It's a '55 235 in my '46 Chevy 1/2 ton with a freshly recored original radiator and a short shaft water pump. My understanding is that the thermostat stays closed when first starting up in order to allow the water temp to get to 180 degrees. When the temp goes over 180 I'm guessing the therm. opens to its max to allow the most coolant to cycle thru the radiator. So, here in So.Cal. Do I even need a thermostat? Also, what is the closest the fan can be to the radiator? I'd like to be running a little cooler than the 190 or so when it's 65 degrees outside. I'm worried about when it gets to be 90 or 100 in the summer. Any thoughts?
