Fan for 1968 L-36 with A/C

[Charles F.]

Sorry to be dense, but I am still confused about the correct fan for the above car. I found a post from Joe Lucia in the Archives:

Re: C3 Fan help
Joe Lucia -- Friday, 25 July 2003, at 2:53 p.m.

Dale-----

All 1968 Corvettes with 427 engines, with or without A/C, from L-36 to L-88 used fan blade assembly GM #3888366. This is a 5 blade, 17-1/2" OD fan.

The above-referenced fan blade was discontinued from SERVICE in April, 1971 and replaced by the 7 blade GM #3955182. So, if a fan on a 68 were replaced after that time with a GM-sourced unit, the 3955182 would be the one you got. However, the GM #3955182 was never originally installed on a 1968 Corvette.

But the JM indicates that a seven blade fan is correct, not the five blade. Which part number do I need for a 1968 L-36 with A/C ?

Thanks.

Chuck Faillace

[Joe L.]

Re: Fan for 1968 L-36 with A/C

Chuck------

Unfortunately, the JG by inference sort of "lumps together" the 1968 and 1969 C-60 applications as far as fan blades go. I'm a bit embarrassed since I should have caught that when I helped with the JG review.

For 1968, all 427 engines, with or without C-60, used five blade fan assembly GM #3888366.

For 1969, 427's without C-60 mostly used the 5 blade GM #3888366, although I would not rule out that some might have received the 7 blade GM #3955182. 1969 427's with C-60 used the 7 blade GM #3955182, although I would not rule out the possibility that some very early cars might have used the 5 blade unit.

The 7 blade GM #3955182 was not originally used for any 1968 Corvette. It was not even a released part during the 1968 model run.

[Charles F.]

Re: Fan for 1968 L-36 with A/C

Joe:

Thanks for the response. Should I be installing the (correct) five blade fan, despite that the JG says a seven blade fan, and fight with the judge about it? Or, install the incorrect seven blade fan to comport with the JG ?

Chuck

[Dick W.]

Re: Fan for 1968 L-36 with A/C

More research for the '68-'69 manual. Continously a work in progress.

Chuck, I think that at a Regional or the National Convention you will be OK. At a chapter meet, where some of the judges take the manual literally, you might suffer a deduction.