[DeTomaso] Fluidyne Radiator Shroud

jderyke at aol.com jderyke at aol.com
Sun Feb 21 17:10:02 EST 2016


Flexilite's molded plastic dual-sucker-fan shroud fits a Fluidyne radiator core, excluding only the four corners, which are squared off on the core and rounded on the shroud. To make sure I got 100% of the cooling I paid for, I made an extension of soft 3/16" x 2" aluminum strip, contoured to fit the rad on one side and the plastic shroud on the other. The shroud gasket fits on the radiator side of the aluminum extension with its soft rubber. The plastic shroud is glued to the aluminum strip, since I only got one rubber strip with the Flexilite assembly. Due to the different contour of the strip on the core side from the shroud side, I had to add a 2" long rubber filler piece from some other weatherstrip. 

This increased the surface area contacted by airflow by only about 1%, but more importantly, it pushes the shroud away from the core's backside by 2" so air being sucked thru the core edges doesn't have to make so sharp a bend to escape out the fan exhausts & create turbulence in the shroud. Two straps hold the shroud lightly against the core when the fans are off; when the fan(s) are running, suction pulls the shroud and aluminum stand-off hard against the core, sealing it. The soft rubber on the aluminum extension protects the fragile aluminum radiator core from metal-to-metal contact. This same rig has been on our car for 16 yrs with no trouble.

Flexilite may still sell their assembly with plastic tie-wraps to thread through the core and hold the shroud against the core. DO NOT USE THEM! Vibration will cause the tough plastic tie-wraps to quickly saw thru the core tubes and destroy your radiator! Most Pantera vendors that sell Flexilite radiators include straps to hold the parts in place. Bargain-hunters have to make their own mounts.  D Quella sells his Fluidyne-lookalike radiators with a TIG-welded aluminum shroud included, along with dual sucker fans and smooth TIG-welded 90 degree aluminum hose bends. I used 90 degree copper sweat-solder bends with short 1-3/8" ID hoses forced over both the radiator stubs and the copper fittings, which are both 1-1/2" OD.  FWIW- J DeRyke

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Joel Montero <joeldmontero at gmail.com>
To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
Sent: Sun, Feb 21, 2016 12:21 pm
Subject: [DeTomaso] Fluidyne Radiator Shroud

Is there anyone who is commercially producing a fan shroud for the
   Pantera Fluidyne radiator?A  I can fabricate one myself but before I
   take that step it would be good to know if someone is already doing
   this work.A

   A

   Thanks in advance for your help.A

   A

   Joel
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-------------- next part --------------
   Flexilite's molded plastic dual-sucker-fan shroud fits a Fluidyne
   radiator core, excluding only the four corners, which are squared off
   on the core and rounded on the shroud. To make sure I got 100% of the
   cooling I paid for, I made an extension of soft 3/16" x 2" aluminum
   strip, contoured to fit the rad on one side and the plastic shroud on
   the other. The shroud gasket fits on the radiator side of the aluminum
   extension with its soft rubber. The plastic shroud is glued to the
   aluminum strip, since I only got one rubber strip with the Flexilite
   assembly. Due to the different contour of the strip on the core side
   from the shroud side, I had to add a 2" long rubber filler piece from
   some other weatherstrip.
   This increased the surface area contacted by airflow by only about 1%,
   but more importantly, it pushes the shroud away from the core's
   backside by 2" so air being sucked thru the core edges doesn't have to
   make so sharp a bend to escape out the fan exhausts & create turbulence
   in the shroud. Two straps hold the shroud lightly against the core when
   the fans are off; when the fan(s) are running, suction pulls the shroud
   and aluminum stand-off hard against the core, sealing it. The soft
   rubber on the aluminum extension protects the fragile aluminum radiator
   core from metal-to-metal contact. This same rig has been on our car for
   16 yrs with no trouble.
   Flexilite may still sell their assembly with plastic tie-wraps to
   thread through the core and hold the shroud against the core. DO NOT
   USE THEM! Vibration will cause the tough plastic tie-wraps to quickly
   saw thru the core tubes and destroy your radiator! Most Pantera vendors
   that sell Flexilite radiators include straps to hold the parts in
   place. Bargain-hunters have to make their own mounts.  D Quella sells
   his Fluidyne-lookalike radiators with a TIG-welded aluminum shroud
   included, along with dual sucker fans and smooth TIG-welded 90 degree
   aluminum hose bends. I used 90 degree copper sweat-solder bends with
   short 1-3/8" ID hoses forced over both the radiator stubs and the
   copper fittings, which are both 1-1/2" OD.  FWIW- J DeRyke

   -----Original Message-----
   From: Joel Montero <joeldmontero at gmail.com>
   To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
   Sent: Sun, Feb 21, 2016 12:21 pm
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Fluidyne Radiator Shroud
   Is there anyone who is commercially producing a fan shroud for the
   Pantera Fluidyne radiator?A I can fabricate one myself but before I
   take that step it would be good to know if someone is already doing
   this work.A
   A
   Thanks in advance for your help.A
   A
   Joel
   _______________________________________________
   Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
   Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
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   use the links above.

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