by Jon Mikelonis
Introduction
Don't hate me because I'm a late adopter of technology. Respect
me because I'm going to show you how to make one of the most
sensible upgrades you can make to your vintage Ford. The electric
fan conversion. If you really need to know the benefits, fasten
a 10 pound weight to a 6 foot piece of rope, find a large
open space, remain in one spot, grab the rope, and begin rotating
in circles. Tired yet? Seriously, if you need more explanation
covering the benefits of an electric fan over a conventional
flex-fan or clutched fan, let the FordMuscle article 5.0L
Electric Fan
Install do the persuading. Otherwise, if you've got an
old-school Ford
that's still swinging a stock prop and you're willing to take
my word for
it, read along and join the new millennium. I finally did.
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1994 Lincoln Mark
VIII Electric Fan
Automotive hobbyists of all sorts prefer the Lincoln
Mark VIII fan for its tremendous pulling power. While
we cannot confirm the CFM rating of these fans, once
hooked-up, anybody would be impressed considering they
can be snatched-up for under $30 at the wrecking yard. |
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The Infamous Lincoln Mark VIII Electric Cooling Fan
The aftermarket and the wrecking yard are stocked with plenty
of options in electric fans. However, the general opinion
among Ford enthusiasts points to one powerful solution. The
1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII fan. In fact, this fan has such
a great reputation for its "pulling" ability that
you'll see in recommended on numerous model-specific message
boards, regardless of make. Its' acceptance among hobbyists
loyal to non-Ford products, proves that the Mark VIII fan
passes a performance part litmus test that only a few others
have. Think of the venerable Ford 9-inch rear end. The Mark VIII fan can be found used on Ebay and classified
sections of Mustang community sites for up to $150. However,
if you are lucky, you can find one in your local wrecking
yard for $30 or less. Eight to thirteen years old, expensive
to repair, and loaded with creature comforts that only the
most tenacious enthusiast would be willing to fix, 1993-1998
Mark VIII's have a resale value that is a tiny fraction of
the original $45,000 sticker price. Right now, worn out 1993
and 1994 models are steadily approaching the $1000 threshold
that puts them within the Pick N' Pull tractor beam. So, before
you pop for a "internet deal", browse your local
yard for the ultimate score on a Mark VIII fan. Heck, I got
two in one trip.
My local yard near Reno, Nevada had already set two Mark
VIII's out
to pasture. Considering I was expecting to leave with
a late-model Thunderbird fan, this was a pleasant surprise.
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Mark VIII's were produced from 1993-1998. 93's and 94's
are just making there way into "You-Pull-It"
type yards. On this particular day, both Lincolns I came
across were 1994 models. |
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The Lincoln fan comes out so easy that I grabbed one from
both Mark VIII's in in the yard. Each fan cost me $29.95.
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I was sure to grab the wire harness for each fan after
cutting them back about 10 inches. |
Fitting the Fan
Fabricating some brackets to secure the Mark VIII fan against
the stock radiator of Project
MX (1972 Mercury Montego) took very little skill. Angle
iron, a bit of welding, and some simple hardware did the trick.
Once home, I detached the fan from the motor and gave
one of these
treasures a good cleaning. |
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Removing the factory shroud and fan from the 351 Cleveland
was a pleasure. |
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With the stock fan removed, something needed to keep the
water pump pulley in place. I grabbed some appropriate
grade 8 bolts and locking washers from the hardware store.
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There was almost no need to measure the available space
for the
new electric fan. This intermediate chassis and Cleveland
combination provided ample room. |
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Many junkyard electric fan conversions require trimming
the integrated shroud to fit. Today, it dropped right
in.
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While I could have installed the Mark VIII fan "as-is",
I took the
opportunity to give myself plenty of room for those times
when turning the crank over by hand is necessary. Here,
I determined how far the fan protruded into the shroud
area. |
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I marked a cut-line on the perimeter of the shroud about
a 1/2" in. |
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With some simple woodworking tools, I secured the fan
and used a
jigsaw to make a nice clean cut. |
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 (Fitting
the Fan Continued and Wiring the Fan Controller) |
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In This Article:
Sure to be regarded as the most comprehensive
electric fan install on the web or in print.
FordMuscle simplifies the electric fan conversion
for your vintage Ford in this step-by-step article.
Using the infamous 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII
fan, a variable speed controller, and 3G alternator,
we rid Project
MX of its stock propeller. |
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shown here (PN FAN-PWM) provides variable control by basing
fan speed on water temperature. The controller also includes
an override switch and LED feedback showing when low and
high temperature has been reached. FAN-PWM is programmable
and requires no additional relays.
