Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-14-2021, 12:12 AM   #1
coxswain98
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 74
Default Electric fan over a belted fan

Any opinions about running an electric fan and omitting the belted fan? Horsepower savings? Electric fans are crap?
coxswain98 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 03:52 AM   #2
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by coxswain98 View Post
Any opinions about running an electric fan and omitting the belted fan? Horsepower savings? Electric fans are crap?

OK, I'll bite! As "someone" once famously said: "Electric fans are crap!"

Resorting to using an ELECTRIC fan because you can't figure-out how to employ a mechanical (Belt-driven) fan, is just as bad as taking your little sister to the prom......'cuz you couldn't get a real date!

So, I really speak from experience...(the FAN part, NOT the sister part). Click this link (BELOW) for a thread I posted some time back on the 'Barn describing how fellow 'Barner "Heard" and myself designed and built a mechanical fan to fit his 1936 Ford coupe with an 8BA engine, which leaves precious LITTLE room for a mechanical fan because of the radiator leaning-back on '35 & '36 Fords. DD


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278828







........
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 04-14-2021, 04:01 AM   #3
Yoyodyne
Senior Member
 
Yoyodyne's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Lancaster PA
Posts: 527
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

How noisy is that compared to a stock 36 fan? I'd like to reduce the highway speed fan noise.
Yoyodyne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 04:07 AM   #4
jrvariel48
Senior Member
 
jrvariel48's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,423
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

I'm using an electric fan because I don't really have a choice. I'm running a supercharger so there's no real way to get a fan set-up in there. My 2 cents
jrvariel48 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 06:39 AM   #5
Ol' Ron
Senior Member
 
Ol' Ron's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chester Vt
Posts: 8,840
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

I have an electric fan in the roadster.
Ol' Ron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 07:02 AM   #6
mfirth
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: ohio
Posts: 986
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Had an electric 6 volt on my 52 Vic when i got it. Scrapped it, put new Standt 180 stats in it & ran stock fan. Runs 180 most of the time, 190 0n hot days in Ohio.
mfirth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 07:05 AM   #7
Mart
Senior Member
 
Mart's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Solihull, England.
Posts: 8,732
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

I like electric fans as long as they are:
1, not overly "on show".
2, not too noisy.

I have 4 early fords and they all have electric fans. My observations are:
1, you hardly ever need to use them (in the Uk climate)
2, you don't even need one when the carb is moving along.
3, it saves the mech fan noise when moving along at higher speeds.
4, it saves engine power.

So with apologies to my learned fellow board contributors, I prefer them.

Mart.
Mart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 07:26 AM   #8
hotrodcbx
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 136
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

There was an interesting test on horsepower draw using various fan types on you tube (believe it was motor wars). Dyno tests showed the "flex" type fan, as used by Coopman showed the worst fan for horsepower loss. The least loss was from the viscous type fan which is basically a temperature driven clutch type fan. Back in the day I ran a flex fan on my SS/H Cobra Jet after removing the clutch fan. My best time was 11.56 at 112 mph. Wish I still had that car, I sold it in 1975 when you couldn't give those cars away for $1000.00. Probably could have shaved 1/10 second if I left the stock one on.
hotrodcbx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 07:28 AM   #9
Gene1949
Senior Member
 
Gene1949's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Pahrump, NV
Posts: 372
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mart View Post
I like electric fans as long as they are:
1, not overly "on show".
2, not too noisy.

I have 4 early fords and they all have electric fans. My observations are:
1, you hardly ever need to use them (in the Uk climate)
2, you don't even need one when the carb is moving along.
3, it saves the mech fan noise when moving along at higher speeds.
4, it saves engine power.

So with apologies to my learned fellow board contributors, I prefer them.

Mart.
5, maximum cooling (airflow) stoplight to stoplight
6, very difficult to find a modern car (since mid '90s) without one. Hmm, I wonder what "they" know??
Gene1949 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 07:53 AM   #10
Jack E/NJ
Senior Member
 
Jack E/NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,171
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

hotrodcbx>>>Dyno tests showed the "flex" type fan, as used by Coopman showed the worst fan for horsepower loss.>>>


Wasn't it Ralph Nader who also once famously claimed these fans were unsafe at any speed? Or was that some other part? Jack E/NJ
Jack E/NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 11:16 AM   #11
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrvariel48 View Post
I'm using an electric fan because I don't really have a choice. I'm running a supercharger so there's no real way to get a fan set-up in there. My 2 cents

That's interesting! "PeterC" has that big ol' S.Co.T. / Italmeccanica Supercharger mounted in his gorgeous '35 3-window, and has managed to squeeze-in this big ol' six bladed "Commercial" fan. DD











........
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 11:47 AM   #12
solidaxle
Senior Member
 
solidaxle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: upstate NY
Posts: 475
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Electric fans will do the job if you don't have a way to install a mechanical one. All depends if you want a nostalgia look or not. I was able to squeeze a mechanical fan in on my 32 with an blown 8ba.


Lets see pictures of what you have.
solidaxle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 11:58 AM   #13
Tim Ayers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,141
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Bobby Green of Old Crow Speed Shop took 1/2 of the metal blade guard from an old fashion house fan to make a "cover" for an electric fan. That simple addition made it look old timey. I thought it was a neat solution in helping to hide the modern looks.
Tim Ayers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 12:09 PM   #14
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Ayers View Post
Bobby Green of Old Crow Speed Shop took 1/2 of the metal blade guard from an old fashion house fan to make a "cover" for an electric fan. That simple addition made it look old timey. I thought it was a neat solution in helping to hide the modern looks.

Now that is a somewhat interesting approach. MY problem with the electrics is that they stick-out like a sore thumb, and drastically take-away from any nostalgic look of a traditional hot rod. They just look like a "crutch', or an afterthought.....to me. Now, the SOUND produced by electrics.....that's a whole 'nuther issue! DD
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 12:20 PM   #15
AnthonyG
Senior Member
 
AnthonyG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Pa.
Posts: 2,161
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

I use both, electric on a thermo switch set & 200. Only comes on at stop lites & stop & go traffic. I went with a push type Spal behind the grill in front of radiator, you can’t even see it. I have manual shutoff so it doesn’t run with ignition off. I like it😁!
__________________
Nomad
AnthonyG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 01:34 PM   #16
Ggmac
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Lake worth Florida
Posts: 1,073
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Electric and mechanical. Good thing about electric , blades hardly ever come off , at least thats what I hear . I guess anything is possible but if a electric fan blade comes off , I doubt itll leave a dent in your hood .
Ggmac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 01:35 PM   #17
Ol' Ron
Senior Member
 
Ol' Ron's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Chester Vt
Posts: 8,840
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

serpentine belt drive for ad and PS
Ol' Ron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2021, 03:58 PM   #18
jrvariel48
Senior Member
 
jrvariel48's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,423
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN View Post
That's interesting! "PeterC" has that big ol' S.Co.T. / Italmeccanica Supercharger mounted in his gorgeous '35 3-window, and has managed to squeeze-in this big ol' six bladed "Commercial" fan. DD











........
My belt tensioner for the blower sits right where the fan would go. No can do!

Last edited by jrvariel48; 04-15-2021 at 03:04 PM. Reason: spelling
jrvariel48 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2021, 08:28 AM   #19
Kube
Senior Member
 
Kube's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 8,935
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ View Post
hotrodcbx>>>Dyno tests showed the "flex" type fan, as used by Coopman showed the worst fan for horsepower loss.>>>


Wasn't it Ralph Nader who also once famously claimed these fans were unsafe at any speed? Or was that some other part? Jack E/NJ
I find it funny that folks still, to this day, pick on Nader. Corviar's were built with a KNOWN safety issue that killed many folks. Why? Because the fix back then was about $6 per car.
Ralph had the testicular fortitude to bring that information to the public.
__________________
"I can explain it for you. However, I can't understand it for you".
Kube is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2021, 09:37 AM   #20
4t8v8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 523
Default Re: Electric fan over a belted fan

Yeah. Ralph is my hero. Wish we had more like him. No. Wait. We do! I drove a Corvair and a Pinto for years and somehow managed to survive.
4t8v8 is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:49 AM.