The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Fan Shroud Install on 1957

Hey Guys,

Need some help/ advice with what I thought was going to be a simple install of a plastic fan shroud from Brothers for my 1957 that has a 350 in it.

The first is with installing it. I pulled the upper hose, let it drain and realized there was no way this shroud would slip between the radiator and the fan [about 2" clearance], so I have pulled the fan and space. Still not enough room as the forward edge of the water pump is interfering [about 5" clearance].

Second, is even if I could slip the shroud down in, the fan is gonna sit way forward and I am wondering how to get the fan assembly back on.

Is there a different water pump I should be looking at?

Help.....

http://www.brotherstrucks.com/techa...=1955-1959%20FAN%20SHROUD%20INSTALLATION

To work properly, a fan shroud should only cover half the depth of the blade. The fan hub should align with the back of the shroud, so the blade is running half in and half out of the shroud. Any other position will result in less airflow through the radiator than if the shroud was not installed. Either install a water pump with a shaft length to position the fan in the right place, or modify the shroud mount so the back end of the shroud is positioned correctly.
Jerry

was your truck an original V8? [leading 'V' on the vin] if so, the rad may be mounted in the rearward position, and the aftermarket shroud won't work - and if so you should be able to get the fan within a 1/2" of the rad with a spacer and not need a shroud - otherwise you might have to make your own shroud .... here's the plastic shroud [also next pic] I put on a '56 with a 350, positioned as HRL describes, it required a spacer on the fan shaft and was installed just by removing the fan first

Bill

Thanks for the quick responses...

The truck was not originally a V8, but is there a way of telling if the rad/ support is from a V8?

So maybe I need to look at a shorter water pump and/or remove the existing spacer that I have on the fan right now?

the rad supports don't vary, but for the V8 it was mounted further back - I can't quite tell, but from this pic it does look like the rad is mounted further back than the 6 cyl position, which is about an inch behind the latch support cross bar ... the '56 is stored here so I got a pic for ya, the V8 mount points have a triangular reinforcing piece on the outside of the inner fender and the latch cross bar is moved back to there .... not sure you could get a water pump that would fix things if your rad was moved, but some measuring should figure out what's possible

Bill

remembered I had a pic of the original V8 arrangement added here

Bill

i have that same shroud on my 57. i split it at the bottom and then bolted it together once installed. i had to trim around the alternator. my fan also was too far in the shroud, didnt notice any difference in engine temp, but i wanted it to keep my fingers safe when tinkering while engine is running.

leonard

Hey guys,

Snapped a few picutres that I posted to photobucket of the radiator and the clearance to the latch support as well as the water pump. Looks like removing the spacer from behind the fan will help the situation.

Two quick questions:

1. What should the the fore/aft position of the fan blade to the rear edge of the shroud?
2. What should be the max clearance between the fan diameter and that of the shroud?

@RATRODD: Can I find a pic of how you cut and bolted your shroud? Anything you would do different second time around?

the rad is in the factory 6cyl location, and it looks to me like the shroud should clear the fan hub for installation .... and if there was a spacer that got the fan a lot closer to the rad, yes it needs to go, the fan blades should be centered on the edge of the shroud opening and the dia of the blades should be as close as possible to the size of the opening

Bill

Hey guys, any concern with going down to a 17" fan that will fit in the shroud [the opening is 18" and my existing fan is 19 1/2"]? And.... any idea what model car/ truck I need to say I have so they can 'look it up' at the parts store since they seem to not be able to cross reference anything....

And given that I will need a diff diameter than what I am using how to determine the 'best'? I have read the more blades the better, but what about how deep they are?

I am just a litte leary of going from this big fan to smaller one and defeating the supposed benefit of a shroud...

The smaller fan properly installed in the shroud should move more air than the larger with no shroud. I dont know about number of blades, but the "pitch" of the blades will make a difference on air movement. More pitch, more flow.

Ok, not to beat a dead horse, but wanting to make sure I don't end up tossing out a $85 shroud should:

- I just buy a 17" fan and let it go at that? If so a flex fan from like AutoZone?

- Modify the shroud by cutting off material so that an 18" fan fits? If so, a flex fan or is there a benfit to finding an old OEM fan?

- Modify the shroud by cutting off even more material and making the 19 1/2" fan work?

Appreciate everyones patients with me on this!

there is no benefit finding an "old OEM fan" to fit a later engine in a modified truck - I'd find a fan that fits the opening - this one is some generic cheapo from a FLAPS, required no modification to fit perfectly, and works fine

Bill