Topic: 1966 radiator

[Maksim27]

Should the radiator cooler line nuts be brass or steel.  If steel should the nuts be natural or clear zinc plated.
66 C4 200 San Jose.

[OldGuy]

The fittings are supposed to be bare steel.

Frank

[Maksim27]

Should I use some sort of sealant to keep the fittings from surface rusting.  I was thinking T9 or RPM but not sure if that can protect the fittings from surface rust.

[OldGuy]

You should definitely use something to retard the inevitable rusting of these fittings. I know that I'm going to get some push back, but I would spray them with satin clear acrylic after they were installed in the radiator and then periodically use T9 over the clear. Its not a perfect solution but I think that it will buy you the most time.

Frank

[Maksim27]

What about smearing some light grease on them after installation.

[OldGuy]

Grease will keep moisture away for a while but it will also collect dust/dirt which is not desirable in my opinion. You could also spray paint them with one of the paints that is made to replicate the look of bare cast iron.

Unfortunately, I don't think that there are any relatively long-term solutions that will allow you to have the "look" of virgin steel without the use of some sort of paint. You could use T9 and faithfully "marinate" the fittings to retard rust formation but that is not an easy thing to do when installed on the car and I don't think that it is at all permanent.

Frank 

[Bob Gaines]

You should definitely use something to retard the inevitable rusting of these fittings. I know that I'm going to get some push back, but I would spray them with satin clear acrylic after they were installed in the radiator and then periodically use T9 over the clear. Its not a perfect solution but I think that it will buy you the most time.

Frank

+1 on using T9 or other rust inhibitor product on any bare metal (except exhaust) that is clear coated. Moisture will pass through the clear coat barrier with time and exposure. The rust inhibitor will slow that moisture eventuality through the clear coat.

[Maksim27]

At first I was thinking of plating with either clear zinc or clear cadmium.  Don't know if plating will have the correct look as it might be brighter than raw steel look.