62Ranchero200
Famous Member
Greetings Ford Six Fans,
Two years ago, I shoehorned a 250 into my '62 Ranchero. The most significant fitment issue arising from this is that clearance between the engine fan and radiator core is extremely tight.
Background: I use a 14" Flex-A-Lite nylon flex fan with a fan spacer, along with an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator. I've actually had to trim the blades of the flex fan to keep it from hitting my trans cooler lines (I run a C-4). I don't trust electric fans enough to depend 100% on them, as I would if did away with the mechanical fan completely. If stuck in end-of-the-world traffic on a 100 degree day with an electrical fan failure, the engine might overheat.
As detailed in "The Ford Six Handbook", I did cut the core support and move the radiator forward about two inches. This did help, but clearance is still very tight. One of the reasons fan to radiator clearance is so tight is that, even though I don't have A/C or power steering and never will - the only "accessories" I have are alternator and water pump - I could not find a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250. So, a fan spacer is needed to push the fan forward enough to clear the unused second pulley. This fan spacer puts the fan quite close to the radiator. I have searched extensively for a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250 to no avail.
I have tried calling Damper Doctors repeatedly, but they will never answer. I think they must be a small, family run business and answer the phone when they damn well please, or never.
Are any of you aware of a customer harmonic balancer manufacturer that could make a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250?
Would it be possible to cut or machine the outer pulley off of a standard 2-V harmonic balancer?
Thanks,
Bob
Two years ago, I shoehorned a 250 into my '62 Ranchero. The most significant fitment issue arising from this is that clearance between the engine fan and radiator core is extremely tight.
Background: I use a 14" Flex-A-Lite nylon flex fan with a fan spacer, along with an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator. I've actually had to trim the blades of the flex fan to keep it from hitting my trans cooler lines (I run a C-4). I don't trust electric fans enough to depend 100% on them, as I would if did away with the mechanical fan completely. If stuck in end-of-the-world traffic on a 100 degree day with an electrical fan failure, the engine might overheat.
As detailed in "The Ford Six Handbook", I did cut the core support and move the radiator forward about two inches. This did help, but clearance is still very tight. One of the reasons fan to radiator clearance is so tight is that, even though I don't have A/C or power steering and never will - the only "accessories" I have are alternator and water pump - I could not find a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250. So, a fan spacer is needed to push the fan forward enough to clear the unused second pulley. This fan spacer puts the fan quite close to the radiator. I have searched extensively for a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250 to no avail.
I have tried calling Damper Doctors repeatedly, but they will never answer. I think they must be a small, family run business and answer the phone when they damn well please, or never.
Are any of you aware of a customer harmonic balancer manufacturer that could make a 1-V harmonic balancer for the 250?
Would it be possible to cut or machine the outer pulley off of a standard 2-V harmonic balancer?
Thanks,
Bob