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Rad questions...

To: Spitfires <spitfires@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Rad questions...
From: Michael Thomas <mathomas@engmail.uwaterloo.ca>
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 10:09:33 -0400
Hello!

I am having problems with my rad and fan.  The bottom mounting bracket
on the corner of the rad is broken and I just had a 1/2" hole in the top
under the hand shield by the filler neck.  My fan is the "clutch fan"
style, but I think the friction surfaces are worn sufficiently(?) that
the fan no longer spins smoothly -- instead of the fan reaching a
maximum velocity and then slipping, it runs constantly at engine
rev/min.  So, there is an excessive amount of wind noise (and I am sure
a considerable amount of power loss).

Well -- is there a good modern conversion of a rad/fan that I can find
at a wrecker somewhere?  I looked a bit at keeping the original, but I
am not prepared to spend $200+ (cdn.) on a replacement clutch fan or $75
on a "used" clutch.  I was thinking of changing over to a suitably sized
rad (ie. from a Honda Prelude) and electric fan.  I am wondering if
anyone has any words of wisdom/encouragement in this area.

I have patched the rad and jury rigged a bracket for the bottom, and one
thought of mine was to purchase a generic automotive fan from Canadian
Tire and mount it to the existing rad.  This solution would run about
$100, but I don't know if my rad will hold...

Another question -- I have been driving around for a while with my
excessively rich carburetor needles -- where is the best place to order
SU needles?  I called Obsolete Automotive, and I think their prices
where about $40 (cdn) per needle.  Does this sound about right?  I
thought I saw them for ~$15 US, but with the crappy exchange rate, it
works out to be about a million dollars, so...

Mike Thomas
'75 Spit
mathomas@engmail.uwaterloo.ca


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