Fan shroud & used factory sidepipe query

[Keith B.]

Best advice please:

1966, L-36, No air car. Do I have to remove the rad. to get the fan shroud out to re-paint?? I have the fan clutch and fan blade out. In my Judging manual I cannot find the correct color of black for my fan blade?? What sheen is correct?

Lastly, I have an opportunity to purchase ($200) a pair of 1966 factory N14 side exhaust pipes. They are rusted but surface only, otherwise solid. But 39 yrs old.

Can these aluminized?? pipes be cleaned up?? (How??) and what is the risk of buying these over NOS other than price and re-chrome the tips. Opinions please. I'm certainly not an exhaust or metal expert.

Again, sincerely appreciate your help here.

[Joe L.]

Re: Fan shroud & used factory sidepipe query

Keith-----

I doubt that you'll be able to remove the fan shroud without first removing the radiator and, possibly, the radiator support. However, it's really not that difficult to remove these.

The fan is painted a "gloss" black. I don't really consider it a full gloss, but it's glossier than semi-gloss. It's usually not real thick, either.

As far as the side pipes go, I'm the wrong person to comment on that.

[Jean C.]

Re: Fan shroud

Keith, not sure if your '66 is much different from my '64 non-A/C car, but I just removed and replaced the fan shroud on my car. I removed only the fan and clutch and the top radiator hose. The hood was already off so that made the task of getting to the six shroud bolts a bit easier. The '64 TM&JG says the shroud is painted "...gloss black with a moderate sheen." I painted mine with John Deere Blitz Black which to my eye, is a tad more glossier, eg, "moderate sheen??", than the Krylon #1613 Semi-Flat.

Best regards,
Charlie

[Geoff C.]

[Joe C.]

Re: Fan shroud & used factory sidepipe query

Keith:

Keep looking for a new set. If the pipes are used, then I wouldn't buy them..............they might have been cleaned up to mask excessive rusting. What you can't see, is what's going on inside. Sometimes the inner perforated pipe can come loose from the crimp fit, and rattle. Just my opinion, you should do what you think is best.

If you don't care about originality, then here are two aftermarket sources.

www.sweet-thunder.com/

and

www.spiralturbobaffles.com/

Both systems will fit inside of your stock covers.
The first source produces a chambered pipe, just like original, which comes in three different diameters.
The second source produces a system with much less restriction than the factory units. This might be the smart choice for your big block.

Joe

[Donald T.]

Re: Fan shroud & used factory sidepipe query

I checked out the sweet thunder website and they claim to have side pipes that are manufactured as original. They use carbon steel, 2 different pinch diameters, etc. Has anyone tried these? How do they judge? How do they sound versus original?

[Jean C.]

So much for progress!! *NM*