The 318 engine in my ’69
Barracuda coupe did
not come with a thermal fan
clutch. Would this be a simple
installation?
—Ed Williams,
Las Vegas, NV
Ed—
Sure, the drive just bolts
on, with the appropriate blade
assembly. If you currently have a
torque drive clutch, be sure the
new thermal clutch is the same
overall length. If swapping from a
solid (direct bolt-on) fan, be sure
drive’s the shaft length places
the new fan blades approx. 1˝
(1½˝ max.) from the radiator core.
See photos for more info.
drive (right), which simply limits the fan’s maximum RPM by
slipping, and the thermal version (top), which slips less as
temperatures increase. Both reduce noise and HP consumption,
but the thermal one is preferable.
use a drive with a shaft length
that places the fan approx.
one inch from the radiator
core. There are many lengths
available.
you must have a compatible
fan, identified by a much
larger center hole (2 5⁄8˝ vs. 5⁄8˝).