Spectra shows off new high-performance radiator

Jason Best, senior vice president at Spectra Premium, and brand ambassador and race car driver Jean-François Dumoulin

Spectra Premium has announced what it calls a technical innovation with its new radiator.

In a news release, the company teamed up with its ambassador Jean-François Dumoulin to show off the high-performance NSCR100 radiator. The Canadian race car driver will use the radiator during trial sessions in the United States at the end of March, the company said. It also showed off the 2017 #04 Spectra Premium/Bernier Crépeau/Groupe Bellemare /MIA car, which will be equipped with the radiator for the season.

“We’ve approached this project just as we would with any customer; with the mindset of adding value,” said Serge Guénette, Spectra’s vice president of manufacturing. “It was important to understand the existing challenges and what we could improve upon in order to offer a better product.”

Spectra listed the following attributes for the radiator:

• Full aluminum radiator, using optimal balanced material thickness to minimize weight;
• Heavy gauge tubes for increased durability;
• Reinforced first rows of tubes to increase mechanical resistance without compromising coolant flow.
• The oil cooler, also made of aluminum, is incorporated in the radiator’s tank, eliminating any additional weight, as well as extra hoses and connections, which frees up space under the hood of the car;

The 2017 #04 Spectra Premium/Bernier Crépeau/Groupe Bellemare /MIA car

• The design includes anchor points which allow for installation and removal of the radiator in a faster and more efficient way (special tools are no longer necessary) all while allowing inclination of the radiator in the desired angle for optimized air flow;
• Robust installation of the radiator on the shroud, using quick connectors as used in planes and high-performance race cars;
• Integrated lightweight fan brackets allowing a secure and robust installation of a wide range of electric fans with minimal airflow restriction;
• A standard threaded insert system for quick and reliable fan installation;
• A universal connection inlet port offering painless customization of the coolant hose circuit, based on each racing team’s need; and
• Radiator vent relocation to avoid damages in the event of a light frontal incident.

Spectra teamed up with the Dumoulin Compétition crew on this project, a relationship that started in 2015, said Jason Best, senior vice president at Spectra. “The reliability of our products represents a performance guarantee for family cars, specialized fleets, and now race cars,” he added. “Performance and collaboration are values that unite our Premium team and Jean-François Dumoulin’s team.”

Dumoulin will participate in at least 10 races in 2017 and 2018 in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.