Jonny-Jimbo Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Hi all,I got myself an electric cooling fan kit with thermostatic switch and relays etc etc etc for my 2000 after the viscous fan died. (Well, made nasty rattles and vibrations...)How has anyone else fitted one to their cars? I was just going to use the 'pull-through' zip ties that come with the fan, but I was wondering if anyone has made up any brackets? I quite like the idea of being able to remove the radiator without having to cut the zip-ties.I was going to mount the fan on the front of the radiator in the nosecone to hide it all away. I'm also doing all the wiring in Lucas colours so it's less obvious.Anyone got photos etc of their installation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Hello Jonny, I agree I didn't like the idea of fixing it to the core, this is what I did.Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 The Aus/ NZ S's had an electric fan factory fitted in front of the radiator. I've got a spare which I'll take a pic of this afternoon when I finish work. Fairly easy fit.Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Bolted to top and bottom of radiator panel. Fans sits about 3 inches in front of rad. Thermo switch is in the 1/2" hose that fits to the manifold.Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hmm, I was hoping to avoid drilling holes in the body if I could help it.The other thing I was considering was making up some stainless steel mounts to hold the fan that sandwich between the body and the radiator on the 6 mounting points - although on my car it's two captives at the top and then four nuts and bolts at the bottom.The problem with this is that the fan would drop every time I put the radiator in...Maybe the best future proofing would be to mount in the nosecone, so if the radiator needs to come out I don't have to disturb the radiator too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzer Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I had the same reservations with the push through ties when I received them with a big kenlowe pusher fan. However I fitted them on the 2000 rally car with the ties and its never been a problem. Had to remove them after I hit a dry stone wall and it cracked a seam on the rad. refitted them and been fine since. Been on probably five/six years in total. So they do work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share Posted August 12, 2015 Oh, I know the ties work - I use them on the Ginetta and others too. My worry is about future proofing the car so that if I need to get the rad out (water pump etc) I can do so without cutting the ties and having to buy new ones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt George Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Quoted from Jonny-Jimbo Hmm, I was hoping to avoid drilling holes in the body if I could help it.The other thing I was considering was making up some stainless steel mounts to hold the fan that sandwich between the body and the radiator on the 6 mounting points - although on my car it's two captives at the top and then four nuts and bolts at the bottom. I mounted a sucking fan behind my radiator by using the existing radiator bolts. Could you do something similar in front of the rad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt George Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Sorry, just realised the captive issue, so my idea might not work after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I fitted my fan to the rad using cable ties, this was 10 years ago, no issues since. Managed to use cheaply purchased conventional cable ties, not the expensive Pacet (RIP) supplied barbed ties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share Posted August 12, 2015 Could you stick a photo up please Tim, just so I have an idea?My radiator isn't the newest of beasts, so I don't want to excessively load the fins etc if I can help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Quoted from Matt George Sorry, just realised the captive issue, so my idea might not work after all! When I had the OWL (2500S) I did fit a blower fan in front of the rad using your method. It's a tiny bit awkward because the fan mounting frame fits between the rad and the body so holding things in place while bolting it up is tricky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Quoted from Jonny-Jimbo Hmm, I was hoping to avoid drilling holes in the body if I could help it.The other thing I was considering was making up some stainless steel mounts to hold the fan that sandwich between the body and the radiator on the 6 mounting points - although on my car it's two captives at the top and then four nuts and bolts at the bottom.The problem with this is that the fan would drop every time I put the radiator in...Maybe the best future proofing would be to mount in the nosecone, so if the radiator needs to come out I don't have to disturb the radiator too. You only need to drill 4x 5/16" holes in the radiator mounting panel. No big deal. It doesn't interfere with getting rad in or out. I personally don't like the idea of cable ties being fixed to the rad fins.Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trolleybus Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I tried the same method as Mat but it fouled on the power steering pulley. So I moved the Fan to the top left of the back of the radiator.I think the best solution is to mount two smaller, 9 or 10 inch fans on the back of the radiator at the top using the cable tie straps that are supplied with some fans through core. Two fans apart from fitting nicely give you the option of using two different temp settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 The plastic ties through the matrix work well for the light Kenlowe type, but I'd be concerned about any other, especially with a heavy metal surround and brackets.Silverback had a pair of enormous truck fans, on an even more enormous cross-flow radiator. I built alloy brackets that mounted them on the radiator frame, as shown below.While the whole cooling system was dodgy, the fans never budged.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 Pic didn''t upload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny-Jimbo Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 I have made up a pair of 'z' frames that will mount to the body, sandwiching the radiator to the front panel. Initially I'm just making it out of strips of aluminium, but if I find it's running a bit warm I've got plans to knock up a shroud that the fan will attach to, which will sit in the nosecone. That'll be made out of sheet aluminium and either pop-rivetted or tig welded together.Process to be updated next weekend when back in the workshop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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