Flathead original engine fan + electric fan ?

frenchy dehoux

frenchy dehoux

Well-known member
I am in the process of rebuilding my 1953 Ford Flathead engine and I would like to see pictures of anyone with a Flathead using the original fan which is mounted below the generator and an electric fan added as well I would like to see how it looks and is there a benefit to have the electric added or would you delete the original fan let me get some of your feedback and pictures on this subject.

Thanks
Frenchy
 
Frenchy, I drove our '53 convertible for 25+ years in New York & Florida with only the stock fan and never had an overheating problem. Our '53 F-100 Panel Truck is also a stock 8RT with only the stock fan and I've not encountered an overheating problem with it as yet either:). Also, both the car and truck are running Red's Headers and are still 6 volt positive ground...:eek::D:cool: Vic
 
if you run both, they can't be directly pointing at eachother, one has to be above and the other below,since the flow from the engine returns to the top,of the radiator the upper Fan is the most efficient
 
You would probably need an alternator to power an electric fan rather than the stock generator.

I'm with Vic - have run from Pike's Peak to Death Valley and long hot slow parades on stock fan without overheating. Mr. Ford didn't make no junk. Perfected the flathead over a period of 20 years to cool itself adequately as originally built and designed with nothing added. I have found everything about his original design adequate except the location of the fuel pump that chronically overheats and vapor locks. An electric backup fuel pump back by the gas tank for those occasions is the only add on I've ever found necessary. :cool:

If you're dead set on an extra electric fan, I've only known them mounted in front of the radiator out of sight, leaving the stock one behind the radiator to maintain the stock appearance.
 
bottomfeeder pete said:
Can you get away with No fan in a mild climate with light traffic? anybody doing this?
Click to expand...

The 34 pickup that you see here hasn't had a fan for a couple of years. It's got a 51 merc engine in it and when I put it together I used an electric fan on a manual switch. I never have driven it in extreme heat but I do use it for daily errands. I never use the fan. Two years ago I turned it on and it didn't work and that was that. I'm sure that if I lived in the city and had to sit still in traffic I would need it but haven't yet.
I think the secret to flathead heat is first to have the block super clean. Then have the timing set correctly.
I don't think that you would ever need two fans. I drove a stock 49 Ford across country once pulling a loaded utility trailer and had no problems.
 
I bought a 39 P/U down here in Florida a number of years ago. The guy said it didn't need a fan and never got hot but wouldn't run right. Problem was a cracked block which I found before purchasing. Sure if you don't drive in traffic on hot days you could get by with the air comming through the radiator as long as your going over 20 MPH. But there is not one Ford in the world with a stock cooling system that's going to run in traffic on a warm day very far without getting hot without a fan. G.M.
 
Last edited:
Most of the over heating problems are caused by aluminum radiators and electric fans. The stock system is the best. You need a good copper radiator that is clean. The "R" value of copper is about half of the "R" value of aluminum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top