As long as you keep driving forward faster than 10 mph you have nothing to worry about.

2 smaller fans without a shroud probably won't help. You can park the truck in a Category 5 hurricane and it won't cool it any better if the air flow isn't going where it's needed.

Open the hood on any of the millions of cars manufactured within the last 10 years and you can note 3 things:
1) Electric fans.
2) Shroud around said fan or fans.
3) They're probably not overheating.

Looking at the picture of the lack of clearance I can see it's definitely a technical challenge but that doesn't make the answer wrong. For my money you should talk to a sheet metal guy about making a custom shroud that holds your fan (or 2 smaller fans which would probaby fit better) and get that air working for you.

 

Here is a pic of mine .. there are a few options
I have a lot of room on mine i modded my radiator support on this on. let me know if you need more info. it will have room for a crank driven fan and a shroud.

 

Are you planning a direct drive fan?

Any chance you can get a pic of the front of the rad, and then measure from the water pump nose to the core? That would really help me to figure out where I am. My rad is 2-1/4" thick & I have it cut & moved it as far forward as possible, & it looks like you still have more room.

Thanks!

EDIT: Took a pic looking straight down:

 

Yes I will be using a direct drive water pump mounted flex fan with a custom metal fan shroud. I will measure it tonight but i bet there is close to 4" from the pump to the rad.

After looking at the pic you posted close, here is what I think I would look into .. cut the pulleys down to single grove, get a flex fan that the blades are flush at the front and build a shroud. It looks like you have enough room for that and it will cool way better than the electric fan you have in there. it the war of inches

 

i have a 70 460 in my 60 and am using a rad from a 460 camper special truck with a/c (4 row core) and a 16" pusher fan mounted in front of the rad and have not had any cooling issues at all even on hot days (well as hot as it gets up here, 90 deg F). the temp guage gets to about 195 max ideling with normal running temp of around 170 - 180. big thing is i switched to a 165 deg thermostat that dropped the temp considerably. with a 180 deg thermostat, it would push 200 to 205 while ideling and run at around 190 - 195. have not had any overheat issues or overflow at all with this combo.

Mike

 

Thanks... I think that's the answer I was looking for. I doubt I will be driving it much on extremely hot days, but 90 seems doable. I dont have A/C in mine.

 

if you aren't absolutely commited to the 429, consider the 351-400 engine.
Years ago i pulled the straight six, installed the 400, and converted to 4wd w'
power steering.
engine allows ample room to work, plenty of power, and you can use the stock
radiator which is keeps the truck more original.

 

If you don't mind going new school id get a 3 row or a 2 row cross flow radiator from champion radiators. Then order a set of dual 12" or 13" fans with the shroud from derail. I did the measurements for the 390 im going to pop in my 59 and it all should fit really well. I have a 428 with a full serpentine set and these fans and a 4 row in my 74 f250 now and it cools like no ones business... On one fan.lol its rare the second fan comes on (has a derail dual fan control. It works awesome). But I think you could get it all to fit no prob and it all looks really clean under the hood too

Here are some pics and links

High Output Shrouded

One of these should fit with a little modifying of the core support radiator mount.
F-Series Truck (68-79) Aluminum Radiator





Feel free to ask any questions

 

superduty 93 - thanks for the input. I do like that radiator.The pic of the '59
looks good, really like the wraparound window. is the straight 6 in the 59 now?

my '60 has the main 4wd componants from a 76 f250. It in the barn again
but this summer it will get some attentionthis spring.
A couple of years ago i had a local shop replace the original front springs
and it hasnt been the same since.
good luck on the 59 project !

 

No prob. Ill have to get you the link to my build thread. That wrap around window cab I sold because I prefer a small window and I have a rust free dent free bondo free small rear window cab. And when I bought it someone had stuffed a 390 in it. Long story short, a guy needed the 68 date code 390 I had for a mustang build. So I gave him the engine and he have me his 14' fishing boat.lol so I then went and traded a old np435 truck tranny for another 390 and I plan to make a 445 striker out of it for the 59 then ill mate a 4 speed top loader to it from a galaxy. Its kinda a weekend cruiser/drag/show truck build. The problem is I want it all but I can only do so much to one truck haha. The user Rippy on here is building a 59 with the exact stance I love and have wanted to I'm following his build to see how to do it

 

I found this in another search. That extra 2" off the 429 would be all I need.

 

Just found an excellent thread on cooling fans:

OEM Electric Fan Info - BBR cooling issues - 460 Ford Forum

 

i put in a 460 with a griffin aluminum radiator and regular fan from napa. clearance is tight 1/2 inch from motor to firewall 3/4 from fan blades to radiator core. you can put a 7lb cap on the stock radiator but it will pop a hole in the tank after time. 460s need a 14-15 lb cap. i couldnt use a clutch fan because there wasnt enough space. i had to trim the radiator support and put in a 1 inch box tube spacer to push the radiator forward. it works great. i tow with it and didnt think an electric setup would cool enough. good luck.

 

Any chance you have any pics of how you mounted the rad? It sounds like we have close to the same setup.

 

That's exactly the swap I'm planning for mine; glad to hear it fits well!! Do you have a build thread I can look at? I would love some pics of the motor mounts and the PS setup!