Cooling fan options for a Bugeye

[tdskip]

Hi guys - I pulled my stock metal fan and I was wondering if are there alternative fans that move more air that will bolt right up and not foul any surfaces?

Thanks!

 

[drooartz]

I used the later plastic fan that Moss sells, and it fit just fine. I'm running a 1275 in my Bugeye with the original Bugeye radiator. No idea if it's a better fan, but it fit.

 

[tdskip]

Hi Drew - my guess is that a later plastic fan will move more air and thus be a nice (reversible) upgrade for warmer climates. Yes/no?

 

[jvandyke]

Take it off completely and run an electric? I did on my Midget, love it.

 

[tdskip]

Hi Jeff - I guess that is an option as well. Wasn't really thinking about it but now would be the time...

What fan did you use or would you guys recommend?

I'm running a generator, but no other electrical stuff except headlights. Will the generator keep up?

 

[drooartz]

Hi Drew - my guess is that a later plastic fan will move more air and thus be a nice (reversible) upgrade for warmer climates. Yes/no?

That was my thought, Tom. Cheap and reversible.

I might go with an electric fan some day, depends on how well my current system works. I'm running a generator still, and really don't want to mess with the conversion to alternator as that is more complicated on a Bugeye with the tach-drive issues.

 

[tdskip]

While I am intrigued by the electric fan conversion, I'm inclined to take the same path you did Drew.... I've got bigger issues to deal with here!

 

[Gray_Cat]

I'm on board with you guys. I'll use the plastic fan that came with the 1275 that will eventually find it's way into my BE if I ever get the metalwork repairs finished!
Roy

 

[tdskip]

Roy - how are things coming along?

 

[drooartz]

While I am intrigued by the electric fan conversion, I'm inclined to take the same path you did Drew.... I've got bigger issues to deal with here!

That's right where I am. I figure I'd move to an aluminum radiator (though I had my original one recored) before dealing with the electric fan. I'll just be happy to have the car running at all!

 

[tdskip]

So Drew - what is on the punch this to do for <span style="text-decoration: underline">this</span> weekend?

 

[drooartz]

So Drew - what is on the punch this to do for <span style="text-decoration: underline">this</span> weekend

Thawing out! It's been below 0f for most of this past week, and that makes my garage just about the freezing level. Too cold for working out there right now. I'm hoping to get back to projects after the first of the year. Got to be driving by Spring!

3 gigs though this weekend, so at least I'm earning a bit more cash for the projects to come.

 

[Gray_Cat]

Very slowly right now....I'm wrapping up the body repair in the back of the BE while I still have the trunk pan out and may be obsessing with it a little too much but I want it to look decent. I am moving a little faster now with replacing some of the rusted areas behind and over the rear wheel arches (fairly small thankfully) with panels I fabricated from hand. They actually turned out fairly well. I'm tacking them into place to make certain everything lines up and once that's done, which will hopefully be by the end of the month, I can weld in the trunk panel. I'll take care of a couple other areas while the car is upside down then VOILA! I can get it right side up! I hope to have it upright by mid January. I will paint/seal/undercoat (probably bed liner) the bottom while upside down as well. Once upright I will be able to start moving fairly quickly as there isn't much body work left at that stage. As I am painting the car myself, I'm going about that a little differently than some I see. I will paint the interior and engine bay, once completely prepped amd start assembling the car. Once completely assembled, I'll paint the exterior. My garage space is limited so think that may be a more practical approach for me. Besides, I'm not ashamed to drive it in primer! The color I settled on is 1964 Cobra Guardsman Blue with Wimbledom white racing stripes and a dark blue interior. I'm going to paint the dash blue as well just for something slightly different. I'm a little more adept at the mechanics (but by no means a pro) than body work/welding so hopefully things will go together well. I sprayed the rear axle housing, front A arms, gas tank and other pieces with Eastwood chassis black.
My goal is to give myself a birthday present in May and have the car on the road! Whether it's completely painted or not is another story...
Roy

 

[jvandyke]

Hi Jeff - I guess that is an option as well. Wasn't really thinking about it but now would be the time...

What fan did you use or would you guys recommend?

I'm running a generator, but no other electrical stuff except headlights. Will the generator keep up?

I pulled one off my old toy, it's the second one on this page
Had to shave the fan's shroud/guard just a bit to get it to fit (puller position, where engine fan would be). I'm using an adjustable temp sensor in the upper rad hose, wired through a toggle under the dash that allows me to turn it on (bypass the sensor) or disable it (with a relay too). I also put a little light there to come on when the fan does, just so I know it's on. It is set to kick in about 190 and only comes on when the car is really warmed up and sitting at a light for a while, then it goes off shortly after I start moving again. It never comes on under normal operation. Car maintains temperature fine even when trapped in traffic on a hot day. I also have original generator on my '63. It doesn't run often enough to worry about taxing the charging system. IMHO.

There was a thread here not long ago when it came up and there was a nice fan on ebay for something like $15, $25 shipped. Hard to beat that.
Not wasting engine power on a fan you don't need, less noise too.

 

[regularman]

There was a Guy at LOTO that had no fan on his sprite at all. until I figured him out. He had put a pusher fan in the bonnet grill and it could not be seen when the thing was raised.

 

[tdskip]

So Drew - what is on the punch this to do for <span style="text-decoration: underline">this</span> weekend

Thawing out! It's been below 0f for most of this past week, and that makes my garage just about the freezing level. Too cold for working out there right now. I'm hoping to get back to projects after the first of the year. Got to be driving by Spring!

3 gigs though this weekend, so at least I'm earning a bit more cash for the projects to come.

While it is raining here, I personally don't really have an excuse for not making any progress today. Just being lazy...

 

[tdskip]

Very slowly right now....I'm wrapping up the body repair in the back of the BE while I still have the trunk pan out and may be obsessing with it a little too much but I want it to look decent. I am moving a little faster now with replacing some of the rusted areas behind and over the rear wheel arches (fairly small thankfully) with panels I fabricated from hand. They actually turned out fairly well. I'm tacking them into place to make certain everything lines up and once that's done, which will hopefully be by the end of the month, I can weld in the trunk panel. I'll take care of a couple other areas while the car is upside down then VOILA! I can get it right side up! I hope to have it upright by mid January. I will paint/seal/undercoat (probably bed liner) the bottom while upside down as well. Once upright I will be able to start moving fairly quickly as there isn't much body work left at that stage. As I am painting the car myself, I'm going about that a little differently than some I see. I will paint the interior and engine bay, once completely prepped amd start assembling the car. Once completely assembled, I'll paint the exterior. My garage space is limited so think that may be a more practical approach for me. Besides, I'm not ashamed to drive it in primer! The color I settled on is 1964 Cobra Guardsman Blue with Wimbledom white racing stripes and a dark blue interior. I'm going to paint the dash blue as well just for something slightly different. I'm a little more adept at the mechanics (but by no means a pro) than body work/welding so hopefully things will go together well. I sprayed the rear axle housing, front A arms, gas tank and other pieces with Eastwood chassis black.
My goal is to give myself a birthday present in May and have the car on the road! Whether it's completely painted or not is another story...
Roy

Hi Roy - I don't think you will regret making sure everything lines up just right. Sounds like she is going to be quite nice. She'll look sharp in that blue.

Got an pictures to share?