Topic: Confusion over original clutch fan for '69 351W with A/C

[drummingrocks]

I'm trying to track down an original radiator fan for my '69 Mach 1.  It's a 351W car with factory air and an FMX automatic.  Of course, the original fan was long gone when I got the car.  According to the Osborne Engine manual for '69, the correct fan should be a 7-bladed clutch fan with the P/N C8SE-8600-C; the page that describes this fan is notated "351W-Ford" in the Osborne manual.

However, according to another page in the Osborne manual, the correct fan is a 5-bladed fan that carries the P/N C8SE-8600-B.  I've located both fans, but I want to be sure which one is right for my application.  The Osborne manual describes this fan as being correct for "351 2V-4V, Montego, Mustang, Air Cond., IMCO-Auto. Trans).  At the bottom of the page, there's the notation "351-2V & 4V Fairlane, Montego, & Mustang.  It's interesting to note that this fan apparently doesn't use a clutch; the accompanying picture shows the standard 2.5 in. fan spacer bolting directly to the water pump pulley.

To add fuel to the fire, I've ordered a lot of parts from West Coast Classic Cougar.  Their site lists the first fan, the 7-blade C8SE-8600-C, as being correct for a 351 2V or 4V with air or with the extra cooling package.  HOWEVER, it goes on to state that the Ford master part number is C8WZ-8600-B......which is dangerously close to being the part number for the 5-blade fan I mentioned earlier in the post!

So now, I'm really confused.     Can anyone help me make heads or tails of this?

Also, the car was sold new in Florida, so I doubt it had any type of emissions or smog equipment.

[J_Speegle]

Went through this last year or so with the 69 GT350 we put together. Its odd but this application 69 351W with AC is one fo the few applications of the period where Ford didn't install a clutch fan but instead used a non- clutch one.


You can't IMHO always trust the books since they often include what Ford PLANNED to do or shat some engineer wanted to do so we relied on buildsheets since this guide was what the workers really used to guide them to what went on the car. And we are lucky that the 69 buildsheet shows the fan and provides part of the engineering number (checked Cougar applications and they are different)

The 69 Mustang buildsheets I have from 69 for a 351 W with AC show the code C8SE  B  or decoded C8SE-8600-B. the T-Bird fan that the application shares with others like the Boss 302 that year

Hope this helps -

PS I'm sure the car had 'emissions", just not the smog pump style you are thinking of

[drummingrocks]

Thanks Jeff!  That was exactly what I needed to hear!

[Sluggo]

That part of my build sheet is missing. My car is an M code with FMX, factory A/C, PS, PB car.
 
I believe the C8SZ-8600-B to be the correct part and what I would go with.
 
My references indicate 7 bladed fans were used on big block cars in 69.

[drummingrocks]

I'm going to go with the C8SZ-8600-B.  Turns out I had bought a fan on eBay around two years ago when I first bought the car, and unbelievably, I bought the 8600-B fan back then, not even knowing for sure that it was the correct fan.