Flex fan?

[flatheadfan]

Anyone have any experience with a flex fan on a flathead. Specifically, installation on a generator, noise and cooling improvement?

Thanks

Tom

[51 MERC-CT]

Of course you will have to determine what size and necessary modifications that will have to be done to fit one.
Although not for your application this is a 7 blade fan off a 78 Granada that I fitted to mine and it definitely pumps a lot of air compared to the stock fan.
In some cases a better solution to any heating problems would be a fan shroud.

[Andy]

What car are you working on? A metal flex fan did not work on my 32. The weight and extension made it whip around. I replaced it with a cheap fiberglass fan. The glass fan weighs almost nothing. It is quiet and moves a lot of air. I have no cooling problems

[flatheadfan]

Andy-

I am looking for something for my '36. I am curious about the fiberglass fan you are using. Details?

Thanks

Tom

[flatford8]

My '50 fordor has a flex fan and it sucks like a sailors sister on Saturday night. I think "Texas Twister" makes a plastic flex fan. I've always heard that if a dollar bill will stay against the radiator at idle, you're moving enough air. Mine will hold a folded bed sheet against the radiator at idle.......Mark

[4t8v8]

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Have flex fan on my 8BA. I used the truck fan hub and had a local machine shop make a 3\4" aluminum spacer so it would miss the water pumps. Had them put a 3/4" hole in the center of the spacer. It will center perfectly with the front cover dimple on the fan hub. Drilled the spacer and fan to fit the hub. It has worked great and no noise. The old original fan sounded like a C47 trying to take off. The flex fan cools just as good as the original.
I used a Flex-A-Lite nylon fan. Got it from Summit Racing. #FLX-417. 25 years and counting.

[CarlG]

https://www.flex-a-lite.com/

[Lawson Cox]

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT

Of course you will have to determine what size and necessary modifications that will have to be done to fit one.
Although not for your application this is a 7 blade fan off a 78 Granada that I fitted to mine and it definitely pumps a lot of air compared to the stock fan.
In some cases a better solution to any heating problems would be a fan shroud.

Man, I'll bet that mother puts out the noise.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Lawson Cox

Man, I'll bet that mother puts out the noise.

Sorry, you lost the bet, it's as quiet as or quieter than the original.

[Drbrown]

My '47 has a six blade fiberglass fan (source unknown). It moves plenty of air but is a bit noisy above idle and when accelerating through the gears. However, on the highway the fan noise is drowned-out by normal road noise. Thinking about installing a thermoclutch on it.

[flatheadfan]

Thanks guys for the help. My thinking now is to get a 1.5" spacer from a junk Ford fan and mount a 14" fan on it. Summit has a six blade nylon fan at a nominal cost that may be just the ticket. Again, thanks for the suggestion.

Tom.

[koates]

You say the fan will be mounted on the generator pulley as on an original 1935 engine. If this new fan has more thrust or load than the original ford fan has then the front generator bearing has to handle this load. Is it a double tapered roller bearing or a ball race ? Just something to think about. Regards, Kevin.

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by koates

You say the fan will be mounted on the generator pulley as on an original 1935 engine. If this new fan has more thrust or load than the original ford fan has then the front generator bearing has to handle this load. Is it a double tapered roller bearing or a ball race ? Just something to think about. Regards, Kevin.

It would be truly amazing if this old Ford generator had either tapered or roller bearings.
Have never seen any that had anything but sintered bronze bearings.
Any percieved increase of thrust would be at idle speed and decrease at higher RPM's as the flex-fan was designed to do
.

[48 coupe]

sister on sat. night. Now that there is funny I don't care who u are.

[koates]

34PKUP, I am not sure what generator you are talking about, but all original flathead ford V8 generators from 1932 to 1936 have a pair of tapered roller bearings fitted into the front generator end bracket (closest to radiator). After that a single large bearing was fitted. The generator rear end or commutator end bracket only was fitted with sintered bronze bushings. I have been rebuilding these for over 50 years and that is truly amazing as well don't you think? If you don't believe me then get out your ford workshop manuals or a MACS catalog and check it out. Regards, Kevin.

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by koates

34PKUP, I am not sure what generator you are talking about, but all original flathead ford V8 generators from 1932 to 1936 have a pair of tapered roller bearings fitted into the front generator end bracket (closest to radiator). After that a single large bearing was fitted. The generator rear end or commutator end bracket only was fitted with sintered bronze bushings. I have been rebuilding these for over 50 years and that is truly amazing as well don't you think? If you don't believe me then get out your ford workshop manuals or a MACS catalog and check it out. Regards, Kevin.

Thank you for correcting my faulty memory and misconceptions.
That still does not change the way the flex-fan works.

[jimTN]

If someone comes up with a completed product for32-6 gen fan mts, please post pics and specs. Adding a lighter fan with a couple of extra blades is not going to overload the gen IMH. Have often wondered about cutting the rivits and bolting a fan to the original hub that bolts to the gen if I could find a fan that fits.

[Adam/Mill Valley CA]

I've had a Flex-a-lite fan on my '36 pickup for years now, generator mounted on a stock 221 cu in motor-used the hub from an original beat up 4 blade fan, + a spacer to bring it closer to the radiator. Works great, truck never overheats even stuck in traffic in 90 degree weather(a pair of Skip Haney's water pumps help also). Not any noisier than the original fan, just a somewhat different sound.Trucks are pretty noisy anyway!

Adam

[flatheadfan]

Kevin-

I understand your thinking but I am not so sure the thrust and/or load change (if any) would be a problem with a replacement fan. As I recall, the Ford standard generator with a bolt-on fan was a four blade critter. A six blade fan (extra cooling), was optional and didn't require a modified or replacement generator to handle the greater thrust/load change created by the heavier fan. Still, you have a point that might enter into the situation and is worth considering.

Thanks

Tom

[G.M.]

What surprises me is that Carpenter or Drake haven't gone to a fan manufacture like Torin and have a fan they make modified for the generator mounted fans. I proved over 10 years ago how good these old Fords can be cooled. I installed Skips pumps, modified fan shroud, and a modified 6 blade industrial fan (make unknown) on my 39 P/U. This is repetitive but it ran for hours at a fast idle at an EFV8 show in Maryland in 2004 in the flea market on a day which was over 100 degrees. It never got over 180 degrees and came down in temperature a little if I increased the RPM's. A shroud is hard to install on passenger cars but increased coolant flow and air through the radiator will greatly improve cooling. An aluminum fan would be great. I also have a 35 roadster and one of the others with the same fan which work well. Due to the weight of the steel fan I constantly check to make sure it is secure. The 39 P/U has 20,000 or more mile and looks good. G.M.