I can see where a single vs. double is more suitable in your '49. Narrow at the ..."> I can see where a single vs. double is more suitable in your '49. Narrow at the ...">
"I really appreciate the input/output you fellows provided. Volfandt> I can see where a single vs. double is more suitable in your '49. Narrow at the nose...whereas my '59 has larger opening...plus I will need (2) fans to split the difference around the water pump. Whitedog> thanks for the lead with the Volvo relay and Derale products...I will investigate that further as well.
Its all preference old school/new technology...both have there place."
Apache 1,
This discussion is an example of the value of taking information from a variety of sources to benefit from the combined experience of forum members. As others have pointed out new vehicles have electric fans, not mechanical fans even where a mechanical fan could be attached to a forward pointing water pump snout. An example is our front engine, rear wheel drive V8 powered 2017 Chevy Tahoe. It has 2 electric fans mounted on a shroud and if mechanical fans were superior that's what would have been used. My wife and I have had a variety of cars with electric fans over the decades and none has ever malfunctioned in any way.
Another electric fan advantage is they can be mounted anywhere they fit independent of engine position.
On my '32 Ford roadster street rod I implemented Ed's idea of flaps in the shroud corners and it noticeably improved highway speed cooling compared to the prior condition (photo) of no corner flaps The flaps stay closed when not moving or inching forward in gridlocked traffic or in left turn pockets. That matters because this roadster is driven regularly in a variety of conditions. On the roadster the fan is controlled by a thermal switch. By trial and error I discovered that I could vary the turn on/off temperature using the same thermal switch by installing it at different locations on the engine which, it turns out, run at different temperatures.
