Hot Rods How long can you drive your flathead V8 without a fan or how we had the best day ever.

Hi all,
It’s been awhile since I have posted. Been busy with life, work and keeping safe in today’s crazy times.

We haven’t spent any time with our grandkids since March except for few minutes here and there because of COVID, they have been here every other weekend since they were months old and they go from 14 years to 1 month old.

This weekend our oldest grandson son spent the weekend with us and since the Saturday weather was the nicest it’s been since May or June we decided to take out the hot rod and hit the road for the day. We spent some time doing a check over and off we went.








Sight seeing and some tripping into the state forests while making our way to a place to eat and then home.



At the farthest point from home and also the farthest from ANY paved road the car made a very loud and bad noise. Off the side and outside to check things over it turns out the the fan assembly may be out of oil and has chewed itself up. No oil handy I go with the “belt off” method of getting back to a main road and to any town with a parts store.

The trip was fine and temp was great the whole ride so we got oil and stopped to eat. The fan would move a lot and I decided to pass on adding oil and putting the belt back on for the trip home and just head out.

Back home safe, no issues. Pulled the fan apart, all chewed up. Spare parts on the shelf, all fixed and on the road.





We had the greatest time on our adventure together and took our grandson places he hadn’t been before. No cell phone just an old car and his grandparents.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Great story. Thanks.

 

Looks like everyone had a good time, I'm sure this will be something your grandson will remember the rest of his life. HRP

 

Very Well Done And Another Excellent Save...

 

Great story , beautiful car , enjoy !

 

Good job. I have an electric fan on a toggle switch. Since my new mill has broken in I've rarely used it, as long as I keep moving and don't romp on it too much it stays under 220.

 

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

 

I never thought about this before, never been around Flathead Fords but I am guessing that the fan bearings are running in an oil bath? Some of the old Farmall tractors are the same way. On the Farmall side, you can buy new fan hubs with sealed bearings.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks all. @blowby with 180 thermostats in runs around 185 all the time and did so for
The rest of the day.

@Truckdoctor Andy , correct the fan is an oil bath setup. It may have gotten laid on it side and leaked out at some point over the years and the motor being in and out.

@HOTRODPRIMER , I’m hoping that is the case. I made it a point to not be on the phone but to enjoy the scenery, he did so with little fuss and was helpful getting things checked out.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Is the fan on it's own belt by it's self?

 

Good story and good looking rod. Great to get the youngin involved and a nice bit of countryside.

 

@BJR , yes. One belt is for the two water pumps and the generator and the other is just the fan.

It’s a great setup in a situation like this but makes for packing the flathead into the 28/29 cars a little more creative.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Well, the fan should only be needed at low speed, while driving faster the speed should push plenty of air through the radiator. One of those things that are good to have to make life easy when stuck in traffic, but you can drive down the roads at normal speeds just fine without it.

Any day in an old car is a good day.

 

Great story! And I love your car, it's perfect!

 

Awesome!! Great looking group!! Hot Rod is AAA+++! And thanks for the reminder to check my fan oil!!! Pete