Barrel shroud

[WhippinSaw]

I am trying to move my radiator fan forward 15/16 inch to center it in the barrel shroud.
I was going to move the barrel shroud forward 1/2 inch to split difference
but that causes gap by radiator.( I might hide electric fan in there.)
Can i use a different fan or water pump to make it work?
The piece on top of the radiator is all that is left from the original shroud, cant find any repro shrouds for the 63, so trying to make the barrel shroud I found in the parts forum here work a little. Right now I don't think its working that good.
TIA

Got the truck running after 20+ years with much help from this forum and have been enjoying it the last 5 years, Once you get it on the road You just want to drive it, time for me to put some luv back into the truck.
This forum is a good place to start.

[Brad54]

On my '61 Suburban, I went with the largest 7-blade clutch-style fan I could find at YearOne (ended up being big block A/C Mopar). The clutch will let it free-wheel at highway speeds and helps with MPG.
More blades will keep it cooler. I didn't have a shroud on mine, and it kept the radiator cool in Atlanta summers. The large diameter was close to the perimeter of the shroud I had, but never got around to installing.
Measure your shroud's opening, and find a 7-blade fan that's close to that size.
You can get a different length spacer between the crank pulley and the fan, too. That'll be he easiest way to do it with the parts you currently have.

[Steeveedee]

How much difference is there between the diameter of the fan and the diameter of the shroud? There is usually about a 1" difference that is divided up across the shroud, so 1/2" of clearance all around. If you don't have AC, that 4 blade fan would be OK, but as has been mentioned, if you use a clutch fan, you'll get a mileage bump (and a bump in performance, too, since the fan will freewheel to some extent when you accelerate). The clutch fan might also bring the fan into the shroud enough for better coupling. Nice looking truck, BTW. I wouldn't mind a bit finding one like that for myself!

[WhippinSaw]

I asked around about a clutch fan and one of my friends gave me a flex fan he wasnt using.
The spacer is 7/8th longer and gets the depth right.
The flex fan is also 1" inch wider than the old steel blades and gives me 3/4 inch side clearance. I want to put a fllex fan in before i move to florida, but i am going to use this set up to get it close to help get the right part,
I also have to move the shroud up 1 inch to center it.
Thanks for helping
Ill post a pic when i get it done.

[geezer#99]

To be effective you need the fan half in/half out of the shroud edge.
Don’t use that free fan. They’re known as widow makers. The blades break off.
And they don’t help your cooling either.

[paulspickupparts]

It would help if you can get the barrel of the shroud as close to the radiator as you can . If you have too much of a gap it will not pull the air thru the radiator. Close but not rubbing the core. That would be my first move. It looks like you might have room to trim the 1/2 inch off the front of the barrel to eliminate the spacers you have and eliminate the gap.

Then get a longer spacer between the fan and water pump . GM made tons of different lengths so you should be able to find one the right length.

As geezer99 said the fan should be 1/2 in 1/2 out.

The piece on the top is original V-8 side bracket . Originally would have another one symetrical to the one shown and then a different top bracket. That would then attach to the big shroud that is available for the V8 trucks in repo. The brackets show up on ebay from time to time. I occaisionaly get them but nothing right now.

Even though not original you have a pretty nice setup and with a few tweeks could be made to work pretty well.

Here is a pic of a stock setup http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=513207

[bigmoe]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

To be effective you need the fan half in/half out of the shroud edge.
Don’t use that free fan. They’re known as widow makers. The blades break off.
And they don’t help your cooling either.

Plus they are noisy.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by bigmoe

Plus they are noisy.

I'm sure we all have a story. My youngest brother knew a guy with one of those bologna slicer fans that came apart when he was tuning it and revving it up. One of the blades broke off and sliced into his head and killed him. I have personally seen a blade go right through the hood of a car at the drag strip.

[WhippinSaw]

Would this inner fender gasket work to fill the gap ?
It does touch in some area's but could be trimmed and stapled in place.
Dont think i would be able to get rid of the gap any better, but am concerned about
the foam degrading and wrapping around my fan and catching on fire.
Any other heavier duty gaskets like that out there?

I also need to move the shroud up 1 inch and was going to use a piece of aluminum
And drill holes in shroud and bar stock only.


If i trimmed the shroud like paul suggested (thanks paul)and removed the spacers i would still have a 3/ 8 gap between shroud and radiator, would that be to much gap and could there be something else out there to fill it.

The small gap where i cut gasket to fit, has only a 1/4 gap, so i could only use gasket on top
of shroud and leave gap there. Or reduce spacer size to reduce gap in thar area too less than a 1/4,

My radiator hose is in the middle of the raditor, unlike the 63-66 raditors parts i see in magazines, After returning a raditor to classic parts i was told i have a pre april 63 and have a 62 radiator,, , Maybe by looking at serial numbers from the 63 serial # thread i could tell if the pre april thing was true. Or i just have a bag of parts truck.


Thanks everybody for all the suggestions, i gonna get it now,,,,

[Captainfab]

What you have is a '60-'62 radiator and shroud.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by WhippinSaw

Would this inner fender gasket work to fill the gap ?
It does touch in some area's but could be trimmed and stapled in place.
Dont think i would be able to get rid of the gap any better, but am concerned about
the foam degrading and wrapping around my fan and catching on fire.
Any other heavier duty gaskets like that out there?

I also need to move the shroud up 1 inch and was going to use a piece of aluminum
And drill holes in shroud and bar stock only.


If i trimmed the shroud like paul suggested (thanks paul)and removed the spacers i would still have a 3/ 8 gap between shroud and radiator, would that be to much gap and could there be something else out there to fill it.

The small gap where i cut gasket to fit, has only a 1/4 gap, so i could only use gasket on top
of shroud and leave gap there. Or reduce spacer size to reduce gap in thar area too less than a 1/4,

My radiator hose is in the middle of the raditor, unlike the 63-66 raditors parts i see in magazines, After returning a raditor to classic parts i was told i have a pre april 63 and have a 62 radiator,, , Maybe by looking at serial numbers from the 63 serial # thread i could tell if the pre april thing was true. Or i just have a bag of parts truck.


Thanks everybody for all the suggestions, i gonna get it now,,,,

If you look at cars in that era, you will see that the gap between the shroud and the radiator is more than 1/4", so I wouldn't worry too much, personally. If you don't have or don't plan on having AC, and have a SBC, you are pretty much assured that you won't have a heating problem.

[WhippinSaw]

Added an adapter and trimmed the shroud as paul suggested. The shroud is 27 1/2 and the radiator is 25 1/2 inches.
Shroud in good position but at an angle with motor.
I do have a junk yard dog, so anything is possibe,
I went from a powerglide to a turbo 350, could that be it or is there another solution.
Thanks again for all everybodies input.

[AcampoDave]

In the past, I have taken a length of rubber hose, like fuel line, power steering line etc, and sliced it open lengthwise and inserted it over the sharp edges of a fan shroud. It filled the gap and provided a bit of cushion for the delicate metal on the radiator. Another option is the cheap plastic door edge moulding from the auto parts store, provided the shiny chrome plastic doesn't bother you.

[WhippinSaw]

The shroud is to close right now, thanks Dave, like the hose idea, also i will shim it to 1/4 inch.
What i am worried about now is the fan is at an angle to the shroud.
Fan is inside or close at bottom of shroud but 1 inch gap at top.
Wonder if just my truck has that angle, since its a bag of parts.

[geezer#99]

Maybe you have your carb not level.

[DPowers]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

What you have is a '60-'62 radiator and shroud.

I believe you are correct Captain. The 63 with VB should look like this.

[paulspickupparts]

Originally Posted by WhippinSaw

The shroud is to close right now, thanks Dave, like the hose idea, also i will shim it to 1/4 inch.
What i am worried about now is the fan is at an angle to the shroud.
Fan is inside or close at bottom of shroud but 1 inch gap at top.
Wonder if just my truck has that angle, since its a bag of parts.

You have a very weird fan angle compared to your shroud. If you notice the bottom is farther forward than the top. The front motor mounts appear stock but am very curious what you are using for your rear trans mount. It appears low creating an odd angle for your engine and then of course your fan . As someone else mentioned does your carb set level?

As far as your shroud I believe it started its life as a car shroud. Good luck

[Steeveedee]

In order to tip the fan up one inch, I'd bet that the trans mount (if it is at the tail shaft housing) would have to be moved up about 4"-6". If it had bell housing mounts, maybe 2". Something is amiss in there- or it could just be the viewing angle. Checking to see if the carburetor base is level when the truck is on level ground is a good call, assuming that strange things haven't been done to the suspension. Pics of all engine and trans mounts would be helpful. It being 50+ years old doesn't help. Who knows what was done to it? Post enough pics, and someone will say, "Aha!", and you'll have your answer. Where is the fan inside the shroud, top to bottom? Is it high in the shroud? I can't really tell. It makes me think that the 6 cyl mounts are being used, which can make a V-8 high up, IIRC.

[Captainfab]

The '63-'66 trucks use the exact same engine mounts for the 230/250 I6 and all small blocks. They are not the same as the '67-'72 trucks where different engine mount brackets are used for the 230/250 I6, a different bracket for the small blocks and yet again a different bracket for the big blocks.

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

In order to tip the fan up one inch, I'd bet that the trans mount (if it is at the tail shaft housing) would have to be moved up about 4"-6". If it had bell housing mounts, maybe 2". Something is amiss in there- or it could just be the viewing angle. Checking to see if the carburetor base is level when the truck is on level ground is a good call, assuming that strange things haven't been done to the suspension. Pics of all engine and trans mounts would be helpful. It being 50+ years old doesn't help. Who knows what was done to it? Post enough pics, and someone will say, "Aha!", and you'll have your answer. Where is the fan inside the shroud, top to bottom? Is it high in the shroud? I can't really tell. It makes me think that the 6 cyl mounts are being used, which can make a V-8 high up, IIRC.

[WhippinSaw]

Originally Posted by DPowers

I believe you are correct Captain. The 63 with VB should look like this.

That shroud looks smaller at bottom and wider at top.
Looks like the fan is at the same angle to radiator as mine

The shroud in your picture Looks like the shroud i originally got with my truck
The fiber part of the original shroud broke away but you can see original metal side bracket in first picture in thread

Thanks guys, i will investigate mounts and see how carb is sitting.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

The '63-'66 trucks use the exact same engine mounts for the 230/250 I6 and all small blocks. They are not the same as the '67-'72 trucks where different engine mount brackets are used for the 230/250 I6, a different bracket for the small blocks and yet again a different bracket for the big blocks.

Thanks! Looks like I did NOT recall correctly! In my teens, I worked for a mobile mechanic. We serviced a fleet of trucks from the mid-'50s all the way up to new, in the late '60s. All Chevrolets. Even though I worked on a fleet of them, I also don't recall seeing anything but orange engines. But then, 50 years later, there's a lot of stuff I don't recall!