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I was watching History Channel's "American Pickers" and they were "picking" Harry's Radiator Shop in southern California. The owner of the shop specializes in the restoration and/or fabrication of brass radiators for early cars. At the time of the "Pickers" were visiting, the owner was working on the brass radiator of a 1913 Packard. The car was not present, just the radiator.

Of course, I had to query forum members about brass radiators in early Packards. When were brass radiators used? What models had such radiators?

thank you
Garrett Meadows

I assume you mean brass radiators left in natural brass finish and not brass radiators where the shell was painted.

Just off the top of my head and others will jump and correct me if I'm wrong, brass radiators began with the first models to have a radiator in the traditional form we know it today (the Model L of 1903) and thru the Models 18 & 30 of 1912. Radiators thereafter (and some model 18 & 30 cars) were made of brass but were painted body color, though there were exceptions.

Most early cars used polished Brass for things like the radiator tank, lights and other trim. This is generally called the Brass-Car era.

Look at the Model T Ford which was Brassy as He** up to 1916 and then it it turned no brass for 1917.

Nearly 1/2 of all cars on the US road were Model T Fords at the time.

But.

Were not radiator parts stil brass all the way to plastic and aluminum starting in the 60's?

The reality is the brass was dificult to keep polished and most Brass Car owners of the era let it get crusty.


Jim