Go to Amazon or Harbor Freight and buy a cheap infrared thermometer, and find out what temp you’re really running. Best cheap tool you can buy for checking temperature. At the temp sender, the thermostat, the radiator top and bottom.

If you need more cooling and it will fit, here’s a link to an old post where Greenbird talks about the clutch fan. When I did the radiator/ fan set up I didn’t have room because of how the supercharger drive set up. But given my choice, I’d use a good thermal clutch and a big fan/shroud combo first.

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic131114.aspx

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

55 birds used a chromed 3 blade fan when the car was ordered with the engine dress up option.  Because of embrittlement due to the chroming process, the fans came apart. The fix was a reinforcement plate.

 



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

Usually a fan blade is designed with a leading edge and a trailing edge for many aerodynamic reasons. Check the fan in your house or an aircraft propeller. Some fans that were used on a fluid clutch had the letters "RAD" of one side, for instance.


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

Some of the fans have a radius on the leading edge (toward radiator) in order to clear the fan shrouding. Thunderbirds in particular. In that case, the direction of installation is important.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

"If You change Fan make sure its facing correct Direction to pull Air through the Rad.": It doesn't matter; it's the same "twist" either way; a "pulling" fan will always "pull" whether "reversed" or not, providing it's spun the same way.

Regards, JLB

55 Ford Crown Victoria Steel Top

The Diameter of Fan is 17"-18". I think the Original is 18".  I found a 17" on Kijiji. Ford Water Pump Bolt Pattern is pretty much Standard for most Cars from about 55-late 60's when a lot of Fords had Clutch Fans.You can check some of the usual Suppliers of Parts for our Cars. Used Fan just sand it and Re-spray using Gloss Rustoleum. If You change Fan make sure its facing correct Direction to pull Air through the Rad. Before You hook up belt etc give it a Spin by Hand to make sure it clears everything OK.

  

Can't remember the years it was when Ford used flex fans on some of their cars and recalled them. The blades would fly off .  Saw one fly up and hit the ceiling and another slice through the hood. Very dangerous,

I agree with what others have said, especially regarding the flex fan. I have had a terrible experience with one of those that I won't go into here. If you fan belt is very
 tight, you may want to loosen the generator/alternator to relieve the tension and this should allow the bolts to come out without binding on the pulley.

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

So as always great information, from great group of very helpful people. Thanks
Where might be a source to find fans?

I second the flex fan thing - don't use it.


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