Has anyone fitted a 16" electric cooling fan to their vette, in addition to the original cooling fan??

I've been looking at the Flexalite 16" trimline fan for my '79, and although the quoted dimentions suggest that it would fit, the car's fan shroud may make things a bit of a squeeze.. and i'm not too sure whether it would clear the original fan at the top??

Anyone have any experience with this???

 

I would remove the shroud and mechanical fan and just install the dual electric fans and thermostat. it cleans up the look a bunch.

 

Adding an electrical fan on the other side of the radiator will often DECREASE cooling capacity as the lower capacity fan acts as a restriction for the other fan.

 

im running the dual 220 setup thinline. why do you wanna run with the original fan? is it a pusher or a puller? run with electric only and save hp. the 220 is the only set up ive seen for the vette. tough to fit anything else because of the space

 

16" Zirgo with custom fiberglass and aluminum shroud. Total $$ was less than dual setup. Just took more time.

 

the original fan is fine for 90% of the time, and i don't wanna remove that... i just wanted an additional fan because i find that the car gets a little hot during the summer when i'm sitting in traffic with the A/C running. I think the L-82 had an additional electric fan, but that wasn't mounted through the Rad like the flexalite.

 

neat set-up Gator

 

nice setup. what's involved as far as installation. how is it wired? cost?

 

I fabricated the flat piece of fiberglass out of 4 layers of 1-1/2 ounce mat. I made the frame from 1/8" thick aluminum angles. The 1/4" of fiberglass fastened to a 3/4" alumuinum angle will give you about 1/4" clearance at the upper A-arm axle. I had to trim back the upper mounting angle at the radiator hose to give enough clearance to get the hose on. I used 2" aluminum ange with one leg cut to 1" (when measured from the inside of the angle) for the top and bottom angle. I cut the fiberglass to the exact size of the radiator core then fit it and cut the notches to clear the upper and lower radiator mounts. Then I built the shroud and test mounted it to the radiator before I cut the hole. Then I removed it and traced the outline of the fan on the fiberglass and aluminum. Next I cut the aluminum angles to the outline of the fan. Then remounted the angles and traced the outline of the cut angle onto the fiberglass then offset the line about 1/4", removed all of the aluminum and cut the fiberglass. After that I reassembled everything and test fit it to the radiator again. Then I took it off again disassembled it and painted the shroud. Finally I put everything back together and mounted it to the radiator with aluminum angles bolted to the radiator.

Zirgo fan on Ebay I got mine last year for @ $75.

The aluminum angles were around $25
I had the fiberglass and mat but it was probably $30 worth
and about $6 in fasteners.

My TCS is K.I.A. so I have a spare temperature sensor port in the passenger side of my block for the switch that controls the fan.
I used this switch and harness $60

 

I was able to squeeze a Summit open type 14" inside the my '71's metal fan shroud on the backside of the rad. I used it as a supplement to the original clutch fan assy. I remember I had a little over an inch of clearance btwn the blade tips of the electric fan & the clutch on the mech fan. It worked great during slow driving in traffic during summer in Arizona, the car never went over 200 - even in 105+ outside temps. I would also leave it on after I shut the car off for about 15min or so.

However, the fan only lasted about 2 years. The bearings/bushings failed in the motor. I haven't replaced it yet, but when I do I will spend the money for a high end unit. I'd see who makes the fans for Porsche & get one of those. I would also add a thermo & timer so it functions automaticlly.

Edit: This is it, but I don't recommend this no-name model

 

I installed two 12 inch electric fans to my stock radiator. While I had the rad out I mounted them directly to the rad while positioning the shroud over them to make sure they would clear. I had to notch the shroud in one small place on the left side to get them to fit. I kept the original fan on the engine but didn't really have to. My system works great for my '79. I bought the fans and thermostat at a local speed shop.

Bernie

 

I have an L-82 Factory supplemental cooling fan. It is from an "80 but will fit into your '79 fan shroud and look factory. E-mail me if you are interested. Jim

 

 

anybody have any experience with BE COOL's fans??? will they work on the stock radiator or do you have to use Be Cools radiators?

 

I put a Flex-a lite twin 12 inch electric with electronic sensor on my 79. It works great, but is pricey. I did remove the stock shrouds since they were no longer needed.

 

I had the exact same idea and bought a Hayden 16" electric fan with the hopes of adding as a pusher in front of the condensor on my 79. I don't know if you've looked at it closely, but there's little room up there once the hood is tilted open. I had the car at Van Steel at the time and they suggested just adding it as an auxillary in behind the radiator in front of the mechanical fan. It made a big difference, the L48 ran much cooler. In fact, that same fan is Almost enough to cool the 383, but in the summer with the A/C on I can tell it won't move enough air. It's only rate to about 1650 cfm. I ordered a Permacool fan like GrandsportC3 is running on his car. The 16" model moves almost 3000CFM. That should be plenty. I'd suggest the Permacool fan and lose the mechanical fan.