GTV6 fan trick, Jaguar S, 'Spyders' and Alfa in video

["Eric Hambleton" <ejham@domain.elided>]

Slowly but surely all my spare GTV6 fans have died. The most recent
failure blew the fuse...irritating, that. So, I decided to replace the
aging units with an aftermarket, modern fan. I obtained from Pep Boys
a Hayden Automotive 3680 12" fan. Here is the interesting bit
(especially for purists), installation notes:

1. Remove the failed fan and using suitable tools, remove the fan
blade, brush assembly and bearing assembly from the frame. In other
words, gut it.

2. Take your brand new, $70 fan, remove the blade and carefully cut
all of the points where the fan guard meets the fan motor housing
(about 12 cuts.) Be careful unless pissing away $70 needlessly of no
concern to you.

3. Refit the blade in 'puller' mode (reversed from the way it ships).

4. Sit the assembly into the original GTV6 fan frame -- note the
perfection of fit! -- rotating the motor assembly so that the three
'spare' bolt holes line up with the three 'spokes' of the GTV6 fan
bracket.

5. Ensuring that at no point is the blade of the replacement fan
touching the outer rim of the fan bracket, as the manuals like to say,
'using a suitable tool' mark the location of the 3 fan motor housing
spare bolt holes in relation to the bracket. I used one of the long,
plastic radiator mounting gizmos that came with the fan: dipping the
tip in paint then carefully inserting it through the hole to make a
nice, precise dot on each of the 3 spokes.

6. Remove the new fan assembly and drill holes on the marks -- I think
I used a 5/16 bit.

7. Using suitably long, thin bolts, mount the fan to the bracket. Make
sure the fan spins freely.

8. Install in car.

Are you asking yourself 'why all this trouble?' One word: efficiency.
The car -- on just one fan! -- remains perfectly on temperature
(175-180) in any driving condition now. Even when stuck, unmoving in
traffic for 10 minutes after a spirited drive in 98 degree air
temperature.
.........

The new Jaguar S is one nice looking car. I've seen several on the
road here in Atlanta. My dad is trying very hard to resist temptation
as he owned one of the original Saloons in 1960. Bought it new at the
factory in Convertry, in fact.
.........

Not to be too nit-picky, but convertible Alfas are not 'Spyders' they
are 'Spiders.' They should move freely through any computer's spell
checker.
.........

With regard to Alfas in videos, don't forget (as I have her name) that
one female vocalist's release in the early 80's which depicted her
casually stepping through several top-down Spiders while singing. I'd
hoped her name would bubble up from memory while composing this long
message...

- - Eric Hambleton, Marietta, GA
1983 GTV6 -- Felicite

------------------------------

End of alfa-digest V7 #909
**************************