre window-box perfect shape and size for the job.

Ready for the replacement...

  Top tube is fine,  just needs rotating,

  Bottom tube will need shortening and a 45º silicone connecting pipe,
  Brackets will have some aluminium and stainless extensions.

Good news and bad news - lights and leaks

New Headlamps

I fitted small 4" dominator headlamps which looked great - but 2 years down the line they have to go, just not large enough reflectors to generate good lighting even with higher power bulbs.

I didn't go back to full 7" lamps - but instead 5 3/4" with a full UK pattern lens. Picked them up  from CBS who are just down the road. Hopefully a good compromise between looks and function; certainly massively brighter even in daylight than the dominators.

Modified them to use the drilled mounting bolts from the old 7" lights means I can hide the wiring inside the mounting bracket. 

(Picture angle is deceptive - they are pointing straight ahead)

Leaks

Call it good luck that I decided to replace the lights and found the problem, or bad luck that I now have something else to fix :). The radiator looked a little beaten up, full of bugs, a few dints in the cooling fins etc.

The nose cone gave it away - why was it damp inside? and the gutter/bottom area of the rad fins full of coolant..

Started the engine up and when warm a little puff of steam from a hole... Its not a huge leak - the coolant height hasn't noticeably dropped since I was out a 2-3 weeks back.

Somehow a stone has gone in the back, unless this is the exit wound?

Looking more closely at the pic, very possibly damage from when the fan was originally mounted through the matrix. The picture shows bent fins, which are no problem but it appears the area they tore away from on the vertical matrix pipe has the pinhole leak. So that will be learning the hard way again.

It leaks hardly at all when cold, needs some investigation - repair or replace?  

Certainly needs fixing before Austria and I don't fancy bodging it this end of the season with radweld.