Author Topic: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator  (Read 3789 times)

Offline Rusty

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69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« on: January 14, 2016, 11:38:43 AM »
I'm currently searching for the correct radiator, fan and fan clutch for my 69 Mach 1 390. It's a 4-speed with AC and was built at Metuchen in Nov 68. So far this is what I've come up with.........

Radiator :  C8ZE-A/B/C/K/M/L/or L1 (from mustangtek.com)
Fan :  C8OE-B
Fan clutch :  C8OE-A/B/or C

Which of these, if any, are correct for my car? Also, I've noticed that on these parts that the correct application may depend on whether the car has standard cooling, extra cooling or super extra cooling. What is the difference between these cooling packages and which would my car have? Unfortunately I don't have a build sheet to help figure this out.
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2016, 05:38:47 PM »
Will take just one part of your question to start with since it doesn't require getting the books out and starting searches



........... Also, I've noticed that on these parts that the correct application may depend on whether the car has standard cooling, extra cooling or super extra cooling. What is the difference between these cooling packages and which would my car have? Unfortunately I don't have a build sheet to help figure this out.

You need to get a Marti report for your car it will provide what package if any your car was ordered with. Think that would be my first step in this investigative process
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Rusty

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2016, 05:44:01 PM »
I just looked at my Elite Marti Report and it doesn't mention anything about cooling packages.
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2016, 06:06:23 PM »
Extra cooling package standard with AC. Brian
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline Rusty

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2016, 06:09:54 PM »
Extra cooling package standard with AC. Brian


Thanks Brian. What would the extra cooling package consist of? A particular radiator and fan/clutch?
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2016, 06:20:34 PM »

Thanks Brian. What would the extra cooling package consist of? A particular radiator and fan/clutch?

Yes how a car is equipped along with when the car was built would identify the specific part used to originally build your car. Consider that it would have made little sense money wise for Ford to have multiple different radiators built, shipped and inventoried to fit one application or even multiple different ones.

What you'll find in things like the MPC's that we often discuss here is where Ford listed one, more or a different than originally installed part in their catalogs so that they could reduce the number of parts that he needed to inventory to service those cars. That is how you find lists of multiple radiators (for example) as you have found so far. 
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2016, 06:51:44 PM »
Ok spent a while going through what I've got easy access to unfortunately at this point can't provide what the original radiator marking was

Did check the later MPC but its worthless since it only lists the service replacement - one size fits all application

Checked the buildsheets I have and unfortunately don't have a 69 390 4 speed with AC. Sure you understand how rare your car is - just makes this more difficult :(
The 69 S code 4 speed buildsheets I have show two different radiators so its likely that some have the standard radiator listed while others had the extra cooling ordered. Just no way of telling - without running a Marti report for both, to see which one is which. My guess would be the C8ZE-L  based on your car's build date and all the rest of the details

For the moment it appears (based on what I've found so far)  that for a fan the C8OE-B marked fan is possibly the correct fan while the fan clutch of C8OE-A is likely the right one for the application

Hope this helps and that someone will come up with a matching buildsheet to confirm
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Rusty

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2016, 07:01:23 PM »
Ok spent a while going through what I've got easy access to unfortunately at this point can't provide what the original radiator marking was

Did check the later MPC but its worthless since it only lists the service replacement - one size fits all application

Checked the buildsheets I have and unfortunately don't have a 69 390 4 speed with AC. Sure you understand how rare your car is - just makes this more difficult :(
The 69 S code 4 speed buildsheets I have show two different radiators so its likely that some have the standard radiator listed while others had the extra cooling ordered. Just no way of telling - without running a Marti report for both, to see which one is which. My guess would be the C8ZE-L  based on your car's build date and all the rest of the details

For the moment it appears (based on what I've found so far)  that for a fan the C8OE-B marked fan is possibly the correct fan while the fan clutch of C8OE-A is likely the right one for the application

Hope this helps and that someone will come up with a matching buildsheet to confirm


Very good. Thanks a bunch Jeff. That's what I was leaning towards as "most likely" correct. I'll pencil those in on my parts list and continue to research while I'm searching for the parts. I appreciate the help.
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline WT8095

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2016, 08:01:16 PM »
Ok spent a while going through what I've got easy access to unfortunately at this point can't provide what the original radiator marking was

Did check the later MPC but its worthless since it only lists the service replacement - one size fits all application

Checked the buildsheets I have and unfortunately don't have a 69 390 4 speed with AC. Sure you understand how rare your car is - just makes this more difficult :(
The 69 S code 4 speed buildsheets I have show two different radiators so its likely that some have the standard radiator listed while others had the extra cooling ordered. Just no way of telling - without running a Marti report for both, to see which one is which. My guess would be the C8ZE-L  based on your car's build date and all the rest of the details

For the moment it appears (based on what I've found so far)  that for a fan the C8OE-B marked fan is possibly the correct fan while the fan clutch of C8OE-A is likely the right one for the application

Hope this helps and that someone will come up with a matching buildsheet to confirm

The '69 Engine Assembly Manual does not specifically list radiators for 390 Mustangs, but it does show them for Cougars. The Cougar with M/T & std. cooling is listed as C9ZE-AE1 or -AE2. Extra cooling for M/T lists C8ZE-L1 or -L2 (like you suggested). The -L1 and -L2 are also the only radiator listed for the 428s & 429s.

For the fan & clutch, again no Mustang entry but Cougar shows C8OE-B fan and -D clutch for A/C (-C for standard, extra, or "added"). I have no idea if Mustang followed suit - just passing along what's in the book for comparison.
Dave Z.

'68 fastback, S-code + C6. Special Paint (Rainbow promotion), DSO 710784. Actual build date 2/7/1968, San Jose.
'69 Cougar convertible, 351W-2V + FMX, Meadowlark Yellow.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2016, 08:21:44 PM »
WT8095 - what is the date on that page?  And revision dates or notes?

So we can maybe put it into context
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline WT8095

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  • Dave Z.
Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2016, 09:53:25 PM »
WT8095 - what is the date on that page?  And revision dates or notes?

So we can maybe put it into context

Radiator, page 101:
DATE 1-31-69 WAS 12-20-68
EFFECTIVE WITH CAX3-PF-604642


Fan & clutch, page 119:
DATE 9/12/68 WAS 8/23/68
EFFECTIVE WITH CAX3-PF 604600

Dave Z.

'68 fastback, S-code + C6. Special Paint (Rainbow promotion), DSO 710784. Actual build date 2/7/1968, San Jose.
'69 Cougar convertible, 351W-2V + FMX, Meadowlark Yellow.

Offline Rusty

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2016, 01:03:51 AM »
What would be the difference between standard cooling and extra cooling?
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2016, 02:07:11 AM »
What would be the difference between standard cooling and extra cooling?

Didn't look those details up but in general (different applications) it can be the radiator size, thickness, concentration of transfer tubes/channels from the top tank to the bottom one just to name some details.  For fans and clutches (though it doesn't appear that they did this on your application) it can mean a change from a standard fan (fixed) to a clutch style one
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Rusty

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #13 on: January 15, 2016, 05:43:00 AM »
Thanks for the input. With the info you provided and other data that I was able to dig up from different websites and the Corcoran & Davis Restoration guide I was able to back up the numbers from multiple sources. I'm pretty comfortable now that I'm pointed in the right direction. I'm working overseas and I don't have access to my assembly manuals and resto guides at the moment so thanks for the help.

With that, I ended up with C8OE-A for the fan clutch......C8OE-B for the fan.......C8ZE-L/-L1/-L2 for the radiator. As for the -A/-B/-C/-K/-M radiators, while I'm not 100% certain, I have a feeling that those may be for auto trans equipped cars.
Rusty Maddox

1969 Mach 1, 390
Actual Build Date:  11/1/68
Assembly Plant:  Metuchen, NJ
VIN:  9T02S129xxx

 63C    T5     3A     05L      24       6       5
Body  Color  Trim  Date   D.S.O.  Axle  Trans.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 69 390 fan, fan clutch, radiator
« Reply #14 on: January 15, 2016, 02:11:42 PM »
Think a L2 radiator would not be correct for your time period. Of course you'll be checking for the date on the radiator to compare it to your 11/1/68 car build date as you likely will for the fan also ;)
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)