Can I use electric fans for cooling my Hawk?

[3x2stude]

I am gathering the last items I need to front flip the hood on my Hawk. Now I hope the purists don't take offence but I want to loose the huge fan shroud and use electric fans for cooling. Any advice from others would be appreciated. Specifically who makes a quality product, what will fit the best and should they be powered up with relays?

Jon Kammer

[Carl Purdy]

If you get one don't mount it to the radiator mount it to the radiator support you might have to make brackets and get a puller.

7G-Q1 49 2R12 10G-F5 56B-D4 56B-F2

http://ozarktrails.tripod.com/

Studebaker Diners Club

[41 Frank]

Yes you can run electric fans on your Hawk and some type of shroud should be used. It is generally advised to run a 100amp alternator for one and higher amps yet for 2 fans depending on size. Yes you should run these through a relay.I had a 65 amp alternator I used with a 16" fan and the voltage got down below 13 at times when running other accessories such as lights. This low a voltage will reduce the rpm of the fan and therefore reduce cooling. Not good when electric fans is all you want to use.Been there done that.

Frank van Doorn
Omaha, Ne.
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[oldguy]

personally I think spal makes the best product. They come in a shroud, (with bypass flaps). They have some monsters with deep motors, but that doesn't sound like a problem for you.
A note on the alternator. You not only need about 100 amps, you need one with high output at low speeds. I could probably find the number if you need it. IIRC, mid 90's camaro, 97 amps, 3 wire, 58 amps at idle. Pretty simple to "clock" them to fit your application. fairly cheap. My twin spals pull 36 amps. Idling in traffic I have no shortage of power.

San antonio TX. 53 Champion Coupe, to be brought back from the dead.
"Of course it will fit, I have a torch"

[stude53]

Jon, if you are into low buck fabrication, you can do what I did on my 53.

I bought a 16" puller electric fan with curved blades for under $50, then made a neat shroud from a Fat Daddios 16x24x2 sheet cake pan for $33.57 (14-gauge non-reactive anodized aluminum, Completely seamless, with Straight sides - with a 1/2 inch flange on all 4 sides. I scribed a 15 3/4" circle, cut out the hole and mounted the fan. The shroud is an exact fit side-to-side for mounting, and looks good.

Just another option.



[img=left]http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j259/stude53/studesmall2.jpg[/img=left]Bob Feaganes (stude53)
53 Starliner Hardtop
Newton Grove, NC

[Kurt]

I am running a 16 inch pusher on the 66. I also have an aluminum crossflow radiator. I am running a high output 3 wire delco alternator. I am going to switch to a puller, as I recently eliminated the engine fan. So far, it is cooling fine with the pusher, though.

66 Commander R1 Clone
51 Commander 4dr

[Chucks Stude]

Any pics? This is interesting. With A/C, would one need a pusher and a puller, due to the distance between the condenser, and radiator on a Hawk?

[Pat Dilling]

I have a puller for normal duty and a pusher in front of the condenser that comes on when the AC head pressure reaches a certain point. This is done with a trinary safety switch in the high pressure AC line. Pullers generally work better than pushers and are best mounted to either a shroud or separate frame work and not through the radiator core with the plastic ties. If you are doing this on the cheap, look around the local pick& pull lot for a suitable brand x fan and shroud. The Ford Taurus fans are popular for this and can probably be had for a few bucks. There are a number of different fan thermostats available to control when your fan comes on, some are adjustable, simpler ones have set points when they go on and off. The sensors either screw into and intake manifold or head water passage or have a probe that goes into the upper radiator hose here it connects to the radiator. You can also just do it yourself with a switch, but that runs the risk of not noticing when the temp is up and you need the fan on.

PAt

Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool
'54 Conestoga Future Project

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[Lothar]

Studie53
I would really like to see pics of your cakepan shroud and fan setup.


1950 Champion
W-3 4 Dr. Sedan
Holdrege NE

[Bullet]

Would a 6 blade fan on a fan clutch do just as well, or is it better to go to the electric fan?

[Pat Dilling]

I think in this case he stated that he wanted to get rid of the large shroud, so a fan in the original position would not work for him. For a long time the factory engineers used the traditional water pump mounted fans, and sometimes shrouds, as an efficient and low cost solution. With the advent of low hoods and transverse mounted engines electric fans have become the norm in automobiles. Most trucks still use the traditional fan. I think a lot of advances have been made with the electric fan cooling, not the least of which is advances in alternators and batteries to support the electrical need, plus quieter and more efficient electric motors. But to answer your question, in most cases the bigger fan and clutch would meet most cooling needs, if it will fit.

Pat

Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool
'54 Conestoga Future Project

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[Bullet]

Thanks Pat.

Mark

[stude53]

Lothar, I just read your post. I'll try to get pictures of my fan and shroud and post them here.

As I said earlier,
I bought a 16" puller electric fan with curved blades for $39, then made a neat shroud from a Fat Daddios 16x24x2 sheet cake pan for $33.57 (14-gauge non-reactive anodized aluminum, Completely seamless, with Straight sides - with a 1/2 inch flange on all 4 sides. I scribed a 15 3/4" circle, cut out the hole and mounted the fan. The shroud is an exact fit side-to-side for mounting using the tabs that came with the fan, and looks good.

Just another CASO option.



[img=left]http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j259/stude53/studesmall2.jpg[/img=left]Bob Feaganes (stude53)
53 Starliner Hardtop
Newton Grove, NC

[woodysrods]

Wow. Great Job Bob! What radiator did you use?
Brian

Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[sweetolbob]

Stude53- That is a slick looking setup.

Another Idea I was going to try is to by a Lincoln car fan and shroud from Ebay. They have great cooling capacity, two speeds and a shroud that is the same size as an Avanti radiator.

It was too deep for the Avanti due to the angle of the radiator but It could be just right for a Hawk. Prices are quite low when you compare them to Spal, they are pullers and they can cool a Lincoln.

Just a thought.

Bob

,