1969 427 core support adjustment

[Roger G.]

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Hello all, need some help with my core support adjustment. I pulled the radiator, shroud and support as a unit, cleaned up the support and repainted it, got a Dewitts direct fit radiator, and new seals from Doc Rebuild. This was about a 3 week process, so the car sat for that long without the core in it.

Everything went back together nicely. Radiator fit in core good, seals fit good, shroud fit good, all nice and tight when reassembled. I went back to fit it in the car yesterday. Got the mounting bolts in each side of the core, and the two bottom bolts as well. Didn't tighten them down, just got them started so they all would fit.

The problem is, the fan is hitting the upper shroud bolt heads. The fan used to stick about half way out of the shroud, now only about 1/2 inch sticks out. Its like the core support has moved towards the engine. I can pull the top of the core towards the nose about 1/4" as the mounting bolts are not tight, but that would not be enough to make up the difference when the bolts are tight

AFAIK, the support can be adjusted up/down with shims under the two bottom bolts, and side to side with shims between the core and the fender, but is there a way to adjust front to back?

Did this happen because the car sat for three weeks without the core and something shifted?

What am I missing on the alignment? thanks

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

Roger I'll bring this to the top again and maybe some one can help more than I.
I did a frame off on my 67 coupe BB and the support was not in for a year or more. Nothing moved that I could see. I did get a small crack at each corner of the headlight but I had the body on a rigid dolly with rigid wheels and when I moved it from place to place it shook a lot.
I think what I am saying is that to move glass that much would cause a crack. I did have to shim my support up and side to side but everything fit.
About the fan, I have not installed mine yet but I remember that fans were to be about 1" inside the shroud and not outside. I believe I read that in one of my car manuals or on instructions. I actually have fan extensions that are different lengths for custom installations that required the fan to be inside the shroud. Actually the fan would take out the top of the shroud when the motor mounts failed because the blades were under the shroud.
Something is not right.

Dom

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

I know this is a dumb question, but I will ask anyway. Is there a chance the fan is on backwards? I am not sure that would make aq difference, but it would be easy to do.

[Roger G.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

Roger I'll bring this to the top again and maybe some one can help more than I.
I did a frame off on my 67 coupe BB and the support was not in for a year or more. Nothing moved that I could see. I did get a small crack at each corner of the headlight but I had the body on a rigid dolly with rigid wheels and when I moved it from place to place it shook a lot.
I think what I am saying is that to move glass that much would cause a crack. I did have to shim my support up and side to side but everything fit.
About the fan, I have not installed mine yet but I remember that fans were to be about 1" inside the shroud and not outside. I believe I read that in one of my car manuals or on instructions. I actually have fan extensions that are different lengths for custom installations that required the fan to be inside the shroud. Actually the fan would take out the top of the shroud when the motor mounts failed because the blades were under the shroud.
Something is not right.



Dom

Dom,

If that is the case, then the fan is about where it should be. Before the swap, it was about 1/2 way in, now it is only about 1/2" out. I have been messing with it for two days now, if I can't get it to fit, I may pick up some shims to place between the clutch and the blade to move the fan back out. Hate doing that though.

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I know this is a dumb question, but I will ask anyway. Is there a chance the fan is on backwards? I am not sure that would make aq difference, but it would be easy to do.

Terry,

LOL, I have put stuff in upside down and backwards in the past- so a good question . In fact, I thought I had done something like that this time. However, the fan never came off the clutch, not because I didn't want it to, but because it was stuck on there

[Paul O.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

Roger

In viewing your photos it appears to me the shroud is in its correct location. By that I mean the rear edge of the shroud at the center opening is in line with the forward A-arm stud. Plus the shroud leading front edge in approx in the middle of the radiator cross brace. That tells me that you may have changed something on the front of the engine. If you changed the water pump the shaft could be extended to far forward. Or the pulleys are not seated correctly on the hub but that is hard to say without being there to check all measurements.

[Roger G.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

Roger

In viewing your photos it appears to me the shroud is in its correct location. By that I mean the rear edge of the shroud at the center opening is in line with the forward A-arm stud. Plus the shroud leading front edge in approx in the middle of the radiator cross brace. That tells me that you may have changed something on the front of the engine. If you changed the water pump the shaft could be extended to far forward. Or the pulleys are not seated correctly on the hub but that is hard to say without being there to check all measurements.

Paul...good to know the alignment looks correct. No change to the water pump. I took the fan off before pulling the radiator..that was the only change to the motor. The water pump pulley seems to be seated ok with the fan back on , the belts all line up to the eye.

How much clearance should there be between the head of the shroud bolt and the tip of the blade? About 1/4"?

[Paul O.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

I would expect the clearance would be in the 1/2" range.

[Gary H.]

Re: 1969 427 core support adjustment

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Here is a pic of mine from the side. I have a little more than an inch of clearance between the edge of the fan and the bolts.

Gary