49 Ford F1
#301
11-08-2014, 04:23 PM
Welcome to custom builds, you have learned the hard way like I did many years ago, better to mock up everything and anything before moving to final paint and assembly. You will remember this next time 
Stuff happens, anyone who has built anything has been there, now it is time to overcome!
Myself I would assess everything first around the engine as from the beginning. Steering clearance, exhaust clearance, oil pan clearance, firewall clearance, etc..only because my first choice would be to move the engine back. If that is more work than it is worth then I would look into moving the radiator forward and down if needed. Mock up the hood and see what you can do. If needed there are plenty of cheap aluminum radiators that are shorter so if you needed you could get the radiator top lower to clear the hood. I run a "smaller than F1" aluminum 2 row radiator in my 37 Buick and it cools the SB chevy just fine. A few inches clearance is all you may need and it looks like there is plenty of room to work with in front of the radiator.
I would not go with an electric water pump on a street car just because I would not trust it.
Pull the radiator, mount the pullys and a fan, and see what you have and what you need for clearance.
You are doing great, keep it up!
Stuff happens, anyone who has built anything has been there, now it is time to overcome!
Myself I would assess everything first around the engine as from the beginning. Steering clearance, exhaust clearance, oil pan clearance, firewall clearance, etc..only because my first choice would be to move the engine back. If that is more work than it is worth then I would look into moving the radiator forward and down if needed. Mock up the hood and see what you can do. If needed there are plenty of cheap aluminum radiators that are shorter so if you needed you could get the radiator top lower to clear the hood. I run a "smaller than F1" aluminum 2 row radiator in my 37 Buick and it cools the SB chevy just fine. A few inches clearance is all you may need and it looks like there is plenty of room to work with in front of the radiator.
I would not go with an electric water pump on a street car just because I would not trust it.
Pull the radiator, mount the pullys and a fan, and see what you have and what you need for clearance.
You are doing great, keep it up!
#303
11-08-2014, 05:01 PM
#304
11-08-2014, 08:32 PM
Hey Nick,
We went with an electric fan mounted to the back of the radiator - they are really thin & should move enough air for you. Our's is a (2) speed fan from Derale. I bet we don't have an inch of clearance to the water pump but it's enough & saves a ton of room vs. the mechanical fan. (Our engine is a 351W).
Ben in Austin
1950 F1
We went with an electric fan mounted to the back of the radiator - they are really thin & should move enough air for you. Our's is a (2) speed fan from Derale. I bet we don't have an inch of clearance to the water pump but it's enough & saves a ton of room vs. the mechanical fan. (Our engine is a 351W).
Ben in Austin
1950 F1
#305
11-09-2014, 06:02 AM
#308
11-09-2014, 02:15 PM
#309
11-09-2014, 02:49 PM
#310
11-09-2014, 02:58 PM
Nick, I was referring to cutting just the end of the rotating part, i.e. the pump shaft. Install the water pump pulley and see if cutting off the end of the pump shaft buys you any clearance.
Looking at it again, it would still require you to use a pusher fan since it would only give you at best 1/4 to 3/8" based on eyeballing the picture.
Looking at it again, it would still require you to use a pusher fan since it would only give you at best 1/4 to 3/8" based on eyeballing the picture.
#312
11-09-2014, 03:28 PM
Just a thought. Have you looked at rotating the core support 180 degrees and then mounting the radiator from the forward side of the core support. I can not try that on my f-1 since it is assembled. If that can work you will need to remove the upper forward horizontal brace, step it out an reinstall it on the "now" front of the core support.
#313
11-09-2014, 08:27 PM
Just a thought. Have you looked at rotating the core support 180 degrees and then mounting the radiator from the forward side of the core support. I can not try that on my f-1 since it is assembled. If that can work you will need to remove the upper forward horizontal brace, step it out an reinstall it on the "now" front of the core support.
#314
11-10-2014, 06:23 AM
#315
11-10-2014, 07:29 AM
Hey Nick,
Yep that looks pretty tight up front - no room at present. Hmmmm..
That looks like the original radiator & it's huge & probably pretty inefficient by today's standards. You may need to replace that anyway to cool your 429(?). Radiators are pretty cheap - I think we paid under $400 for our's & it looks a lot smaller than what you have there. We also run a transmission cooler off the new radiator as well - that's nice to have. I think they also make slim profile water pumps as well.
I don't have any experience with a "pusher" electric fan. That may be a good question for the Forum just to see - maybe they work fine.
Hang in there & good luck with school with this semester.
Ben in Austin
1950 F1
Yep that looks pretty tight up front - no room at present. Hmmmm..
That looks like the original radiator & it's huge & probably pretty inefficient by today's standards. You may need to replace that anyway to cool your 429(?). Radiators are pretty cheap - I think we paid under $400 for our's & it looks a lot smaller than what you have there. We also run a transmission cooler off the new radiator as well - that's nice to have. I think they also make slim profile water pumps as well.
I don't have any experience with a "pusher" electric fan. That may be a good question for the Forum just to see - maybe they work fine.
Hang in there & good luck with school with this semester.
Ben in Austin
1950 F1