dmruschell

I'm starting to plan the air conditioning install in my 61 and was wondering if anyone had stuck with just using a mechanIcal cooling fan. Right now, I have a flex fan installed, but would be willing to swap out the flex fan with the stock 5 blade or a 7 blade from a later year to maximize airflow at lower speeds.

If anyone has any recommendations for a fan setup, I'd appreciate the input!

If going with an electric fan is the only way, I'll go with the DeWitts aluminum radiator and fan setup, which will necessitate installing an alternator as well as a tach drive distributor. I'm just hoping to avoid our postpone that since the restoration radiator in it right now from DeWitts is only 3 years old.

Frankie the Fink

i run my 63 with vintage air in Orlando summer heat with a 7 blade fan and heavy duty Hayden fan clutch. No problema.

dmruschell

Which 7 blade fan are you using? Looking at Zip last night, they have a 7 blade fan for the late C2s for $250 and a 7 blade fan for the late C3s for only $100. However, the diameter of the C3 fan is a little larger and I'm concerned it may not fit the shroud properly. I'll go measure my current setup later today, but again, any other opinions are welcomed

mrg

A recent VA install in my '64. Running with the stock factory set up - DeWitts resto radiator, standard fan clutch, 5-blade fan.

On an average day temp stays at 1/4 gauge scale. Warmer days including prolonged idling temp moves up to 1/2 scale or slightly more. So far, so good.
John

Frankie the Fink

I installed the Hayden 2747 truck clutch fan, comes on sooner and runs at a higher percentage of "full speed". You will have to source a fan for your purposes my fan (from Classic Industries) won't work in a C1...

GTOguy

All modern AC systems on new cars have an electric fan that kicks on when system pressure increases due to heat.....usually in stop and go and slow moving driving. Adding an additional electric fan or fans to your retrofit system will really help keep the AC working well at low speeds and in traffic, while keeping the pressures down. You can possibly get by with a good clutch fan and shroud, but the electric fan pulling air through the condenser will work better at low vehicle speeds. On the open road, not really an issue, as you are pulling plenty of air across the condenser and radiator cores.

dmruschell

Yeah, I've got a DeWitts radiator and electric fan setup in my 79 Vette and my 72 Buick GS455 and have the fans wired to come on with the A/C (and not cycle with the compressor). The A/C blows really cold in both cars. I'm just trying to avoid or delay the changes that need to be made when converting to an alternator.

Frankie the Fink

I wanted to remain somewhat stock on my mostly original '63. Those cars (a few of them) DID have A/C back in the day with no fancy electric fans. Also, not having one of those do dads reduces the current draw dramatically....so I was able to keep my '63 original A/C alternator with internal upgrading to 70 amps. Figured I'd try it without an electric fan and see what happened. Going in to my second summer and the A/C will run you out in Orlando summer heat. There is no electric fan on the horizon for me.

dmruschell

This is exactly what I was hoping to hear.

I found this fan over at Classic Industries: http://www.classicindustries.com/pro...arts/k193.html

As long as an 18 inch fan will work, that seems to be the best bet (assuming the flex fan currently installed doesn't move enough air.)

I have a 140 amp alternator in my 79 Vette, and a CS 130 alternator (for a C4 with a V-pulley swap) in my 72 Buick. It's convenient that GM kept the alternator mounts basically the same for over 30 years.

I'm planning to install an under dash A/C system on my 1956 Oldsmobile soon as well. Thankfully, there is no generator-driven tach, and the bracket to install the compressor makes the compressor mount where the generator normally mounts, which means you have to install an alternator (brackets are available for that as well), which also means that electric fans are an easy add-on if needed.

Thanks everyone for your help and input!

dmruschell

I ordered a new 5 blade fan and original style clutch (engages at 165 degrees F) from Zip. Then, I found a 74-76 Corvette 7 blade fan made for AC cars. It's not available from Zip or Ecklers, which is why I bought the 5 blade fan (I didn't know they were available at all). The 7 blade fan is 17.5 inches in diameter compared to the 17.125 inch advertised diameter of the 5 blade fan I bought. If the 7 blade fan works, I'll use it. Otherwise, it seems I should be okay with the 5 blade fan. I'll report back once the 7 blade fan arrives.

Frankie the Fink

Hmmm....I'd have gone for the truck fan clutch I mentioned. Also tighten up that radiator shrouding - they are HORRIBLE on our cars. Make sure you have the rubber seals along the front of the radiator at the bottom and the corners....then take some close cell gray foam pipe insulation and go over the top gap and down both sides of the radiator....it REALLY helps..

As you can see, I put a spacer in place of the fan clutch in my '61. Some says it results in more noise. Puhleez....a solid lifter rag top with off-road exhausts ? I don't hear the fan trust me.

dmruschell

I have a spacer there right now with the flex fan. For some reason, when you mentioned that your fan on your 63 wouldn't work with the C1, I remembered it as the whole setup wouldn't work. I may return the original style clutch (though, engaging at 165 degrees should be soon enough I would think. I avoided the "Replacement" because it looked a lot like the C3 clutch that don't engage until a higher temperature) with the 5 blade fan and save myself $100.

At what temperature does the Hayden clutch engage? I couldn't find any specific information on it.

Frankie the Fink

Not sure now.....I thought I saw it once -- maybe not. The specs talk about percentage of shaft speed, etc. for the most part..

dmruschell

I just looked up the specifications PDF that Hayden has online. I think I may actually need that clutch to run the 7 blade fan because of the spacing of the bolts on the fan. So, I ordered it. I'll wait for all of the parts to get here and then piece together the setup that I think will work best. Thanks!

GTOguy

dmruschell: running a spacer with a clutch is a no-no. Too much weight too far out there.....you'll eat your water pump bearing. Run the fan clutch or a spacer, but not both. Frankie's layout looks like a winner to me.........Simple and effective.

dmruschell

There is no clutch on my 61 with the flex fan right now. There is only the spacer.

I don't like the fan running at super high RPMs on the highway when it's not needed, especially with the stories I've heard of flex fans losing a blade at high RPMs.

dmruschell

Thanks Frank for the fan clutch recommendation! I installed it and the 7 blade fan from a 74 Corvette into my 61, and they work great. I let it idle for a bit, and the temperature stayed steady around 180. It moves a good amount of air, too. Since it's a fan designed for an AC Corvette (and a C3, where air flow can be an issue), I think it should work well when I install AC in this car.

Thanks everyone!

Frankie the Fink

As noted previously if you do the foam and rubber seal thing around that sloppy '61 fan shroud you actually get pretty decent cooling.

I won't even work on an engine with a flex fan; I cut a tendon in my thumb on one of those sharp-@ssed blades on such a fan in 1980 even though the motor was off... I was in a cast for 6 weeks.