Correct L78 396/425 fan?

[Tony S.]

I got my car judged at a chapter event last Saturday. One judge questioned whether my five bladed fan was the original fan for my L78 car. There are no stampings on it. Can someone give me some tell tale signs to look for to help me decide whether my fan is correct or not for my car? It was on my car when I got it, but after 43 years, alot can happen.

Thanks.
Tony

[Bill W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

just like the manual says4"x5.68X17" mine says" front" with a H stamped on the front hub and a W stamped on the rear hub. I think the 17" is the hard part to find.Bill

[Jack H.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Well, the verification task is actually tougher... The blade dimensions Bill quotes are BEFORE final formation, mounting and fan assy balance. Ever sit down with a micrometer and actually measure the blade lengths on a fan? I did this exercise one day and observed blade to blade variances of somewhere in the neighborhood of 85-mils.

That's WAY beyond typical stamping die tolerance levels. It leads me to suspect factory original fans were balanced by 'shaving' material off individual blade tips to obtain the final assy's balance profile. Later, Shark era fans are known to have balancing weight(s) installed here/there, but the earlier fans don't have weights. So, how did they achieve rotational balance?

If I'm right (individual blades were 'shaved'), then attempts to measure/verify the 17.0-inch diameter to distinguish it from the standard SB version of the fan (17.125-inch diameter) are going to be hard....

Plus, the other difference between the L78 and standard SB fan was the attack angle of the blades. There, we're talking about distinguishing between something like 34-degrees vs. 32-degrees. Good luck!

Now, if I recollect properly, former NCRS L78 expert, Charlie Stewart (now deceased) loaned his correct/original L78 fan to Paragon so they could make a dead nuts on reproduction. While the Paragon part isn't cheap, neither is an L78 car/restoration....

[Edward S.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

If you do think about getting the Paragon repro. I can tell you there are many issues with paint missing,scratched, drips, etc. plan on getting the whole thing redone as soon as it arrives. When I spoke to the owner of Paragon he told me they do very little business on the item and therefore have no clout trying to get the quality improved. We got into a heated debate about some remarks he made about us Corvette owners - hence I am still waiting for the postage I laid out to return the first one I bought
back to Paragon, it's been about 8 or 9 months now. I still have the second one they sent in it's original box - in no better shape then the first one they sent. I guess one of these days I will get tired of looking at it in my garage and put it up on E-Bay. Good Luck

[James W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Tony,

Here are some pictures of an original L78 fan from 1965 Corvette serial number 22161. This fan does not have the "W" stamped into it as Bill Williamson mentioned, only the "H". Sorry for the surface rust, the fan was just dipped and flash rusted almost immediately. I'll add a few more in another post. If anyone wants a few more pictures or measurements, please email me directly, I'd be glad to get them for you.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

James West
Omaha, NE.

[James W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

More L78 fan pictures.

James West

[Bill W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Dam just dropped my orig 65 fan clutch and broke the tip of a fin off while I was checking my fan blades. I guess I will find out if jb weld will hold a fan clutch fin. Oh yea my blades from # 16120 &13346 look like yours .Bill

[Joe L.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

If you do think about getting the Paragon repro. I can tell you there are many issues with paint missing,scratched, drips, etc. plan on getting the whole thing redone as soon as it arrives. When I spoke to the owner of Paragon he told me they do very little business on the item and therefore have no clout trying to get the quality improved. We got into a heated debate about some remarks he made about us Corvette owners - hence I am still waiting for the postage I laid out to return the first one I bought
back to Paragon, it's been about 8 or 9 months now. I still have the second one they sent in it's original box - in no better shape then the first one they sent. I guess one of these days I will get tired of looking at it in my garage and put it up on E-Bay. Good Luck

Ed-----


I think I'd have to agree with Paragon on this one. The 1965 L-78 fan was a piece uniquely applicable to that application. To find one of these things, NOS or even good used, would be nearly impossible. Given the limited application of this fan, it amazes me that it's even reproduced. I mean, how many of these fans could they possibly sell? So, I wouldn't worry too much about the paint; I'd just be happy I could get one. If I recall correctly, the price is about $175. If it still is so-priced, I think the price is very fair. I'm surprised it doesn't cost TWICE that much. Remember, low volume usually equals high price. Just imagine what one of these would cost if you couldn't get it, at all, in reproduction?

As far as the paint goes, if the paint was unsatisfactory to me, I'd strip it with Jasco spray on stripper, remove all the existing paint, and re-paint. No big deal.

[Tony S.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

James. Great photos! You have a talent.

Is there anything stamped on your fan besides the 'H'?

Thanks for everyone's posts. Bill--sorry about your fan clutch.

Tony

[Keith B.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

My car also has a W on the fan. Judges at NOVI questioned it. They said they had not seena 396 with a W -- and attempted to measure on the car and it was 1/8 inch off using a sewing tape????. But the fan clutch and the attaching hardware was correct ? I was told and I believe "the judges haven't seen every car" so there can be variances but....... they can hit you for not typical anyway.

[James W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

My car also has a W on the fan. Judges at NOVI questioned it. They said they had not seena 396 with a W -- and attempted to measure on the car and it was 1/8 inch off using a sewing tape????. But the fan clutch and the attaching hardware was correct ? I was told and I believe "the judges haven't seen every car" so there can be variances but....... they can hit you for not typical anyway.

Tony,

I wonder if the "W" stamped in the fan on both Bill's and Keith's car has to do with them being earlier in production? The 22161 serial number is rather late compared to Bill's and Keith's. Maybe a few more L78 owners will chime in and let us know if they do or do not have a "W" stamped into the fan.


Regards,

James West

[Tony S.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

These '65 L78 cars are so few and far between that it's hard to reach any one conclusion. My car was built on July 29, 1965 (car no. 23340). I've emailed Wayne Midkiff whose L78 car was built on the last day of production in early August, '65. I'm curious to see what Wayne reports.

Tony

[Jack H.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Joe, the Paragon part, 1129, is catalog listed at $325 vs. the $175 you recollected. So, it is rather pricey. But, as you said, considering the limited market demand for this part....

[Tony S.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Tony,

I wonder if the "W" stamped in the fan on both Bill's and Keith's car has to do with them being earlier in production? The 22161 serial number is rather late compared to Bill's and Keith's. Maybe a few more L78 owners will chime in and let us know if they do or do not have a "W" stamped into the fan.


Regards,

James West

James. My July 29th car has the 'W' on the back side of the fan. I need to get a mirror and look at the front to see if there is an 'H' there. I'd still like to find out about Wayne's.

Tony

[James W.]

Re: Correct L78 396/425 fan?

Here's another picture of an L78 engine and fan from the August 1965 issue of Pop Rod Magazine which road tested a '65 L78 equipped convertible.

It also clearly shows one of the battery access panel bolts heads unpainted. This was a topic of discussion a few weeks ago.


Regards,

James West