Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

[Scott S.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

Regarding C60, the AIM (Sheet B2.5) calls out seperate part numbers for the fan ring, bolts, u-nuts and washers, so I'd presume these items were added at the St. Louis plant (rather than an outside supplier) and would be unpainted.

David,

Yes, the fan shroud extension ring was added to C60 cars at St. Louis, same as the fan shroud itself, and so the question is the same as your question about the fan shroud, whether it [the extension ring] was painted black by the supplier or was the extension ring bare fiberglass? I think it was bare fiberglass. The fiberglass for 1967, generally referred to as "black" to distinguish it from earlier model years, is a sort of "charcoal gray" fiberglass, but the white hair-like strands stand out clearly on (clean) unpainted fiberglass, making it easy to tell whether it has been painted. I was just wondering, if the fan shroud ring extension came from the supplier as bare fiberglass, would GM have mounted a bare fiberglass extension ring to a painted fan shroud, or vice-versa?

Or would there have been consistency for the adjoining parts (i.e., either both bare fiberglass, or both painted black)?

[Scott S.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

Keith - I appreciate your input. This would seem to indicate that shroud painting was done at the St. Louis plant rather than an outside supplier, since the extra AC parts were factory installed.

David,

I don't think that is the case. I think John Hinckley said there was no facility for painting fan shrouds in the assembly plant, and if they were hauling a couple hundred painted fan shrouds from the building next door everyday, he would have noticed them. I'll try to find the Thread.


Edit: no luck finding the Thread, the search engine says John has never used the word "shroud" in 13,000+ posts

Edit #2: found it another way, but the search engine isn't working. See posts #4 through #6 in this Thread: 67 Small Block Fan Shroud

[Scott S.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

I have found that the paint is very thin and cannot be detected with the naked eye. A small amount of lacquer thinner on a rag will lift the black paint.
Scott Sinclair

[Al R.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

David, I checked the shroud & extension on my 1 owner this afternoon when I returned from TN. Both pcs were painted black, although the extension appeared to have a light coat of black. So, what's the concenus, both acceptable by the judges either painted or unpainted or ???. I'm going to document mine with pic's & repaint black since that's the way they came, for whatever it's worth. The ser # on my 67 is 115--. 3rd week Feb. Al

[Scott S.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

David, I have a number of SB fan shroud pieces. I have bought these to repair other owner's fan shrouds. I do not know whether they are '66 or '67's. The eight pieces that I checked yesterday have a very light coat of black paint on them. I hope that his information is helpful.
Scott

[Peter L.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

David - On 67 #1476 sb (base mtr) w/C60 there is no evidence of either the fan shroud or the fan ring being painted. While we have not owned the car since "dirt" (we bought it in 1983), I can tell you that the previous owners did not go out of their way to do anything other than what was necessary (somethings I think they even avoided that) to keep it going. So unless the car was driven so fast in one of those Texas sand storms that it took off all the paint, I'd say it was not painted and that's the way I'm leaving it. Pete

[Ronald L.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

If you look close at some know original examples - those that still have remnants of the inspection stickers - most of the paint evaporated or fell off, sometimes you can see small evidence of same in the corners.

What is this? First the parts is press formed, there is a mold release that is sprayed so the part can be removed from the mold. If the part is not washed, mold released removed, paint is not going to stick very long.

Now - these were assembled at St Louis, and that meant they were glued up before painting...

I have 8 66 67 small blocks and a hand full of BB, exhibiting these conditions, clips and stickers included.

[Scott S.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

In the assembly process sequence, at what point were the fan shrouds installed?

Was it before the underside of the hood and the engine bay were blacked-out, or after?

[Wayne W.]

Re: Help Needed- '67 Small Block Fan Shroud

In the assembly process sequence, at what point were the fan shrouds installed?

Was it before the underside of the hood and the engine bay were blacked-out, or after?

It was after engine compartment black out. I believe it was laid on the engine in place as the body was dropped and then bolted up to the support. I am not absolutely 100% sure of this because every picture I have ever seen of the body drop is from the rear and it is not clear. It is certain that the later C3 cars were done in this manner.