Glad to hear you've got it under control. However, a 160 thermostat is not going to get your engine temperature up to it's optimum operating temperature. It may seem like a good idea to run a "cooler" thermostat but in the long run, it will be reflected in excessive cylinder wall wear, oil dilution with fuel and oil contamination with condensation.
Now that you've got your overheating problem sorted out move up to the 180 thermostat and your engine will run more efficiently.
Rick....to clarify...the adaptor plate is used in conjunction with an "early" 41-53 216-235 waterpump. Using this combination even with a 5 blade fan will give you adequate clearance and an engine that runs efficiently.
Dave
