Rare fan

[Clark K.]

Twice, now, out of three NCRS judging meets, a judge has told me that the 7-bladed fan on my car is incorrect. The car is a '65 Coupe with L76 (327/365) and factory a/c. The Noland Adams book (Vol. II, pg. 218) clearly shows the configuration of the stock fan and mine is dead on. My fan does not have any part number on it, however, and there seems to be some misconception that ALL '64-'65 seven-bladed fans have mushroom-headed rivets. The rivets on my car's fan are flat.

What the book does NOT show is the unique three-dimensional configuration of the curved blade ends. I realize that these fans (part #3853943) only came on the few thousand '64 & '65 air conditioned cars. That makes them rare, but not THAT rare.

Would it do me any good to bring the book with me to the NCRS National Convention just in case I again hear that my fan is incorrect? Would it save me a deduction?
-Clark

[David L.]

Re: Rare fan

Clack,

Refer to the link below for more information about the rivet type on the 3853943 fan. I believe that it possible that very late 65 models came with flat rivets but a survey of very late original 65 model would be necessary but probably unlikely.

Dave

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?75747-1965-C60-Fan&highlight=3853943

[Duke W.]

Re: Rare fan

What does the AIM say about fan useage with L76 and C60? If the p/n is different than base, you've got a case.

Bring Noland's book, the AIM, anything else you can dig up to support your case, and present your case to the Team Leader if they want to take a deduction for your fan.

Duke

[Clark K.]

Re: Rare fan

What does the AIM say about fan useage with L76 and C60? If the p/n is different than base, you've got a case. Duke

Duke, I don't have the 1965 AIM. I looked in my NCRS-bought material and my AIM is for a 1963 and I don't know why I would order the wrong date since I own a 1965 model. I just ordered a 1965 AIM from NCRS before I sent this response. When I receive the '65 AIM, I will look the fan up and see what it shows.

The latest NCRS judge knew that my car should have a 7-bladed fan...she just did not know that the ends of the fan blades were in the configuration that they are in...curved and with a strange angular end points (not rounded). The fan is really different than the 5-bladed (non C-60) fan in more ways than just the number of blades.

I am looking forward to hearing your presentation at the NCRS National. I hope that you will look me and my Sting Ray up during the meet. My car has been assigned #75 show field position.
-Clark

[David L.]

Re: Rare fan

The 1964 & 1965 AIM list GM # 5853943 (misprint, should be 3853943) as the fan part number for models with AC (UPC C60, sheet C2).

[Clark K.]

Re: Rare fan

The 1964 & 1965 AIM list GM # 5853943 (misprint, should be 3853943) as the fan part number for models with AC (UPC C60, sheet C2).

David, does the '65 AIM show the 7-bladed fan configuration or just shows the part number for it?
-Clark

[Wayne M.]

Re: Rare fan

David, does the '65 AIM show the 7-bladed fan configuration or just shows the part number for it?
-Clark

Clark -- The '65 AIM, section C60, shows poor artwork for the special fan. In fact it shows 6 blades of various widths, with the hub spider facing forwards !

This part # was still available in service in Jan'70 (Joe L. could probably say when stock was finally exhausted). The one below has the mushroom head rivets, but it is a '64 (per Bloomington seller in the early '80s who had other air parts off the same car). My own thoughts are that the factory installed units were all the same (GM had a good idea how many C60 cars would be ordered, based on the previous year(s). Then, this fan became popular as an overheat "fix", and service demand required another production run (or two). Only flat head rivets were being used by that time.

That's my story, an I'm sticking to it .




s

[David L.]

Re: Rare fan

Wayne,

My 1965 AIM shows a 5 bladed fan installed on the engine backwards in the drawing but we all know that the 3853942 fan has 7 blades as shown in your photo.

Dave

[John D.]

Re: Rare fan

In 1965 I traded in a 65 365 HP car for a 65 base engine AC car. Paid $500.00 difference. My Dad almost killed me as I recall. LOL
I didn't keep the AC car very long as the 7 blade fan made noises like an old school bus. It was horrible but the AC was very cold.
When I first joined NCRS in 1979 there was discussion about how many fan blades on an AC car. I remember putting my two cents in.
Just a little trivia from long ago.