Re: [T3] interchangable fan shroud??

[Jake Kooser <jake_k@ibm.net>]

It's funny you should ask, Rachel.  I just got through doing just that
on my friend Wilson's engine (yes, still not in the car yet - I was gone
for a whole month).  The engine is a combination of my 1973 'long block'
and Wilson's '66 carbs and ignition, with spare parts for the conversion
to dual port bought along the way.  We were using the fan shroud (the
aluminum piece) from his engine (66) and were just about to mount the
generator from my new '71 partsmobile, when we discovered the same
problem you figured out before you went shopping.  From what I can tell,
it's a real pain in the butt to fully assemble the shroud, then have to
disassemble it, move the cooling flaps to the late model shroud ('cause
you've only got one set), and then reassemble it again. 
 Wait a minute, that last sentence was supposed to read 'From what I can
tell, the early and late shrouds are completely interchangeable, except
for the generator mount.'  As far as getting it into the car, I don't
know - they seem to be the same size.  The 'stock exhaust' question?  If
it's such a hassle to replace the shroud with the stock exhaust in
place, wouldn't you be removing it to put on another exhaust? 
Self-solving problem!  I have the engine for my '71 squareback out of
the car, on my work table.  I just looked at it (with stock exhaust and
shroud in place) and it looks like you should be able to get the shroud
off without too much trouble.  Get ready for a lot of creeper time,
though - it's not going to be that easy.  I think to get it off with the
engine in the car and exhaust in place, you'll probably have to pull the
crank pulley off before you can get the tin part off.  Once that's out
of the way, it should be pretty easy, there are only 7 bolts holding it
on: 6 outside and 1 inside the shroud.  If you don't have one yet,
you'll be wanting to get a generic 'harmonic balancer' or steering wheel
puller.  There's no way to pry the fan off with the engine in the car,
and that's the wrong way to do it anyhow - too easy to bend the fan. 
Don't forget to disconnect the cooling flaps before you remove the
"front" half of the aluminum shroud.  There's a little 'E' clip on the
rod, and a washer underneath it.  Be careful not to lose the clip - I
used needle nose pliers to pull it straight off (of course, I wasn't
laying under a car at the time).  The torque for the crank pulley is 94
- 108 Ft/Lbs in the Bentley book.  You'll need a 30 mm socket for it,
too.  Have fun, and let us know how it works out.

Jake "I'll make stoopid mistakes so you don't have to" Kooser

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