VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc 65 Impala Fan Shroud

I have an original unrestored 65 Impala Big Block 396. Is it supposed to have a fan shroud. I ordered one from Classic Industries and it will not fit. My radiator where a shroud would mount is 27 1/2" wide and the shroud they sent me is 26 1/4 wide. The car doesn't look like there never was a shroud on it.

Any help will be appreciated.

Hi Back Roads,

My experience has been with my Chevelle, but I think the mystery of fan shrouds carries on to the Impala as well.

I added the same response in the 1965-69 section.
1965-69

I have found that some cars have finger guards. This is a metal piece that runs across on the back-side top of the radiator to prevent ones fingers going into the fan while the car is running.

I have also found that shrouds were installed ONLY on cars with AC.

The one I have installed on my 66 Chevelle is injection molded plastic. I doubt it had one from the factory.

Here is a photo of one that is available at Impala Bob's.




Hope this helps.

Jim, Thanks for your reply. The one I purchased looks like yours but it is to narrow to mount on the core support. I'm starting to think it never had a shroud on it.

Jim

Have you checked your parts book to see if they show a shroud for your application?

:) :grin:

There are several shoruds listed for 1965 full sized cars. There are about two dozen shrouds for 1065-67 full size and Chevelles.

Some shrouds as called mounting shrouds. The were a square metal box that fit between the core and the core support. Then there are the round plastic shroulds that fit behind the radiator. The shroud that is listed for a 1965 fullsized car with a 396 is described as round and metal and fits the 1965 396 and 409 only.
If I remember correctly this was just a narrow ring the the fan sat inside of. Possible not all 396's had one. How far is the fan from the core?

I remember when these cars were new. It was always difficult to pick the correct shroud.....Different shrouds were used for 6 and 8 cyl, A.C. or not, heavy duty core or not, 283, 327, 396 engines all different.

Thanks Gene, My fan is 1 1/4" from the radiator. The car has factory air. Is it possible it never had a shroud. This car was purchased new July 11, 1965. I have been told the 396 was a mid year introduction. Could this be one of the first ones out?

Jim

In early 1965 the 396 replaced the 409. I would guess that this was early in the 1965 production year.. The 409's are rare and the 396's common. There were only 2828 409 sold and 59,650 396.
The 1965's probably went into production in Sept of 1964, with production ending in about late July 1965. Depending as to how long your car was in the dealers inventory it would be a late car. All the better as the early 1965's had a lot of "bugs".

Unlike cars with the smaller engines all 396 had the same radiator core, air conditioning or not and it was the largest made with no heavy duty available.

At 1 1/2" space I would guess it had the small ring shroud and it would have been about 3" deep. As long as it dosen't overheat at low speeds and you keep your fingers out of the fan there should be no problem. The engine would have been equuipped with a very large fan blade and a de-clutching fan. If the de-clutching fan is working it should be real noisy when cold and taper off to silence as it warms up. Usually about 5 or 10 minutes in the summer.

Does anyone out there have a 65 or 66 that the mounting surface for the shroud measures 26 1/4" over all one side to the other. That will tell me what the shroud I have will fit. I'm sure I can't return it. I have painted it satan black and it looke better than when I received it.

Thanks for your help.

Consider checking http://www.chevelles.com/forums/ , or http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums/index.php. I think you will find a lot of info (and a lot of "experts") on big block.

Hope this helps.

I found the problem. Classic Industries sent me a shroud for a big block without AC. My car has AC. They do not carry a shroud for one with AC and they said I could return the one for a full refund.