I'm having all kinds of trouble finding the fan to work on my Model A. At the moment, I'm not able to show any pictures of fitment problems. Small block Chevy, short water pump, engine is placed with the timing cover face being 8 1/4" from the center of front spring tiebolt hole. The crank centerline is same as the original engine would be. Use Marmon Herrington as a search word to find pictures. The first fan I tried is an 18" stainless flex fan. The diameter is too large, would cut the lower radiator hose. The second is a 14" diameter Flexilite. The diameter is ok, but the blades pitch forward at the outer tips. It's close enough to just touch the lower radiator tank. I'm not using any kind of spacer. What does a guy use? Do I have to spend the money for a riser type water pump? Do I just need to give up and buy an electric fan? I guess of the 14" fan was flatter, or arranged more toward the engine, it could work. What do you do??? Help!!!!
I'll try to help. In our 28 we cut the firewall back 4 inches, barely got the fan in. Did you do something similar? some questions .... Total inches from pump pulley to radiator, top and bottom? What is the difference in height between the center of the water pump pulley and the center of the radiator? reason I ask, We were about 3 inches below center, the zipp riser is 5 inches, so that would have put us too high. We built our own housing. Details with pics, schematic and even access to cad drawings are on the hamb somewhere. start here ...http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170022 If the zip doesn't work, and my home made one is too much for you, you may have to go electric (Obviously I hate them too). But you may get by with a 14 inch if you are not in south texas and don't have AC. A shroud may be a must to get the small fan to work. Vintage air sells one that fits the rad perfectly, and you cut your own hole location. We tried several fans with different offsets. Only a flex fan without those angled tips would fit. Pics would really help.
Not sure whats on mine its 6 blade 14" & looks like an OEM maybe Gm. If 14" will work except for the curved tip on the flex fan I'd be looking at a steel OEM style they tend to be a little flatter. Early vette 4 blade would probably work.
I've done 5 model A's and always used the older 4 blade GM fans and never had a cooling problem......
Riser kit from Snow White Ltd - www.snowwhiteltd.com - had to flex fans crack at the hub and take radiators out. I would not recommend that you use a flex fan under any circumstances - just my experience.
Back home, measured. The center of the water pump shaft is 10 1/2" above the crossmember. The radiator core is 20" tall, the center of the shaft being 7" above the top of the lower tank. The firewall is a Brookville recessed, I think 3 inches, with a pocket built back from that to be able to pull the distributor. I compared my engine placement to a frame that was built by someone who copied a TCI piece. My engine placement is 1/4" further back. I didn't copy anybody, just used advice. Is the Corvette fan a smaller diameter fan than the pickup fan of the same age? Does it have the pilot hole being 3/4" instead of the standard 5/8" hole? If so, in my favor. If not, it's just metal. Thanks for the advice so far. All other folks with experiences like this are welcome to chime in. FWIW, I'm trying to stay with a standard water pump and some kind of standard mechanical fan. If does come down to it, I will adjust accordingly.
I used one off a 235 inline six Chevy. Had slot the mounting holes, but I had no cooling problems with a stock gennie 1932 Ford radiator modified to fit a SBC.
Do you or anybody else have one to measure the diameter? I can't use a fan over 15" diameter because of the radiator lower hose location.
I had to cut the blades down and balance the one on my sedan.I think it's about 10 inches and cools with no problem.
Not sure about the vette fan compared to the truck & pilot hole may be either one. Any GM 14 " should work. Should be easy to find the size with a little search. You can probably find a used one cheap just don't mention Corvette or the price will dbl. I may have one I'll check & let ya know on the size.
Model A radiators and 1932 Ford radiators are very similar ... size wise. I ALWAYS use a ZIPS water pump riser on a SBC in a 32. My friends use them in their Model A's also. It raises the fan centerline. I have used a 15 inch 6 blade fan and even a 18 inch fan before. It depends on exactly how high your engine is mounted. Below is a 16 incher ... in a Walker shroud. I had a 18 on it but removed it for the 16 and the shroud ( the 18 would not fit in the shroud ). The 18 cooled great without a shroud ... but the 16 in a shroud is safer ... and more efficent. The 18 cleared both the top hose and the lower hose ... A believe that Vaphead here on the HAMB sells the ZIP riser and ... he is a Alliance vendor ( so your get a discount if you are a Alliance membe ). The ZIP also has the alternator mount and a A/C mount ... which can be cut off if you do not want them. I like them on there ... makes alignment of the alternator and A/C pretty simple.
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