CJ-3B Fan Shroud Questions

[cmanderson79]

Hello Jeep Friends,

I am having an issue finding the correct Fan Shroud for my CJ-3B. I found a used one but it doesn't seem to fit correctly. I'm not sure how it supposed to be installed. I installed it with the flat panel on top as seen in the photo below, taken looking from the drivers side (IMG-P1). It really doesn't fit well this way but this is how a friends shroud is installed on his 3B. If you can see in the photo there is a square side and angled or beveled side. The square side is on the drivers side and the angled side is on the passengers side. The next photo (IMG-P2) is taken from the passengers side and the angled side is clearly visible.

My friends CJ-3B seems to have a different fan shroud installed. In the photo below (IMG-P10) taken from the drivers side, my friends 3B has the flat panel on top and the angled side obviously on the drivers side. In this orientation it fits very well. Notice on the photo from the passengers side (IMG-P9) The square side is installed where it has plenty of room. The fan shroud on my friends 3B seems to be correct and the one I have is not. They can't both be correct.

Please take a look at my post and let me know what you think. I will add more photos in a subsequent post. Does my friend have his shroud mounted upside down?
Do I have my shroud mounted upside down?

Thanks for reading my post and giving me your thoughts and knowledge of the Willys Jeep CJ-3B.

Thank You my Jeep friends

Chuck Anderson

[gmwillys]

Chuck,

Looking at the photos, yours is upside down. The relief on the passenger side of the shroud, (as seen in the second photo) is for the lower radiator hose, which flipped over will be on the driver's side where the hose goes into the radiator.

[LarrBeard]

If this is the worst issue you have - you are way ahead of most of us!

Good luck and send more pictures as it goes back together.

[5JeepsAz]

They can't both be correct.

Dunno. It could be. Studying in this, what I heard was if they ever did it from factory, it's correct, even if it's a one off. Maybe it's an open question...

[cmanderson79]

Hello again Jeep friends,

Thank You Gents, but I did think of that as well. Thinking that may be the case I gave it a shot. The only concern I have is how do I explain my friends 3B and as you can see in the two attached photos, it looks like I might have a problem with fan blade clearance. P12 and P13 show my 3B that will be the engine for my resto. I used the tops of the right a left fenders as a datum to measure from. I laid a four foot level across the fenders to find their location at the center of the engine bay where the fan blade is at its peak in rotation. The two photos are to get an orientation of what being shown and then close in to see the distance. Notice in the second photo, that the top of the fan blade is 2.5 inches above the top of the fenders. I get that by adding 2.25 for the level and .25 for the fan blade above the top of the level. P15 and P16 are similar but these two are of my other 3B in which I have installed the radiator and fan shroud. Notice that the the top of the arch is 5.0 inches above the fenders. I measured the diameter of the fan and got 15.0 inches. I measured the diameter of the fan shroud and got 16.5 inches. This gives me about .75 inches all around.

It just seems like the fan will be too close on the bottom with a large space on the top.

Thank you again for enduring my long posts.

Thanks Jeep Friends

Chuck Anderson

[gmwillys]

You are correct, flipping it over creates a host of issues with clearances being the first. Not knowing a whole lot of info on the 3B, I did a little digging. I came across a reproduction 3B shroud, and it looks more like your friends than yours. The taper is on the driver's side where yours is opposite. I don't have an explanation for why, but will continue to dig to see what I come up with.

https://walcks4wd.com/Radiator-Fan-Shroud-1953-1964-CJ3B_p_2007.html

[cmanderson79]

Thank You gmwillys. I was hoping to find an original but this may be one of those times when I should go the re-pop route. Love your "digging" skills.

gmwillys, you are quickly becoming my Best Jeep Friend.

Thanks again.

And thanks to ALL my Jeep Friends.

[okiemark]

It's possible that the radiator in you Jeep is not the original radiator, and that could explain why it didn't have the shroud with it. I had that issue with my CJ-5. Fortunately it runs cool without a shroud.

[gmwillys]

Consistency in manufacturing wasn't Willys strong points. Parts bins that still had inventory in them at the end of the model year were slapped on the next, even if they had to bend to fit and paint to match. The willys wagon had so much inventory that they continued to build them for two years after they officially stopped production. '63 was the last year, but there were new ones available as late as '65. Some of that was dealers sealing left over vehicles and putting the selling date as the model year on the title.

Thank you Jeep friend!

[5JeepsAz]

Reiterating my disdain for levels. Everytime we use one, it causes things to be out of whack. Dang it.

[cmanderson79]

Again, to my Jeep Friends out there, thank you for your interest and for responding to my post.

To sum things up, Harry Sheets of Midwest Willys was kind enough to allow me to send him back the fan shroud with a full refund. Shout Out to Midwest Willys - Harry and Jo are true Jeep Friends. I am going to pursue gmwillys lead on a reproduction part from Walck's 4WD.

To okiemark and 5Jeeps AZ, Thank you for responding, and the radiator in the CJ with the engine was the original. I don't even think it was a Jeep radiator. And what's worse someone has welded it to the grill assembly. As far as the level goes, I promise I paid no attention to the bubble. It just thought it would work better than a broom stick.

Thank You Jeep Friends

Chuck

[cmanderson79]

I should have said:

The radiator in the CJ with the engine was not the the original.

Chuck