flex fan mishap pt 2 NEED HELP!

[MR MAGOO]

I went to the salvage yard yesterday and picked up me a clutch fan for 5 bucks. I was going to get a hood fo 20$ but the only 71-72 he had was straight and no dents or paint. it had deep pitted rust in it. I will to continue to search for a better hood.
when I got ready to put my new/used clutch fan on it hit my shroud and did not go all the way in my shroud. the flex fan i had was a 17" and the clutch fan was a 19"!! I do not recall the yr model of the chevy truck I got it off of. does some GM trucks have different size fans?? i need a 17" clutch fan. what year truck do i need to try to find?

[jorgensensc]

I just went through the same thing getting a clutch fan for my '56 Bel Air. It was a huge hassle trying to figure out which ones would fit, so I took a tape measure and went to a salvage yard that pulls all the parts and has them on shelves. I measured until I found one, then gave the guy 20.00 for it. You can get just the fan blades if that is all you need also. I paid for the whole assembly so now I have an extra clutch assembly. This is my only suggestion.
Shawn

[cdowns]

interesting that after what happened you'd trust a used 30+ year old assy with unknown history to hold up any better

[PICKMUP]

You could always get one off of our 67-72 trucks...then they would fit!
AC had a 7-blade and others had a 5-blade...SB, not BB.

[riche]

Off subject... But when I was in high school driving my truck when it was a grey primer beast that spent every weekend racing anything that was along side of it... I punched off with a camero from a stoplight one night. When I shifted to second I heard a loud noise with a flash of light and my motor felt like it busted every mount. When I pulled over and lifted the hood I just knew I threw a rod... I couldn't see any oil or anything messed up... But when I shut the hood I couldn't help but notice the slice that looked like someone tried to open it with a can opener... Upon further inspection the flex fan blade went clean through the hood!!! I had electric fans from that day forward!!!!

[piecesparts]

I am a big supporter of the electric fan idea. It helps tha fuel mileage.

[bobthecop]

I will be using electric fans on my '72 sbc, can the fan mounts be found anywhere except with a new fan, and for the fan t-stat are there any electric out there?? BTW I have the fans, but have lost the mounts.

[fastwillie 696969]

get mounts from jegs for the fan or you can get the cheap plastic straps that goes thur the raidiator

[bobthecop]

Thanks, do all fan t-stats have the sensor that goes in the rad hose? Or can you rig one from a temp sensor?

[crazy longhorn]

I have a pair of 14" flex a lite electrics on a homeade shroud (cut from a steel shelf). They do fit pretty much back to back, & are hooked to a set of Painless controls(sensor in the intake , like GM did for yrs). the radiator is a 4 row core (fresh), stock waterpump. The painless kit was about 60 bucks, switches on @ 185/off 170. The old truck runs a 160 stat, & pretty much runs tween 175-180 cruisin......if she sits in traffic much on a 95 degree day, I will see 190 on the temp gauge. YES , the eng does REV quicker without that pump driven fan! crazyL

[rage'nrat638]

the fans that fit our trucks sbc are 18" thats the problem with the size.

as far as not fitting into the shroud. post some pictures. not all fan clutchs are the same.

[72seeten]

If you don't decide to go electric....

I found a 7blade fan off of what looked to be an "original" 74 camaro. It fit perfectly into the shroud (w/ the camaro clutch) and was an 18". From what I've gathered all the 73 up trucks had the 19" fan that is too big.

[MR MAGOO]

I found me a 17" 6 blade clutchfan that was on a caddy heirsh. it fit just right and i was able to put my shroud back on.
thanks for all the helpfull tips guys. problem solved