Build a Custom Radiator Fan Shroud For Your Hot Rod Model A Ford! Keep it Running Cool.

Here in Bad Hombre Garage Episode 91, I built a custom fan shroud to fit the 350 CI small block Chevy and my 1929 Ford Model A Sedan. I used some 26 gauge sheet metal, my wire feed welder, and some simple tools to put together this shroud that should keep the engine running cool all summer long.
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[@ShannonHernandez]

Great video, cousin.

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks!!

[@IronHorseGarage]

Very cool!! Pun intended...

[@BadHombreGarage]

Good one!

[@brenden0820]

I have a 74 nova love my 3rd gen. I’m making a shroud now glad to hear it’ll cool it

[@BadHombreGarage]

Sweet!

[@ScottRods]

That looks great Joe. I know YOU can see all the imperfections, but everyone else sees a great looking shroud. Nice video too.

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks Dave, I appreciate.

[@osamaabraheem2797]

Is this radiator copper?

[@1jlv1972]

You are welcome. Old Pythagoras would be pleased, too!

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks!

[@peterstraub4162]

My 500 Caddy in a 47 rat truck, using a mechanical fan, overheated immediately! So I had to tear the front end apart, and make the shroud that I should have done in the first place. Cools like a champ now, even in long, slow parades in hot weather. Thankfully, I didn't have your low fan issue to contend with

[@BadHombreGarage]

Great! I’m hoping mine performs that well.

[@peterhodges6684]

Nice job, I'm fighting the heat on my 63 Galaxie, and I live in SC so we have plenty of hot.....

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks! Yep, I’ve found the fan shroud to be the best I’ve improvement possible.

[@peterstraub4162]

Blocked off at the bottom like that, I'd expect the fan blades to pull forward a bit as they pass through that area, but hopefully not enough to cause problems. Looks good, I hope that proves to be the answer!

[@BadHombreGarage]

I agree, I’m hoping to get out and drive today so I can see if it moves at all.

[@DesertRatFabrication]

Hey Joe, looks great by now you have probably tested it out, let me know how it worked

[@BadHombreGarage]

Works great! The car stays at 190 degrees.

[@ronsgarage4230]

Looks good and I think it will work. But if you decide to go another way, I have the exact same radiator and I got a 16 inch electric fan. Fit the radiator perfectly and is effectively its own shroud. I went that way because I don’t have the room on the car for a fan shroud. Good luck!

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks Ron, we will see. I like the simplicity of a mechanical fan, so I hope it works.

[@philsigman9088]

Looks good to me. The only cars I owned that had electric fans overheated in slow traffic.

[@BadHombreGarage]

Cool, this one seems to work pretty well. This summer will be the real test.

[@jerrypalmer1370]

Old Chevy trucks were set up that same way. The ones with small block Chevys in them anyway

[@BadHombreGarage]

Cool, I didn’t know that. Thanks!

[@georgebell6335]

Great looking fan shroud can you tell me what radiator shell you have

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thank you! It’s a 1930 or 31 year Model A shell.

[@JAWSatBCPerformance]

Hard to tell, but it looks like the shroud fits the blades pretty well. I like to see 3/4-1" space around the fan blades to the shroud and 2/3rds of the blade inside the shroud. That way the fan will pull air through and roll the air off the tips of the blades on the engine side. To far inside and the fan will beat the air around the shroud. To far outside and it wont have enough pull to vector the air across the core and past the blades. Same for the clearance around the blades to the shroud. To much and the pulling effect is minimised. To little and contact between the blades and the shroud can occur.

[@BadHombreGarage]

Very good info! It seems to fit and work well.

[@JAWSatBCPerformance]

Bad Hombre Garage it looks good. I think you did Henry proud. Can you fit a clutch fan in stead? It will cool better and have less drag and noise.

[@BadHombreGarage]

@@JAWSatBCPerformance I think I could, if I found one that is small enough in diameter. I’ll keep my eyes open for one.

[@BadHombreGarage]

@@JAWSatBCPerformance and- thanks for the kind words!

[@RGGarage]

Would have been to easy to put an electric fan in. Custom job bud 👍

[@BadHombreGarage]

Thanks! Yep, I wanted to keep it mechanical.

[@SteveP-vm1uc]

WELL????? How about an UPDATE on the cooling system SHROUD????

[@BadHombreGarage]

Great idea! I’ll put that in my video plan. For now, I’ll tell you that this seems to work very well. The car has only gotten above 220 one time, and that was in traffic sitting still on a 100+ degree day. For a little fan and little radiator, this works well.

[@noccis3448]

50 years experience you say. I think you are right, might as well just give up and sell the car lol!

[@BadHombreGarage]

Haha! I know, we don’t give up that easily.

[@noccis3448]

@@BadHombreGarage There are lots of the woulda, coulda, shoulda's out there. Looks good.