Vintage Honeycomb Radiator CompanyJohnson Brothers Radiators operated this machinery in Parramatta Road, Ashfield, Sydney Australia; it then had another owner for 40+ years operating from the same address before Greg and Christine Stevens purchased it in 2009 and moved it to Brisbane. In December 2025 Industrial Radiators 2010 Limited purchased the Vintage Honeycomb Radiator Company off Greg and Christine and brought all the machinery and business to Christchurch, New Zealand.
It is believed to be as old as the 1930's.
When Greg Stevens travelled to Sydney, to collect the equipment, he discovered the original timber patterns for the castings of the press wrapped in paper. It appears that Johnson Brothers made or had the machinery made to suit their own needs. The die sets are made in metric sizes so we can only assume the dies sets, guillotine and lock-seamer may have been European and the actual press was made to use them.
We are presently operating the
8mm⁵⁄₁₆″
hexagon equipment. We also have all the equipment required - another
press, guillotine and lock-seamer, to make a smaller hexagon core of
approximately 4mm⁵⁄₃₂″
.
This is a core we have rarely seen; but it does come up occasionally in American vintage cars.
Greg and Christine have tutored the Industrial Radiator technicians in the techniques needed to make these classic cores and gratefully are on call for questions and advice - we are indebted to Greg and Christine for sharing their expertise and advice and look forward to continuing the Vintage Honeycomb Radiator legacy.
If you happen know of any further information about the history of Johnson Brothers, the equipment or the finer hexagon core we would enjoy talking with you.