Shroud,Electric or both?

GrandpasDream

GrandpasDream

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Hey all my first question-post. :usflag:

The story is my grandfather left his 68' Newport 2 Door Hardtop 383/727 4bbl etc. I've had the motor and transmission rebuilt and the radiator pressure tested and re-manufactured. After asking my dad what happened to the stock A/C and fan shroud, it turns out my grandpa took them off for whatever reason and they were lost in a move.

2 Questions:

Does the OE fan shroud significantly add that much assistance to effectively cooling the radiator as well as the motor? I need to make a decision fairly soon as I don't want to burn her up!

Secondly, will adding the shroud and electric fans be overkill and a waste of money?

OR
(I know I'm asking 3 questions :poke:)
Will transitioning to an aluminum radiator vs stock in any combination, suffice? I know this is a controversial topic and can be based on personal preference but I want to pick your Mopar brain.

Any direction/advice thoughts or opinions welcome! Please and thank you!
 
Does the OE fan shroud significantly add that much assistance to effectively cooling the radiator as well as the motor? I need to make a decision fairly soon as I don't want to burn her up!

welcome to site enjoy.....plz put fan shroud back on..they do make a big difference...stick with oem..lve had nada but bad luck and or performance with electric
 
My 383 2-bbl purrs along at 190 F. Amazingly enough, even with just a 22" radiator and sans any shroud, this motor has never overheated this summer, not even on 115 F days such as we had this June. All the same, the radiator is VERY old and decrepit, and just sprang a pin-hole leak. I plan to replace it with a GOOD 2 row aluminum radiator using 1" tubes. It will also be 22" and I don't plan to load my electrical system down with fans.

If you use electric fans to cool, you will need to supply additional current. This, coming from the alternator will require additional torque from your motor. Electric fans may distribute the cooling burden over longer time, as one can run them full out even with motor at low idle, but ultimately, you will pay to use them. You will want a larger battery and alternator if you plan to rely on electric fan cooling. If merely supplementing your mechanical fan, I suggest upgrading to a 7 blade Mopar fan with a clutch and getting that shroud before I would spend money and time on electric fans, which are at best of dubious merit. And I LIKE electrical solutions, when they ARE solutions, and NOT PROBLEMS lurking to snare the unwary.`
 
Use a shroud if you can get one and do t plan to change anything out.

Now to stir the pot: I had to replace my radiator as it was shot, so I ordered a universal one from Jegs, had to make brackets to mount it. And I don't have a shroud. I already had installed an electric fan from a Bonneville I was parting out, simple switch was wired up. I still have a flex fan that I put on a week after I got the car. The radiator is slightly smaller in height than the opening. I was concerned but I've never had any issues with cooling the car whatsoever. You can get an aluminum radiator (Champion brand) that fits for just over $200. I would have gone that route if I would have looked a little harder. My car is a bunch of pieces from other cars so I don't mind it not being stock, or factory, in use what I have or can get cheap.

I'm not aware of the issue with electric fans, they are in every car since the late 90's or so. In fact, a Ford Focus dual fan setup can be had for around $100 from a local parts store, and fit a 26" radiator amazingly well. Like I said I have the stock style fan, AND the electric fan for extra cooling.
 
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So, I bought a C-Body fan shroud off eBay thinking that I had it all figured out. I excitedly drain the radiator so that I can pull it to add the shroud only to find IT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE!

I didn't think to measure because it's a 383 C-Body- what could be wrong?? Well when it arrived it became clear.

Questions:


Did I get ripped off?

Why does this not fit if it is in fact 26 inches and meant for a C-Body?



Is my radiator the incorrect one for my car?



 
They come with 22" or 26" radiator. Looks like you have the 22". Someone here will need that shroud I'm sure.
 
Do you have air conditioning?

That looks like a standard radiator for a car without A/C.

A radiator for an A/C equipped car would be wider.

If that is the case, it probably never had a shroud.
 
68Nwprt said:
They come with 22" or 26" radiator. Looks like you have the 22". Someone here will need that shroud I'm sure.
Click to expand...

Good point. BUT what radiator shroud would I need? Would it be a C-Body shroud that's 26"?? Is that a rarity? Anyone have a part number? What are my options?

Also, If I were to upgrade the radiator, which will likely happen since it pukes coolant in 90+ heat, will an aftermarket radiator work with this shroud?
 
Big_John said:
Do you have air conditioning?

That looks like a standard radiator for a car without A/C.

A radiator for an A/C equipped car would be wider.

If that is the case, it probably never had a shroud.
Click to expand...

According to my dad, my grandpa ripped out the A/C so it did in fact have A/C at birth.
 
GrandpasDream said:
According to my dad, my grandpa ripped out the A/C so it did in fact have A/C at birth.
Click to expand...

It may have had an "add on" A/C. A factory A/C car would have had the wider radiator. Are there A/C vents and controls still in the car?
 
Stepping away from the question about if it originally had A/C or not...

You said everything has been rebuilt, so I assume it all going to run well. If the fan is there (probably not a clutch fan) and the car is running right, there's no reason to expect it to overheat.

Put a water temperature gauge in the car and just keep an eye on it. These cars aren't that fragile that you have to worry about ruining it by getting a little hot.

If you have it for a while and decide to put a larger radiator in it, that's great... but you have it just like it left the factory years ago.... Just finish it and take it out and enjoy it.
 
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