The Ford Barn

burner31 · 01-18-2018, 11:30 AM

Does anyone "other" then MAC's sell the steel two blade fans?
I do not like the looks or the idea of the cast aluminum.
Please do not go on a MAC rant...

Aluminum on left / steel on right

Charlie Stephens · 01-18-2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burner31

Does anyone "other" then MAC's sell the steel two blade fans?
I do not like the looks or the idea of the cast aluminum.
Please do not go on a MAC rant...

Aluminum on left / steel on right

It is just my opinion but I think the steel fan you show looks terrible.

Charlie Stephens

Fullraceflathead · 01-18-2018, 11:39 AM

I agree, it looks nothing like the Original two blade fan.
The aluminum one looks close two the Original Fan.

burner31 · 01-18-2018, 11:44 AM

Let me re-phrase the question if I may...
Does anyone sell the original fan blades?

J Franklin · 01-18-2018, 12:05 PM

No, not as a reproduction. You won't have any troubles with a good aluminum 2 blade offered by many.

henry's 31 · 01-18-2018, 12:15 PM

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Hi Burner31:

I believe the reason they do not sell the original type is because they were notorious for braking and causing damage to hood, radiator or owners. I believe most Model A'ers recommend the aluminum type. I have changed all of my 4 Model A's fan to aluminum. Three of our club members had hood damage with the original fans over the years.

Bud · 01-18-2018, 12:20 PM

I have several 2-blade steel fans that a former club member (Mal Colby) restored for me. Mal passed away a few years ago. Mal would take the fan apart, remove all the rust, weld any cracks, check and fix the balance and make sure the helix of the fan was correct. I run the six blade plastic fan on my cars. So if you or anyone is interested in my restored 2-blade fans fixed by Mal Colby, they are for sale. Please contact me by PM.
Please be aware that these steel fans will still act like the originals, they have a finite fatigue life and should be checked regularly. I cannot guarantee them.

GRutter · 01-18-2018, 12:24 PM

If any are the Late 31 single thickness style, I am interested.

Charlie Stephens · 01-18-2018, 12:51 PM

If I purchased an aluminum fan I would buy it new from one of the reputable suppliers and not used from a swap meet. Many of the older aluminum reproductions had manufacturing errors.

Charlie Stephens

wrndln · 01-18-2018, 01:24 PM

Is the maker of the aluminum fan MAC's that they and all the other supplier sell? I don't want to rebash MAC's, but I would rather not buy a fan that they have had made.
Rusty Nelson

J Franklin · 01-18-2018, 03:15 PM

I think all the problems associated with the aluminum fans have been corrected. I got mine from Bratton's and there were no problems.

barnstuf · 01-18-2018, 03:30 PM

To the best of my knowledge the replacement aluminum fans in the original design are made by Snyder's and wholesaled to other dealers and retailed to his customers.

The two piece fan pictured in the original question in this thread ,in which blades are bolted to the hub, is a replacement fan developed by MARK Auto as a replacement many years ago. Since the replacement aluminum fan has been available I have not seen the two piece one advertised by retailers.

The aluminum reproduction fan has evolved into the number 1 choice replacement fan these days. Yes, it had some earlier problems more than a few years ago, which have been solved to the best of my knowledge. I have not hesitated to use one on my 1929 with favorable results.

Synchro909 · 01-18-2018, 03:35 PM

I tried one of those 2 blade steel fans on one of my cars. It was about as useful as fly screens on a submarine!

J Franklin · 01-18-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I tried one of those 2 blade steel fans on one of my cars. It was about as useful as fly screens on a submarine!

You did not specify which 2 bladed fan you tried!

daveymc29 · 01-18-2018, 04:30 PM

Try a four bladed fan. That will double your odds of taking out the hood or radiator. With luck you may take out both. My original two blade just took out the radiator core.

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 01-18-2018, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrndln

Is the maker of the aluminum fan MAC's that they and all the other supplier sell? I don't want to rebash MAC's, but I would rather not buy a fan that they have had made.
Rusty Nelson

Rusty, Don Snyder is the manufacturer of the two-blade aluminum fans.

Purdy Swoft · 01-18-2018, 05:32 PM

I think that it was 1977 when I bought my first aluminum two blade fan from Snyders and it is still holding up well . All of the new fans that I have bought and used since have been the aluminum 2 blade fans and have never had a problem with any of them . I bought a AA truck at a swap meet with one of the old model 46 style 4 blade fans and before I got around to changing it out , it took out a good radiatoe and damaged a new hood . The last aluminum 2 blade fan that is on my roadster had a sticker that said balanced and it is very smooth. I bought it in 05.

I've got a few of the 2 blade steel fans liker pictured above on the right . I've never run any of them . Some have steel hubs . I have some with aluminum hubs with thinner blades that came from JC Whitney in the 60s . A person could run the old Whitney fans as 4 blade or unbolt and remove the outer blade and run them as a two blade. The blades are one piece and shouldn't give any problems. I just didn't like the looks of the old repro steel fans .

J Franklin · 01-18-2018, 06:16 PM

I think a lot of fan problems came from old age and the fact that people sometimes have turned the engine by the fan.

redmodelt · 01-18-2018, 06:53 PM

I think a lot of original fans break because of vibration, stress, metal fatigue and age.

Synchro909 · 01-18-2018, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Franklin

You did not specify which 2 bladed fan you tried!

The steel one like Burner shows on the right.

01-18-2018, 11:39 AM	#3
Fullraceflathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Chillicothe, Missouri Posts: 1,175	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I agree, it looks nothing like the Original two blade fan. The aluminum one looks close two the Original Fan. __________________ "If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses." -Henry Ford "Primitive technology is not a design flaw" 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup 1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor 1941 Willy's Pickup 1960 Thunderbird-For Sale 1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425 1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper 1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford Engine Build up on DVD ask

01-18-2018, 11:44 AM	#4
burner31 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 3,471	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? Let me re-phrase the question if I may... Does anyone sell the original fan blades? __________________ Keith Shawnee OK '31 SW 160-B

01-18-2018, 12:05 PM	#5
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,962	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? No, not as a reproduction. You won't have any troubles with a good aluminum 2 blade offered by many.

01-18-2018, 12:15 PM	#6
henry's 31 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Columbus(Cataula) Georgia Posts: 849	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hi Burner31: I believe the reason they do not sell the original type is because they were notorious for braking and causing damage to hood, radiator or owners. I believe most Model A'ers recommend the aluminum type. I have changed all of my 4 Model A's fan to aluminum. Three of our club members had hood damage with the original fans over the years. __________________ Henry' s 31

01-18-2018, 12:20 PM	#7
Bud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 819	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I have several 2-blade steel fans that a former club member (Mal Colby) restored for me. Mal passed away a few years ago. Mal would take the fan apart, remove all the rust, weld any cracks, check and fix the balance and make sure the helix of the fan was correct. I run the six blade plastic fan on my cars. So if you or anyone is interested in my restored 2-blade fans fixed by Mal Colby, they are for sale. Please contact me by PM. Please be aware that these steel fans will still act like the originals, they have a finite fatigue life and should be checked regularly. I cannot guarantee them.

01-18-2018, 12:24 PM	#8
GRutter Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Mint Hill, North Carolina Posts: 386	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? If any are the Late 31 single thickness style, I am interested.

01-18-2018, 12:51 PM	#9
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,031	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? If I purchased an aluminum fan I would buy it new from one of the reputable suppliers and not used from a swap meet. Many of the older aluminum reproductions had manufacturing errors. Charlie Stephens

01-18-2018, 01:24 PM	#10
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,162	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? Is the maker of the aluminum fan MAC's that they and all the other supplier sell? I don't want to rebash MAC's, but I would rather not buy a fan that they have had made. Rusty Nelson

01-18-2018, 03:15 PM	#11
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,962	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I think all the problems associated with the aluminum fans have been corrected. I got mine from Bratton's and there were no problems.

01-18-2018, 03:30 PM	#12
barnstuf Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cape Cod MA Posts: 2,840	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? To the best of my knowledge the replacement aluminum fans in the original design are made by Snyder's and wholesaled to other dealers and retailed to his customers. The two piece fan pictured in the original question in this thread ,in which blades are bolted to the hub, is a replacement fan developed by MARK Auto as a replacement many years ago. Since the replacement aluminum fan has been available I have not seen the two piece one advertised by retailers. The aluminum reproduction fan has evolved into the number 1 choice replacement fan these days. Yes, it had some earlier problems more than a few years ago, which have been solved to the best of my knowledge. I have not hesitated to use one on my 1929 with favorable results.

01-18-2018, 03:35 PM	#13
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I tried one of those 2 blade steel fans on one of my cars. It was about as useful as fly screens on a submarine! __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

01-18-2018, 04:30 PM	#15
daveymc29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 1,554	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? Try a four bladed fan. That will double your odds of taking out the hood or radiator. With luck you may take out both. My original two blade just took out the radiator core.

01-18-2018, 05:32 PM	#17
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I think that it was 1977 when I bought my first aluminum two blade fan from Snyders and it is still holding up well . All of the new fans that I have bought and used since have been the aluminum 2 blade fans and have never had a problem with any of them . I bought a AA truck at a swap meet with one of the old model 46 style 4 blade fans and before I got around to changing it out , it took out a good radiatoe and damaged a new hood . The last aluminum 2 blade fan that is on my roadster had a sticker that said balanced and it is very smooth. I bought it in 05. I've got a few of the 2 blade steel fans liker pictured above on the right . I've never run any of them . Some have steel hubs . I have some with aluminum hubs with thinner blades that came from JC Whitney in the 60s . A person could run the old Whitney fans as 4 blade or unbolt and remove the outer blade and run them as a two blade. The blades are one piece and shouldn't give any problems. I just didn't like the looks of the old repro steel fans .

01-18-2018, 06:16 PM	#18
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,962	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I think a lot of fan problems came from old age and the fact that people sometimes have turned the engine by the fan.

01-18-2018, 06:53 PM	#19
redmodelt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland OR Posts: 6,340	Re: Two blade steel fan - sellers? I think a lot of original fans break because of vibration, stress, metal fatigue and age. __________________ I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!