Cooling issues

Getting close to finishing up the '65 E-pup, so I've been working on the cooling issues that we all have. I finished the front bumper MOD a couple of days ago. Just need to make it pretty now. This should get me 100% grill opening for air flow.

Next step is cooling fans for the engine compartment after shut-down. And a pair of belly pan extensions beyond the radiator.

I'm also adding a temp sensor and gauge to monitor under hood temps.

A big part of the heat issue in an early van is that the radiator, exhaust manifolds, and engine are all contained in a tin box that is only vented from the bottom..... And heat rises!

I've not looked that closely at the van pickups, but if any part of the engine box is out the back of the cab, adding vents at the top rear of the box would allow heat to escape naturally and diminish the amount of trapped heat radiating from the sections of the box that are in the cab....

I thought about a rear vent into the bed, but would rather not. I'm hoping to get rid of that heat without modifying anything that shows.

Hey Eric that front bumper looks great! I hope it solves your cooling problem with the modification. I don't want to take the thread off-topic but where did you get the bumper to start with? I'm looking for a similar one for my project. Thanks!

The 2 stainless steel bumperettes I found on the rear of an old ambulance. I built the bumper frame and brackets out of 3/8"x3-1/2" steel, and the top I cut out of a piece of 1/8" 3003 aluminum diamond plate.

I added a rubber air dam over the radiator, and built bumper brackets to mount the old front bumper on the rear today.

Well that's why it looks so good - custom made! Nice work. I'll be chasing ambulances to find some of the ends i guess!

MDVANMAN wrote:Well that's why it looks so good - custom made!  Nice work.  I'll be chasing ambulances to find some of the ends i guess!

thanx, Eric