Reconditioning an Austin Healey 3000 radiator

Stripping down and rebuilding an Austin Healey radiator.

On arrival at the Motorads trade counter the original Healey 3000 radiator shown top left was looking a bit old and tired. It had been reconditioned badly in the past and had lost its fan shroud. The owner was looking for a quality re-core as quickly as possible and not a poorly soldered job like the last one had been.
 The radiator was stripped to its component parts and cleaned back to bare metal as shown, before being inspected and having dents and splits repaired. Once the new core had arrived it was all carefully put back together using top grade solder. A new fan shroud was fitted and the original pressed labels were carefully replaced to give it an authentic look. The combination of high gloss paint and my poor photography doesn't show the finished radiator in its best light but I can assure you that the customer was delighted.
 We are now able to offer an Austin Healey heater matrix which will soon be listed on our Motoradsonline website and shown off on this blog

Reconditioning a Morgan radiator and uprating the core

The pictures below show the stages involved in uprating this Morgan radiator and giving it a new lease of life

 Here at Motoradsonline it has been a while since we worked on a Morgan radiator, then out of the blue we see two in a very short space of time. The first we saw was a complete rebuild of a customers very poorly built aluminium unit. With the unit as a pattern and some details from the customer we made a brand new unit in copper and brass, our customer left happy. So happy in fact that he recommended us to another Morgan owner who popped in last week.
 The radiator seen above was in reasonable condition but struggling to cool the larger Morgan engine. We had a look at the modern cores available and the thicker, more efficient core seen in the picture was selected. The Old radiator was stripped down to its component parts and cleaned back to bare metal. The parts were then carefully soldered back together before being fully tested and given a coat of paint.
 If your Morgan radiator is looking tired or not working efficiently why not get in touch to see how we can help you. We can also make a new heater matrix to a pattern at a very reasonable price if you are out in the winter and getting cold.

Triumph Stag radiator recore

Another Triumph Stag back on the road with no overheating problems

  This is just one of many Triumph Stag radiators we have reconditioned this year. The old one was typical of many we see with a tired looking core, partial blockage and a corroded steel pipe.
  First job was to strip it down to all of its component parts and clean them back to bare metal. Any dents or splits can be easily treated at this stage.
  The most important part of the rebuild is the core, mainly because the main worry for all Stag owners is overheating. The core we use has been tried and tested by Stag owners and has always performed well.
 The core has three rows of water tubes as opposed to the 4 rows in the original, these tubes being much closer together and the rows staggered to give the maximum cooling. The actual tubes are also larger giving a good flow and less chance of future blockage. The fin pitch is set to give the best airflow to cooling ratio. In all this core is about as efficient as it can be for its size.
 Once soldered back together the radiator gets a thorough test before a visit to the spray shop and being returned to the customer.

We are also able to offer a heater matrix for the Stag and it will be available in our heater matrix section very soon

VW Transporter T4 heater matrix - Spot the difference

Why is your competitors T4 heater matrix so cheap?..... Because it doesn't fit!

We have supplied the heater matrix shown bottom left for several years now. Our version is a strong copper and brass direct replacement for the plastic and aluminium original. Over the years we have been told that there are other versions of the heater fitted to some of the later Transporters but have never been able to get hold of one.
 Not until recently that is. We suddenly had several customers in need of a 'slightly different' heater matrix for later models with air conditioning fitted. They were told that the wait for a part would be several weeks at a ridiculous price, so we have now developed a copper and brass version which can be seen top left.
  If you were looking online for a Transporter T4 heater matrix it is likely you would only be able to find cheap and very poor quality imported heaters most of which were designed for left hand drive vehicles and will not fit right hand drive.
 In the rush to get hold of cheap heaters to sell to an unsuspecting public many dealers mistakenly got hold of the left hand drive version and there is now a lot of conflicting information and cross referencing online.

 We can assure you that our heaters are for right hand drive vehicles.

Reconditioning a1970 Healey Sprite Mk4 radiator

Just a few hours to turn back the years for this Healey Sprite Mk4 radiator.

  This radiator was recently sent to us at Motoradsonline by one of our online customers for a full overhaul. The core of the old unit, seen top left, was a  bit old and tired with some of the fins beginning to deteriorate, but the basic parts were still in very good condition.
  The tanks were removed from the old core and all of the component parts were cleaned back to bare metal.
  The side by side view of the header plates shows how the old core, still smoking from the strip down, had several blocked tubes.
  The component parts were then soldered back together, pressure tested and given a fresh coat of paint.

  Within the space of a few hours this radiator was back to performing like new and we have another satisfied customer. If you have a Healey radiator you want us to recore or you need a heater matrix for a Healey Sprite you can click one of the links above to our website or give us a call during work hours on 01527 65182

New Jaguar heater matrix - X Type marks the spot

Heater matrix to fit the Jaguar XJ (X300) XJ8 XJR (X308) XK8 XKR

Motoradsonline have been selling several different classic Jaguar matrixes for over 20 years but Jaguar owners have been telling us recently that finding a heater matrix to fit the Jaguar XJ (X300) XJ8 XJR (X308) XK8 and XKR models is not that easy. When you can finally track one down the price is unbelievably high and delivery lead time can be inconvenient. To this end we have now developed a copper and brass replacement which is robust, efficient and great value for money.

 This heater matrix is available to the public via our Motoradsonline website or through our Motoradsonline eBay shop

All metal heater matrix for the Caterham 7 car - nice bit of kit

Copper and brass replacement heater matrix for your Caterham 7

  Once upon a time there was a generic heater matrix used on many different vehicles, this heater matrix this heater then found itself behind the dash of the ever popular Mini. This easy availability must have been the reason that the clever guys a Caterham decided to use it in the iconic Caterham 7.

History of the heater

 The original heater matrix was one of the first we encountered to be made in vast numbers using plastic tank technology. As the years went by Mini customers began to discover that it wasn't as strong as they would like. We were challenged by the enthusiasts to make a stronger version. We designed the heater in copper and brass removing the troublesome flange, adding strength but not compromising performance. This would last much longer at a competitive price and we have now been supplying that Mini heater for over 20 years. Whilst the original could have been better the imported heaters which flooded the market to replace it were considered to be utter rubbish. Customers flocked to buy them solely based on their price and were shocked to have to replace them within no time. There are still some of these dreadful heaters around so buyer beware!

Back to Caterham

  Over the years we have had several customers say that they wanted our heater for a 'kit' car but could never really get any firm information as to which one. Not until recently that is. Fortunately a customer who is a Caterham 7 enthusiast bought one of our heaters and was more than happy to supply us with some information about which vehicles it was likely to fit and how it fitted.
  Our customers vehicle was produced from the mid 90's to the mid 00's and is the type with the embossed 7 and the square heater box. You will be able to see from the pictures if your box or heater is the same, the new unit is top left and the old unit is top right. The heater matrix may fit other models and i'm sure we will get some feedback soon to help with better identification. He described how our heater was a couple of mm wider at the tanks than the original (it was designed for a Mini box after all) but with a few very minor alterations to the inside of his box it could easily be accommodated. We were told that these changes would not be a major problem if another owner insisted on an changing back to an original matrix in the future. Once the box is fitted back to the body you would never know the difference, as you can see from the pictures. In the words of our customer 'It isn't a straight swap as I said, but sometimes you have to be a bit creative! '

The Big Sell

You can pay up to £100 for the EP5129 Clayton Original heater matrix or you can get a Caterham 7 heater matrix direct from our website at less than half that price. We are so keen to get this to Caterham owners that our tech guys haven't even had time to set up a specific Caterham page yet. We have temporarily popped it in the Mini section and you can find it by clicking the link above.

Toyota Rav4 heater matrix surprise!

The Rav4 heater matrix was here all the time!

 Toyota Rav4 2001-2005

               Toyota Rav4 2005-2013




Like many other manufacturers Toyota have been using the same heater matrix in several different models.

The Toyota Rav4 heater matrix top left has been supplied by us for the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Celica for several years now but it has recently come to our attention that it also fits the Rav4.

 The story is almost the same for the Rav4 heater matrix on the right. This can be found on our website Toyota heater matrix page disguised as an Avensis and a HiLux.

This is great news for us and whilst it must mean great savings for Toyota you can be sure it is not reflected in the price of original equipment. Luckily for our customers it allows us to add new applications to our range at the same time as being able to keep the price really low.
 

Things are getting hotter with this new Jensen heater matrix.

Be the first to get your hands on the new Jensen Interceptor Mk3 heater matrix

No longer do you have to bypass your old, leaking and inefficient heater matrix or put up with sub-standard repairs or re-cores!

 If you own a Jensen Interceptor Mk3 1971-77 there is now a brand new direct replacement aftermarket heater matrix to fit your beloved car.

 The manufacturers have used an original heater matrix as a pattern to make a small production run of this extremely rare part and managed to keep the price down to an acceptable level. The quality is second to none and you get the peace of mind of the manufacturers warranty.

 Don't worry if you need a heater matrix for an Interceptor that is a different year or model, simply contact us and we can arrange for one to be made to your pattern.

Believe it or not you can still get a brand new classic Ford Escort heater matrix

Worldwide sales success for our Ford Escort Mk1 & Mk2 heater matrix

  Much to the delight of several customers in Australia and the USA we can still supply the all metal, copper and brass heater matrix for the classic Mk1 and Mk2 Ford Escorts. These top quality British made aftermarket heaters have been supplied to the public and trade for over 25 years now and enquiries from Europe and the rest of the world keep coming.

   The good old Ford Escort Mk1 heater matrix has been a steady seller for many years and was originally developed in conjunction with enthusiasts. This attention to detail has means that there are no issues with it being a direct replacement and the quality ensures that it will last.

  The history of the Ford Escort Mk2 heater matrix is a different story though. Once again the development was done with the enthusiasts and initial sales were great. Soon though the market was flooded with cheap plastic and aluminium imports at very low prices. These were supplied by the less quality conscious end of the trade and snapped up by owners looking for a bargain. They were cheap for a reason and failed (sometimes catastrophically) more quickly than an all metal version. This message seems to have filtered through to the Escort community and the discerning enthusiast now insists only on the best.

After all, if you were the proud owner of one of these classics would you really want to fit an inferior part to your pride and joy?

Heater Matrix Catalogue Rapidly Expanding

We want to be the best place to get your heater matrix online.

 Our current online heater matrix sales would suggest that our customers like what they see!

 The price is competitive, the quality is second to none and our staff go all out to give the best customer service possible.

We pride ourselves on only selling the best quality British made units. We are beginning to see a steady shift away from the 'buy a cheap import' mentality as unfortunate customers find that when the 'cheap' heater matrix they bought online fails it cost them a fortune in labour to replace it again

  To make sure our customers can benefit from even more great value are now working as fast as possible to expand the heater matrix section in our online shop.

 

 Please bear with us as it takes time to make sure our details are correct, our pictures informative and our prices the very best they can be.

 Many websites will advertise using blind and dead end links just to show up on the search engines. How many times have you clicked through just to be told that the part was never available in the first place. We don't want to waste your time, so if our search engine link says Mitsubishi L200 heater matrix then we sell them.

If you prefer to buy your items on eBay we now have a Motoradsonline eBay heater matrix shop

British Coach and bus heater matrix manufacturer

The new place to buy your coach or bus heater matrix

 

Thanks to our top quality British coach and bus heater matrix manufacturer our new range of Alexander demisters (one shown above) have been doing really well and we are now in the process of expanding our range.

 

Close links to the manufacturer mean that we can get the best prices and access to over 30 years worth of expert knowledge. We will soon be adding various demisters, underseat heaters, saloon heaters and cab heaters, all of which will be listed in our heater matrix section.

 

 We will be able to supply a matrix for all the major names including Beulas, Aurora, Optare, Van Hool, Volvo, Duple, National Bus and the list goes on.

 

Don't worry that identifying your heater matrix could turn out to be a nightmare due to all of the different chassis makers, body makers and coach fitters using different heaters at different times. Even if your bus or coach is a classic, we will still be able to help. If you get in touch we will either identify your heater matrix and supply one off the shelf or offer to have one made to your pattern at a competitive cost.

 

If you have a question simply contact us via email or visit out website for more details

 

Problems with the Nissan Qashqai heater matrix - and not just the spelling!

Are you looking for a heater matrix for your Nissan Qashqai ?

Look no further

Nissan Qashqai heater matrix 

After several requests we are now able to offer the above heater matrix for the Nissan Qashqai. For a while now we have been hearing of problems with the original heater fitted to the Qashqai. My biggest problem is trying to type it without automatically putting a 'u' after the Q, but on a serious note many owners have been suffering leaks and blockages. This copper and brass aftermarket heater matrix manufactured in the UK is a direct replacement offering excellent quality at a very competitive price.
You can find it on the Motoradsonline heater matrix website by clicking the  Qashqai link next to the picture.

 

Cheap TX1 & TX2 Taxi heater matrix dilemma

Should I buy the cheapest TX1 TX2 Taxi heater matrix I can find?

  We have been selling the British made heater matrix for the front and rear TX1 and TX2 Taxi for several years now and have got to know the market pretty well. Our heaters have always been recognised as top quality and we have never had any problems with fitting, performance or warranty.
  A couple of years ago we noticed a small drop in sales and were informed of  some cheaper heaters being imported and sold on the internet. We have had a look at the 'competition' and were suitably unimpressed by the quality on offer. You can see the main reasons for this if you go to the listings on our TX1 & TX2 Taxi heater matrix page.

  We try very hard to keep our prices as low as possible and get as close as we can considering the gap in quality. We are now however seeing as rise in sales as we begin to replace some of the cheap heaters bought fairly recently!

 

  So in answer to the question above, the choice is yours but as the old saying goes:

'Buy cheap - Buy twice'

 

Best value Range Rover Sport & Landrover Discovery 3 heater matrix

Brand new Range Rover Sport & Land Rover Discovery 3 heater matrix. Fantastic value!

                                Land Rover Discovery heater matrix   Range Rover Sport Heater matrix

 

 We have been asked constantly for the past couple of years for the heater matrix to fit the Range Rover sport and the Discovery 3. It just so happens that the same heater is used for both vehicles but the price of a new one was astronomical, and that was if you could find one at all.

 However we can now offer an aftermarket copper and brass version of the heater made in the UK at a fraction of the cost of the original aluminium unit. This is considered as more robust than the aluminium version and is a direct replacement. You simply remove the pipes from the old unit and fit them to the new one with the clamps and seals provided. If you are wondering whether this heater matrix is for your particular model and how much it will cost, click on the links above to go directly to our website.