Bogus BB Nova 5 Blade Fan

[WILMASBOYL78]

68 model year Nova and Camaro had a 5 blade "clutch" fan....the 5 blade "W" fan was used on 69-70 396 Novas only. There may be some other versions of the fan that went with other applications, but I don't know what they are. I have a number of the original fans so there is no doubt in my mind on the useage.


wilma

[waynew]

Thanks Wilma! Seems every expert has an opinion.
You'll have to get in line with the 3 other opinions I've had on this fan issue. If you have some GM reference that put's this issue to rest I'd appreciate it.


eBay Seller's expertise:

Wayne,
If your car is a Sept 1968 L78 396 375 HP Nova then this is the correct fan blade. GM made three different versions of this fan blade. The "H" fan is the correct fan blade for the early 1969 cars which you have. 1969 and 1970 both used the larger bolt pattern for the water pump. 1968 L78 396 375 HP Nova's also used a five blade fan but this fan was a clutch fan not a straight fan like the 1969 and 1970 cars. I hope this helps. Thank you for your interest.
Jenny

[JRSully]

Wayne, I tried to warn people about that fan as you can read above, there is no "book" evidence showing the correct fan for correct time period etc. I can tell you that according to the "experts" out there, there has never been a BB Nova fan that didn't have 5 rivets and straight cut fan blades. check www.novaresource.com. Greg Roberts has culled all the information from every expert from every corner of the country and mostly from original 68,69 and 70 untouched survivor cars. How does Jenny know there were 3 different versions of this fan?, no such info available imo. Simple popular opinion says there was the 68 only fan and then the 69-70 fan with two bolt patterns, all fans having 5 rivets and straight cut blades. Seems kind of petty, but when your spending $650 bucks on a radiator fan, you want the right piece. Just my 2 cents SULLY

[waynew]

Thanks Guys! Really!
If it's correct or not...it's mine.
I've seen several short-water-pump fans for sale on eBay and from local friends.
But in the 2 years since I've owned my Nova, it is the ONLY 5-blade long-water-pump
GM fan that I could find offered for sale...from eBay or any other source.
I'm satisfied that this fan is a GM part that was removed from a '69 Nova L78.
I'm doing my best to restore my Nova with the available original parts.
Hope everyone will be enjoying the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Stay safe.
Wayne

[WILMASBOYL78]

wayne,Good luck with your project..the fan doesn't really matter any way, since you can't see it when your driving 80mph!!!

have a nice bird..


wilma

[waynew]

Thanks much!
Hey...you or Tom have a "W" stamp 5-blade for a 69/70 long water pump? Would be nice to know they exist anyway.
Ever seen another fan like mine?
Wayne

[JRSully]

Wayne, I have a 69-70 "W" fan, also have a 69-70 Dual bolt pattern (factory crash replacement parts) BB Nova fan with a TW on it, unfortunately I have never seen a fan like yours in a BB Nova application. SULLY

[waynew]

I found some helpful info in
"The Definitive 1969 Camaro Z/28-SS396 Fact Book"
by Jerry MacNeish.

On pages 39 & 40, the author discusses the correct Camaro "772" clutch fan.
He describes and provides pictures of 2 correct versions.

A stamped/dated fan with flat bottom blade and what appears to be 5 rivets,
and a non-stamped with notched bottom blade and 4 rivets.

I quote the author, "Technically speaking, both fan assemblies
would be correct for 302, 396 and 427 solid lifter engines."

So until someone writes "The Definitive 1969 396 Nova Fact Book"
I'm hoping that the same 2 fan versions were correct for non-clutch 1969 L78 Novas.
Hey...maybe the non-stamped version is even harder to find.
Any other info would be appreciated.

Wayne

[Stefano]

Need fan blade dated June or earlier.

[WILMASBOYL78]

to the best of my info...there are no date codes on the fans.

wilma..subject to correction by Sully