It would be interesting to have an external reservoir like this - looks like it might be able to shed enough heat that you could leave fans off when idling. Maybe hook the radiator fan voltage through one of those temp-based speed controllers (had a link to a schematic for one somewhere around there...) - and use water temp.
Anyone got connections in the world of aluminum extrusion? I did long ago (automatic door and supermarket storefront business) but my supplier of architectural aluminum has gone out of business (or changed name/location - not sure which). I would guess there's a usable cross-section shape already being made. Then it's just a matter of running through the appropriate anodizing path (type 3? As I remember, not used in the world or architectural aluminum extrusions...) speaking of which, the shapes we had to work with never had anodizing on the insides. I had assumed at the time that the anodizers were just saving money, but maybe there's a problem anodizing the hollow insides of long shapes, like you get with plating...?
Then there's the whole issue with having yet more aluminum in your system. It might be that the best external reservoir with idle-cooling capabilities might be a length of slant-fin radiator tubing.
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