40 coupe rad wind deflector

K

kurt v

Well-known member
I've seen a ss deflector for sale that mounts on rad and grill support to push the air through the rad rather than letting it go over the top of rad. I know that if ford needed it would have been on cars when built but that doesn't mean it won't work. What do you think ?
 
I installed one on my 40 last spring. For me it helped keep the engine cooler when sitting in traffic or at a red light. But it had the opposite effect when at highway speeds. YMMV
 
kurt v said:
I've seen a ss deflector for sale that mounts on rad and grill support to push the air through the rad rather than letting it go over the top of rad. I know that if ford needed it would have been on cars when built but that doesn't mean it won't work. What do you think ?
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Ford actually had wind tunnels even back in 1940. I had seen a filmstrip of how smoke moved around the engine compartment with all pieces in place. It was an engineered design.
So, nope, you don't need that pan you had mentioned. What you do need are the engine "splash pans". They are all too often absent.
They are part of the cooling system.
 
Kube makes a great point. I am looking for another set of OEM 1940 splash pans that I can modify to fit my 8BA with FENTON headers.
 
If the flathead has a clean block and a good radiator, the cover isn't needed. My latest 40 came with a 327 and it doesn't need one either.
 
I have found it interesting how the design of an engine has so much effect on how well the engine cools. The early Olds V8s were known for running cool. I have a friend with a 303 Olds in a 33 Ford using the thin 4 cylinder Ford radiator. The flathead Cadillac engines had the exhaust manifolds on the top of the heads. I wonder if that helped the cooling.
 
34fordy said:
I have found it interesting how the design of an engine has so much effect on how well the engine cools. The early Olds V8s were known for running cool. I have a friend with a 303 Olds in a 33 Ford using the thin 4 cylinder Ford radiator. The flathead Cadillac engines had the exhaust manifolds on the top of the heads. I wonder if that helped the cooling.
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Fordy, There have been flatheads modified to reverse intake and exhaust for just that reason, preventing exhaust from going through the block to exit, going straight up and out. Unfortunately, those modifications failed due to other issues.
 
ssffnomad said:
So, would the lower pans on a 39’ & 40’ passenger car be the same ?
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Both years are interchangeable.

For concourse purposes, they are respective of the year (slight differences).
 

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fortyfords said:
My avatar sedan has a flathead. my coupe has a 327 so to me if both work good without a deflector, how's that apples and oranges.
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The one with the SBC has nothing to do with a flathead. That's comparing apples to oranges.
However, did I misunderstand? Did you mean neither car has that deflector on top?
I am getting old and goofy(goofier) so it's possible I didn't understand.
 
As for the question about the flathead Cadillac with the exaust manifolds on top of the engine running cooler. I own and drive one (1946 coup) and it suffers all the same issues a the ford does. The block was full of casting sand , the fuel pump is near the top of the engine, and with all of that heat from the exaust right there vapor locking in slow trafic was a big problem. Then came all the same fixes, clean out the block, backup electric fuelpump and dual exaust to help get the hot exaust out befor dissapating more heat in the engine . Tim
 
I have a top deflector I was given, plain steel not stainless. Free for the ride if you want to try it out as I'm never going to use it.
 
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