peter wrote:As does the Bentely GT (and yes, I know that the Bentley isn't german).
Hmmh, I (partly) disagree on this one.
Bentleys are still assembled on the old Rolls-Royce production-site in Crewe (England) and they still make some models (Brooklands, Arnage, Azur) technically based on earlier Rolls-Royces BUT Bentley is 100% owned by Volkswagen for a couple of years now and the recent Continental-line including the GT is a piece of german engineering and shares among other parts its W12 engine with the VW Phaeton and the Audi A8 (not sure wether those are being exported to the north america). Design (exterior & interior) is british though.
peter wrote: If I had to buy a german car, it'd be a Mercedes without a doubt. The new SLS? 550? gimes me a willy everytoime I see one. As does the Bentely GT (and yes, I know that the Bentley isn't german).
And for what you spent "over-engineering ZZ", you could have bought two of each!
Matt
Selah, WA
-96 GMC Safari AWD Hi-Top Conversion -->Stalled 5.3L swap & 5" lift
-74 Ford Bronco -->Far from perfect but mine!
-99 V-10 Ford Super Duty Super Cab 4x4 -->Stock with 285 Cooper ATs
-00 Ford Focus Wagon -->The Red Turd
-95 Ford 24' Class C Motorhome -->My big block sleeper
-07 Can-Am Outlander XT -->My yellow 4x4 quad for work & play
-04 Ski Doo REV Summit -->Still several chassis behind!
Anyone in the future looking for a 4000 cfm fan set up, you might want to check Skip White's prices out. There have been several members who have bought different items from him, including myself. Great people to work with and price is usually very good.
Figured I'd throw my 2 cents in. With my 5.7 swap my cooling was barely adequate with the stock rad (old style and new style) with the stock fan. On my 305 van I have the taurus fan with an electronic controller. This van never even comes close to over heating. I have had a 170* stat in it fo a couple years and the needle barely registers. Today was 80 something on the way home with front and rear ac on. Never flinched. I put a 195 stat in this afternoon because I put a stock chip in for better mpg. I should also mention that I had a 3 core rad in it but it cracked. I had a stock 3\4" core rad at the house that I put in with the same results. That was last year. For the 2007 NECO I towed a 5000 lb camper with no problem. It was only like 30 miles but hey, it did have to come up the hill to my house. Someday Ill find out how it works with a 350 and a torqy cam.
Current:
01 AWD - Stock
98 AWD - Stock
Past:
93 4WD - 305 V8 - 5" lift - 31" tires
98 4WD DHC - 10" lift - 33" tires - Onboard air and Hydraulics - Snowplow
92 RWD - 350 V8 - lowered - 97 front clip
92 RWD - 350 V8 - converted to AWD - V6
91 AWD - 350 V8 - conversion van
94 RWD - 350 V8 - sons van
92 RWD - stock - sons van
93 RWD Shorty - project
89 RWD Shorty - parts van
Dual 11 inch Flex-a-Lites and 1 3/8 radiator core have been in for almost a year and kicking ass. No overheating issues even when driving uphill at 80mph with 4 people, tons of gear and a 1200lb pop-up trailor..in the Nevada desert. I did have the driver's side tank crack last january in Tucson, which I had to have a shop replace. All is well now!
2004 Astro AWD
4inch Overland lift, 265/70/16, Poptop Colorado CamperVan, 11inch Roof Fan, Custom Bumper...more to come on the interior
I am really surprised that everyone is shying away from the factory Astro/Safari thermostatically controlled mechanical fan. I did a 5.3L V8 swap into my 1998 Astro, modified (shortened) the length of my original shroud assembly, and mounted the 4.3 thermostatically controlled fan on the water pump threads. My engine runs a constant 190 degrees at all times, in hot or cool weather. As a bonus, the fan continuously moves a good volume of air over the engine and forces the heat out of the doghouse area, keeping the engine from being trapped in a heat chamber of very hot air.
I should also mention that I had my rad core changed to a wider single row aluminum core, from 5/8" wide to 1 1/4" wide.
It's not a matter of shying away, it just didn't work for me. My first attempts at the stock fan (old steel fan) didn't go so well. It's very hard to make a decent shroud when doing a swap with the older front ends. There just isn't any room. Plus the 96+ plastic fan has more fins. I then did a front end swap to a newer style front end and finally had some room. I trimmed the original 96+ shroud to fit. Barely had to trim it. So I now had a great shroud and it worked nice except for really hot days with the AC idling at lghts. As long as the van was moving it worked great. I had a new stock radiator. Couldn't find anything thicker and didn't want to pay for a cutom recore. I have the Taurus fan on my AWD 305 van. The electric fan was out of neccessity. I have a 4 1\2" body lift which put the fan too low in relationship to the radiator. With the results I have had with it so far which is a few years I would definately use it again. My lastest project involves an LT1 which doesn't support a mechanical fan so I will be trying the Taurus again. They are cheap to come by and the shroud that comes with it will work on the stock Astro radiator.
Current:
01 AWD - Stock
98 AWD - Stock
Past:
93 4WD - 305 V8 - 5" lift - 31" tires
98 4WD DHC - 10" lift - 33" tires - Onboard air and Hydraulics - Snowplow
92 RWD - 350 V8 - lowered - 97 front clip
92 RWD - 350 V8 - converted to AWD - V6
91 AWD - 350 V8 - conversion van
94 RWD - 350 V8 - sons van
92 RWD - stock - sons van
93 RWD Shorty - project
89 RWD Shorty - parts van
I know that I am late for the party here, but I just wanted to add my input.
I drive around town in 90 - 110 *f in mid summer (like now).
I also tow 5000lb ski boat, or a 1500lb sandrail and trailer (with camping gear) or 1200lb large jetskiis with camping gear, through the 120*f heat for 200 miles each way, up and down steep grades.
I will Always recommend using an engine driven fan, with a HD 3-core radiator, over Electric cooling fans. You can get a 7 or 9 blade Chevy fan to replace your 5 blade. They can be found on Chevy Caprice cop-cars and HD 3500 7.4ltr pick-ups.
Yeah.... > they may suck some hp, but how much is that worth to look down at your guages and see everything is normal while towing up a very steep grade for 29 miles? ( I have to deal with that here in SoCal )
`86 V8 Lowered Cargo, extensively modified, shaved bald, wearing the shortest, sluttyest white primer dress....