Fitting Electric Rad Fan to Mk2 Vitesse

[Peter Truman]

I've always fitted Elect Rad Fans to our older classic cars the exception has always been my Mk2 Vitesse, the reason obviously the lack of space for either a pusher or sucker.

I've researched the search options of various Triumph club sites including the TSSC Magazine Archives  to no avail as to how best to do it & if there is adequate room.

I don't like the option of ties through the radiator core & would rather use a frame attached to the outer rad supports.

Can anyone give me advice and reference to any articles/threads on how to do the installation and size of fan used. I'll probably use an Australian Davies Craig fan there of good quality and hopefully I can get a club discount.

Vitesse cooling is marginal especially in Australian summers with the mech fan on the crankshaft which at idle is relatively slow, besides which I've always wanted to do it!

Regards

Peter Truman 

[Guest]

Hello Peter,

This is an option: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Stainless-Steel-Fan-Fitting-Kit-Electric-Cooling-Mounting/181987543815

I know many who have used these on all sorts of vehicles without issue, me included.

One error that many classic vehicle owners do is to suspend the fan on the rad , thus the rad is taking the weight of the fan and that is where the wear issue occurs. 

What should be done is to rest the fan on the bottom of the rad chassis / framework or equivalent, so that positioning supports all the weight of the fan and the through mountings do just that - hold the fan in situ.

As you know being a fellow Mk2 owner the fan can only be secured between the rad and engine - so a puller fan is required.

Interestingly, I think Craig Davis also talks about having fans slightly away from the rad and not tight against regarding air flow - not sure if I still have that link.

Both my classics have electric fans with mechanical blade removed and to date all is good with no issues and I have encountered high outdoor temperatures in next to no moving traffic for long periods of time.

Needless to say the critical requirement of any good cooling system is the health of the cooling system, an electric fan is there to assist and not make up for defects.

I will leave it at that as I know there will be loads of helpful info coming in from others regarding this topic.

Good luck.

Richard.

[Clive]

Many years ago, I fitted a bosch fan that was liberated from a scrapRenault 5 Turbo. It came with the wire fixing frame that attached to the renault radiator (wire was about 4-5mm so good and strong) and I rebent the frame to fit to the radiator side studs. This is from a hazy memory..... Anyway, a frame made of steel strips and attached to the sides of the rad would be ideal. Could be nut and bolted together or welded.

Also beware cheap fans, they are simply not as good. I really like spal fans, they have an excellent website that gives all the specifications. Worth mentioning they are often used in WRC cars, so must be decent! Not cheap, but my basic model was about £55, and works a treat.

[68vitesse]

Hava a fourteen inch fan in my 2L Mk1 Vitesse, used lengths of stainless steel studding through the core to fit with plastic tubing over the thread which is in the core. Had to cut away some of the fan case to clear water pump and crank pulley, also made sure I could change fan belt without removing fan the cut out in picture. Installation is tight but has worked for years and in the last few weeks with temperature up in low thirties, use a Revotec controller in the bottom hose and fitted an override switch and light to show when fan is running.

Should add that the radiater has three deep by thirty nine rows of tubes which I was told is a high density core when the radiator was rebuilt.

Regards

Paul

 

 

[Peter Truman]

All very tight isn't it! a friend with a 2500TC hotted up to 180bhp at the REAR wheels has fitted a Davies Craig micro controlled Water Pump in the lower rad lower hose horizontally where it comes out of the rad. It's a very neat fix & the hoses insulate the pump vibrations no separate brackets needed. Might have a look at the Vitesse and see if there's enough horizontal space and go for broke pump & fan, as it removes the old mech pump complete providing a good increase in space.

Will provide a photo of the 2500TC after reducing Mb.

Peter T

[Peter Truman]

Thanks for the responses they were very helpful & have made me think of a pump/fan installation as promised photo's attached. Simple but effective the controller is on the back of the parcel shelf and controls both pump speed and fan

Peter T