Technical RADIATOR FAN CLEARANCE ISSUE(MODEL A, DEUCE FRAME, FLATHEAD)

IMG_20220910_130023 by v-v posted Sep 10, 2022 at 4:03 PM

IMG_20220910_130046 by v-v posted Sep 10, 2022 at 4:03 PM

IMG_20220910_130117 by v-v posted Sep 10, 2022 at 4:03 PM

I like to add mechanical fan to my -30 model A.
Only problem there is no room for it. Any ideas? Will add generator to drivers side. Engine bay is little short because want to use stock length model A hood.

 

Pictures won't load.

 

Its possible to make a flathead with mechanical fan in a stock length Model A engine bay. Need more info to help

 

Does pics show now?

 

Yup I see them

 

You can put the fan mount upside down right? And it will lower your fan to center it in the radiator

 

Yes I can put it upside down. Biggest worry is it's will go close to radiator and how blades will clear hoses

 

Gotcha do you have a couple of fans to try out?

 

What located the motor where it's at now?, the K member and trans?. To me it looks like the motor needs to go back and the firewall re worked in the lower area.

 

Firewall mostly. Didn't want to cut it too much.

 

Apples to oranges, but a DeSoto Hemi slides in a '29 on '32 rails with plenty of room for stock fan and pulley's. I'm gonna make a hood top from aluminum, to fit the (longer by about 3" wheelbase) and be happy.

 

There's a few AV8s on here, one I do remember was for sale in the classifieds. It was a '30 Tudor with a 8BA and he did cut just under the rib to get it in there (if I remember properly), or you can just flip the firewall.



Something like this:

 

It will be a tight fit at best. You have to "steal from Peter to pay Paul". In my channeled coupe, I used the stock A frame and modified the firewall, moving the engine back enough to fit everything. It was easy for me since I had to have a driveshaft made anyhow. It snowballed into new engine and trans mounts, pedal relocation, steering reconfiguration, new seat moved back, removed a few inches from the package tray. It all worked out in the end but that's what needed to be done to run full fendered with a stock hood, fit everything and be comfortable. I am using a 6 blade mechanical truck fan. I'm only 5'10" tall and the car is very spacious.

 

i kinow it is blasphamy here but i would reverse the whole firewall in case you decide to go small block anything in the far future... more room now will be priceless then... my $0.02...

 

You all give wrong advices my car is at this point "drivable" only need finish weld everything. I don't want to cut my firewall or reverse it. I think I have one thing I have to test if I can make fan fit.

VID_117831029_205022_640 by v-v posted Sep 11, 2022 at 9:25 AM

 

With the extra length of the 8ba you're going to need to recess the firewall. A 59AB is SUPER tight fit and is shorter than the 8ba.

 

Can you get a shallower fan, maybe even a plastic one and possibly trim to suit ?
I have a similar problem but have run without a fan for the last 5 years, although I will get it fixed one day and possibly do have more room in a ‘32 with 8ba.

 

The only other option to gain any space would be to remove the 8ba distributor and install an earlier design. Of course that’ll require a cam change.
I’d break down and reconfigure your firewall instead.

 

At first I thought the measuring tape was inches, he's got plenty of room. After looking again, I realized it's centimeters. At that picture angle it looks like 15 centimeters which is just under 6 inches. My '32 with an 8ba in the above picture, only has that amount and I made it work..
I removed the original larger fan and bolted on a 4 blade 17inch diameter fan, it just clears the radiator by 1/4 inch.

 

Looking at your first picture that is a custom crank pulley with four sheaves . You have a lot of options to push the fan, even if it means fabricating a fan mount.

 

Looking at the pictures, your motor is up approx. 2" with those spacers, I'm assuming that is needed. In a game of inches, in may benefit you if you can drop the motor a bit to give your clearance of the hoses and upper tank.

I'm trying to find a thread that V8coopman on Fordbarn made about using a 59AB fan for a tight clearance like you have. Either way, it looks like you will need to cut down the blades in order for everything to fit in there.

Here is his post:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278828

 

I have scintilla magneto so that would not be the answer

 

Hey! Thanks. That picture gives me more trust that it will work

 

It's not too clear in the picture. Am I correct in saying it's a four sheave crank pulley?

 

I would be concerned about the 1/4" space to the radiator. The radiator fans when they are running could flex forward and move into the radiator. I ran to clearance issues like this on a pickup I was building and found out the hard way. A new radiator core and a cut down fan spacer which provided a lot more room resolved the issue.

 

Have you fitted your hood and got all your gaps sorted, as if not, you may be able to gain a few mm there as well ?
Narrower radiator is another option.
Drop that top pulley down and put in a thin electric fan, - full hood so you won’t see it.
Lengthening the hood and sides is probably easier than recessing the firewall at this point, although I know you don’t want to do so.

 

All of this would be mute if the OP would have put the front cross member in the stock 32 position or slight;y forward and lengthened his stock hood or had a company like Roorlieb build him a new one. I'd bet there's someone in Europe that could do that for him. I've built dozens of customer 32 chassis for a FH and a model a with no firewall or fan problems.

 

IMG_20220719_223422 by v-v posted Sep 12, 2022 at 11:04 PM

 

Hood top is fitted and radiator an shell placed to hood length. Sides need little work because I made "mini" channel to cowl. I don't say strictly NO to electric fan.... But trying to keep electric like less is more.

IMG_20211113_145134 by v-v posted Sep 12, 2022 at 11:18 PM

IMG_20211113_164300_132 by v-v posted Sep 12, 2022 at 11:18 PM