I just put an extened fan hub on my 390 to get it closer to the rad. for hopefully better cooling. Now, the cross member on my '61 is only about 1/4" from the fan. I'm worried it might hit if the motor rocks at all, but generally that would be side to side, not front to back.
I can not mess up this fan. It cost me $700 to chrome it, plus I just got the frame all painted and perty. And of course I don't want to risk hurting other parts. I would feel better at 1/2" clearance. I'm thinking of putting a spacer under the cradle that the motor mounts to. But then I worry about driveshaft clearance and pinion angles, etc. I would keep the tranny mounted the same, so the nose of the motor would pivot up, no more than 1/4" from where it is now.
Thoughts?
How much is too little clearance...
How much is too little clearance...
My Slick is rustier than your Slick! 
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shawns fords
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: March 31, 2007, 11:34 am
- Location: Foxfield Colorado
- Contact:
curious, what was your reasoning behine chroming the fan for 700 bucks instead of an electric fan? I know the appearance is nice looking but you could gain some mileage with an electric as well as clearance (which is more important)
as far as clearing your crossmember. I doubt youll get 1/4 inch front/back movement as you said side to side would be an issue.
if it can drop down and hit the crossmember then I might be a little worried
as far as clearing your crossmember. I doubt youll get 1/4 inch front/back movement as you said side to side would be an issue.
if it can drop down and hit the crossmember then I might be a little worried
Keep in mind as well that even a non flex fan will flex somewhat AWAY from the direction of the airflow. Imagine that the fan is "pulling" itself forward, away from the engine.
Since I am not very aquainted wth 61-64 and FE, I am not sure what this means for you.
Don't they make varying spacers? I seem to recall seeing them for a 300.......
Since I am not very aquainted wth 61-64 and FE, I am not sure what this means for you.
Don't they make varying spacers? I seem to recall seeing them for a 300.......
1965 F-100 240 Autolite 1101, Disk brake dual master upgraded, swapped over to C4 and powersteering. Bought by my Dad new in March 65'
Planned/considered upgrades:
Perhaps power brakes, 300 I6 motor and JUST maybe, AC!
Planned/considered upgrades:
Perhaps power brakes, 300 I6 motor and JUST maybe, AC!
If it were me, I'd probably shave the spacer down a 1/2" or so, just for peace of mind. 
My "Slickitis" affliction began here...
66 F100 CC/65 F100 CC/66 F250 CC
If it starts to rain, they'll tax the splash.
If you want to fish, they'll tax the bass.
If you plant a yard, they'll tax the grass.
If you don't play nice, they'll fine your *$#!
66 F100 CC/65 F100 CC/66 F250 CC
If it starts to rain, they'll tax the splash.
If you want to fish, they'll tax the bass.
If you plant a yard, they'll tax the grass.
If you don't play nice, they'll fine your *$#!
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mikecarson
- Posts: 596
- Joined: July 9, 2006, 5:59 am
- Location: Richland, Texas
- Contact:
Ok, update. First, I think the spacer is about 2" long, came out of my '71 Highboy. The one I had was maybe 1/2." So, I kinda forgot about this and today fired it up (oops! LOL) Well, it's fine. I still am going to work on a long term solution and thought I may make a little concave cut out in the cross member. I think I like that best because everything else is good on the truck and I hate to start messing with angles and junk again. I lowered and moved my motor back quite a bit before I lowered the suspension so that is part of the problem. Anyway, it seems ok for now.
BTW, I know the fan will move when it runs (not much though, that thing is hardened steel), and it will actually help it clearance wise.
Shawn, to answer your question, I am building this to look like an early 60's rod and they did not do flex fans and certainly not elec. fans. It's just the way I want it. And a chrome fan really sets it off when everything else under the hood is chromed too.
BTW, I know the fan will move when it runs (not much though, that thing is hardened steel), and it will actually help it clearance wise.
Shawn, to answer your question, I am building this to look like an early 60's rod and they did not do flex fans and certainly not elec. fans. It's just the way I want it. And a chrome fan really sets it off when everything else under the hood is chromed too.
My Slick is rustier than your Slick!
Chrome plated a fan? Who did it? Did they talk to you about the risks? I hate to say it but a chromed fan is about the most dangerous underhood item that there is. Please read the following link and make sure that your fan has been properly treated after plating. If not it could easily kill somebody and will definitely fail. Hawkrod
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement
You may not be worried, but did he treat it? Platers do not usually do so and it does not matter how many show cars they have done. They usually expect that you will do it or have it done. It would be worth the phone call to find out. I will wager that they do not as I have been in the business a very long time and most platers do not do any treating afterwards. You did not mention if he even said anything to you which is a very big warning sign. Trust me, I have been doing this for decades, I have seen the shortcomings. Like it or not, this is a potentially deadly and at the very least it messes up the vehicle. Hawkrod
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shawns fords
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: March 31, 2007, 11:34 am
- Location: Foxfield Colorado
- Contact:
Comet wrote:Ok, update. First, I think the spacer is about 2" long, came out of my '71 Highboy. The one I had was maybe 1/2." So, I kinda forgot about this and today fired it up (oops! LOL) Well, it's fine. I still am going to work on a long term solution and thought I may make a little concave cut out in the cross member. I think I like that best because everything else is good on the truck and I hate to start messing with angles and junk again. I lowered and moved my motor back quite a bit before I lowered the suspension so that is part of the problem. Anyway, it seems ok for now.
BTW, I know the fan will move when it runs (not much though, that thing is hardened steel), and it will actually help it clearance wise.
Shawn, to answer your question, I am building this to look like an early 60's rod and they did not do flex fans and certainly not elec. fans. It's just the way I want it. And a chrome fan really sets it off when everything else under the hood is chromed too.
ok I understand why you did it, and yeah I guess it wouldl ook really cool, ive never actually seen one, guess the reasoning is from Hawkrods post
I never thought about the metal needing to be treated after being chromed, interesting, although I just watched a factory fan blade launch through the radiator of a 85 vert stang at all ford day this summer, I would have to think if your turning alot of high RPMs your bettero ff not even having one and go to electric. but if your just cruising aroudn town, it should be ok, until you get the desire to light em up and that loud pop, slap bang! from under the hood then the hissssssssssss from that coolant leak
just kidding, hope it works out for ya-
Johnny Canuck
- Posts: 8288
- Joined: April 9, 2006, 11:14 pm
- Location: Edmonton, Alberta.
Interesting . Never heard of a chromed fan or any of this other stuff before. Guess that 'splains it. Usually see stainless or aluminum flex fans instead.
Guess i am too much of a Scotsman to ever even consider spending $700 on chroming a fan, but thats gonna hurt if he can't use it.
Guess i am too much of a Scotsman to ever even consider spending $700 on chroming a fan, but thats gonna hurt if he can't use it.
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
Yes, the reason you don't see chromed fans is because they break. The sad thing is the plating process itself can break the fan if it is not properly treated within minutes of plating. The cracks actually form with the part sitting on the shelf. They are minute and can't be seen by the eye but they are the starting point for devastating fractures. I do not believe any racing sanctioning body will even allow a chromed fan on a track. In many racing organizations plating anything may get your tech card pulled for this reason. It is very serious and so few people (including trim platers) fully understand the issue or risks involved. Hawkrod
Some more reading:
http://www.mechanicalplating.com/hydrogen.htm
http://www.materialsengineer.com/CA-hydrogen.htm
http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?hydrogen+embrittlement
http://www.surtronics.com/hydbaking.htm
Hydrogen embrittlement crack at 100X resolution:
Some more reading:
http://www.mechanicalplating.com/hydrogen.htm
http://www.materialsengineer.com/CA-hydrogen.htm
http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?hydrogen+embrittlement
http://www.surtronics.com/hydbaking.htm
Hydrogen embrittlement crack at 100X resolution:
Last edited by Hawkrod on August 13, 2007, 12:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Casey 65 wrote:my fan wasn't chromed but it did break and made lots of work for me. radiator. a hose. as well as my reaction to the noise it made as I was going down the road...
Yup, that is part of the issue, fans are already part of teh risk by the nature of the part. The fan on grandmas car is just as likely to go as a race car Until it happens you never have any warning. Hawkrod
Ok, since this has gotten off topic, I will tell you what I know about this issue. Since I am not an expert, I contacted two sources for info. and both have stated the same thing. One is the plater that did the work, and the other is a supplier I have worked with for Boeing that does industrial finishes.
Decorative chrome plating does not impart a significant amount of hydrogen to be much of a concern. They both got in to technical reasoning and both said that because of the process of chrome finishing, the copper/nickel bases do not allow hydrogen to penetrate those layers. Hard chrome processes, this is an issue, and they bake the parts to eliminate that concern. This part was not hard chromed. Thank you for your concern though.
Decorative chrome plating does not impart a significant amount of hydrogen to be much of a concern. They both got in to technical reasoning and both said that because of the process of chrome finishing, the copper/nickel bases do not allow hydrogen to penetrate those layers. Hard chrome processes, this is an issue, and they bake the parts to eliminate that concern. This part was not hard chromed. Thank you for your concern though.
My Slick is rustier than your Slick!
Thanks for the update. I had not heard that about the other metals and I will research it more because it is not the chrome plating that is the issue, it is electro plating using any material as far as I know. It is the process not the material according to SAE and FAA documents. Copper and nickel plating are as dangerous as chrome as far as I knew. Hawkrod
Yes, Hawkrod, they did say the process is what is of concern on hard chroming. Then they went in to decorative chrome processes and went on to say (like an afterthought) that the nickel and copper act as a barrier for most hydrogen (not a significant enough of an amount of hydrogen to be of a concern). The chrome guy said he is fully aware of the issue and always tells people about this if he feels it's a concern and has refused work because of this. But for industrial customers, he will do it since they know about the issue and know how to deal with it.
My Slick is rustier than your Slick!
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Garbz