Anybody got any experience with them?
I was wondering what the best one w/a thermostat was for the buck?
Thanks!

 

Do a search on SPAL or BeCool fans. Mr. DeWitt sells a cool setup that I lust after. As soon as I get back from the Historics, I start that project so I can run my A/C full time!

Hans

 

Here's my experience with fans. My car was always overheating when the temperature got over about 80. With the mechanical fan it overheated. I had a radiator made with dimpled tubes to enhance cooling and it still overheated. I put on a dual fan setup from a chrysler, it overheated, I put in an oil cooler, and it got a little better, I put on a big single fan from a GM car, it still overheated. I put in a Stewart water pump and it still overheated. I put in all of the gaskets around the radiator (it was missing the top one -- the most critical of the four). It still overheated but not nearly as bad (could drive it up to about 90 degrees as long as I was able to go fast once in a while). I finally put in the dual spal and with 100 degrees yesterday here in Oregon, it just barely went over thermostat with the A/C on, idling in traffic. It's going to be over 100 here today and I expect it to work fine. I haven't hooked up the fan control thermostat yet, I am building a dual temp controller to control them at different temperatures based on engine temperature and expect to have that controller in place in a week or two.

I got the fan from Dewitt, and recommend it highly. It is about $270 for the fan setup, and you can also get the mounting stuff from him. I just used some angle iron and some small pieces of flat steel to mount mine.

Good luck, and yes, it is possible to cool a big block vette!

 

I am running a BeCool radiator with twin Spal fans, they work great, the engine never goes over 200, even at idle. Highly reccomend that set up, a little pricey but really works.

 

You can find 90-96 fan shrouds including the GM Corvette fans at Corvette gatherings just about every time. We pick them up for between $65-$130, then replace both fan motors with new GM parts. Usually, the sellers do not want to separate the shroud & fans you want from another big part, but you will just have to negotiate. This set-up will easily cool any built up small block, and best of all if it fails, you go to any Chevy dealer and buy a part!

Spike

 

I bought my setup from Mr. DeWitt. I am very happy with it. He has a nice setup with the dual Spal Fans. The only problem I see with the dual fans, do not go down a dirt road, as it will suck the dirt and blow it onto your motor. This happened to me going up my brother's dirt drive. I am going to install a cutoff switch inline.

Dwayne

 

Agreed, get waht you pay for. :yesnod:

 

Hey yellow
my stock 72 w/ac /pw auto trans needs a RAD . i was wondering about them alum ones?Can i get a stock RAD and hook-up one of those fans you guys are talking about ? And still keep her cool ? Under 200 Da grezzz. I don't mind a few mods if needed. Or should i go for the alum RAD and forget about the fans ? I can really use a lot of HELP HERE

Thanks

 

You talkin' to me? or the guy that posted just before you with the yellow car? :)
I hear the aluminum radiators work very well. Aluminum disspipates heat quite well, and they can make the tubes a bit thinner because of the properties of aluminum so overall it works better. I have a regular copper/brass rad, but it has dimpled tubes to enhance the turbulance in the water flow. It also has a much denser array of fins. It was only $275 instead of the $450-$500 you pay for the Be-cool unit. Make sure you have your rubber pieces in between the radiator and the radiator frame. It really does make a difference.

 

I need to do my setup ASAP. I went to dewitt's site and saw the dual 11" spal for 270.00 and with relays and thermo switch 395.00. Is this the one you installed? How did you manage without the mounting kit, relays and thermostat ?

 

same here.. with a/c, 454BB, idle in Arizona 112 heat never goes over the 165 thermostat. its awesome! I even veferied with a temp gun.

bad news.. its pricy ( but worth it)

 

Spal and DeWitt's all the way! Best $365.00 I ever spent on my car. BTW: If you get the Spal's get the kit, it will make the mounting and installation much easier. Tom DeWitt is a real gentleman to deal with too! When I got my kit, someone had a problem with the mounting screws and he CALLED me and told me he was sending some different screws. I've never had a vendor (other than Gary Gruhala) call me warning me about a possible problem with something I'd bought.

 

I have Flex-a-Lite dual fans. They are good but I heared that SPAL fans are a little better...

:cheers:

Olivier

 

Eric,

I've been trying to track you down. Can you shoot me an IM or your e-mail address? My IM has been flaky.

 

Neo Fender-
Hey bro, whats up?
My email addy is rickshawracer@hotmail.com

 

You have e-mail.

 

I don't want to spam on your thread but since I was part of the topic I thought I would add my two cents and a pic. I offer the dual spals because they are simply the best fans, period. For the record they are the same fans be-cool uses and in all the imported italian cars. I think our kit offers something that no others do and that's a direct fit. You can buy the fans separately, but then you still have to figure out a way to mount them. Our pre-bent aluminum bracket allows you to throw it on both the stock copper rad or a dewitt aluminum racing radiator. The other guys make you buy a hundred buck worth of brackets to make it fit their radiator because it's different than stock? :rolleyes:

 

Mr. DeWitt,

I may be in need of a new radiator and (thanks to Bubba) I'm definately in need of new fan setup. It would be very costly for me to revert everything to stock (I'd have to replace water pump, pulleys, brackets, etc...) so your setup has caught my attention. I have a few questions. What is the best way to contact you?

 

That was my next question... Mr. DeWitt, how do I contact you?

 

I can be reached at 810-220-0181 est. I'm usually at this number but if I'm on the line it will roll over to my voice mail. This doesn't mean I'm not there, just on the phone. I don't believe in putting people on hold with the call waiting and/or a second line. I will call you back! My email is:

info@dewitts.com

which you can find at:

www.dewitts.com


[Modified by Tom DeWitt, 10:11 PM 8/17/2002]