Has anyone installed a fan shroud on a 56 Ford?
Is or was one available new?
Any good aftermarket ones available?
Any one that someone would recommend?
Thanks
Jim

If you are having cooling issues, particularly at idle and low rpm, try a smaller diameter water pump pulley.  That will speed up the pump and actually move some coolant through.  If you observe the flow with the stock pulley, it's not usually more than a trickle, which keeps coolant in the engine too long, absorbing heat.  Even on more or less stock engines, that has been a problem.


Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks Charlie
I'm adding AC so thought this might be a good idea
Jim

If you haven't one on now, try a 6 blade fan.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I agree with all the above.

You might go see some of Greenbird56's post. Along with the Hayden fan clutch, the big fan, and the restricter he suggests, a good shroud really helps. The A/C unit will probably have an electric fan for the condenser. This cuts down flow to the radiator. I'm running a really tight shroud and electric fan for cooling, and the little fan on the condenser. Doing it again, I'd run the Hayden unit, a good fan, and the shroud. I bought a Classic Auto Air unit, and I think the Vintage air does a better job on the condenser and its fan. As it is, with the A/C on, stopped, the fan runs a 90-120 second cycle on a 90* day. But my big difference was the proper full radiator shroud. It doesn't care what kind of fan moves the air.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Miker
Where did you get the shroud? Who makes it?
Thanks
Jim

Jim,

I'm running a BeCool aluminum radiator, with a custom built shroud. They offer a shroud, but I had some clearance problems, but theirs would have probably worked. With any radiator, the shroud needs to cover the whole area, and the fan should be 1/2 to 2/3rd's in side. Opinions vary. Seal the shroud to the radiator, you need to move air through all of it. The A/C coil is putting hotter air into the radiator, so any cooling problems get worse. Especially in higher ambient temps, when you use the A/C.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

The splash pans acted as a fan shroud on the 54/56 Ford cars, most people take them off thinking they are only to stop water from splashing up on to the engine. The cars hood acted as the other haft of the shroud this set up not only worked to direct more air thru the radiator but caused the clean air to flow over the exhaust manifolds keeping the engine compartment somewhat cooler.    

Thanks Mike

They are made in Texas and are plastic and split horizonal. I purchased one when I was having over heat problems. A smaller water pump pulley from a 302 eliminated my problems (thanks greenbird56). Like I usually do (over engineer) I spent some time sanding/fill priming to make it look like steel before test fitting. Well my power steering pulley was not the flat style, which these need or no PS, and the lower half of the shroud hit it, a good thing I didn't finish filling, priming, and sanding it. So I didn't use it. E-mail me at gmc6power and I'll send you photos if you want to see it and if you want will come up with a price and it be very fair I can guarantee that as I keep way too much.


56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.