fan blade

[Nitro]

I have a 65 Malibu SS. I have a 350 in the car now. What was the original size and blade configuration in a car with factory air and a 327?

[shadowgray396]

Some info. Im not an expert on 65. This is some info I found

The 18" fan with 5 smooth blades (no indention around where it rivets to the center section), with 5 round-headed rivets per blade, was used through the end of 65 production on basically all passenger car (non-vette, non-truck) applications with AC or clutch fan. It was used on some Vette's as well during that time.

After 65 production, it gets really difficult to know what fan and what clutch is exactly right for what car (with the exception of 67-68 L78's which were a very specific special combo). The fans and the fan clutches almost always had an extra "optional" part number listed in the AIM's and that carries through to the early parts books too. So they probably had more than one version available and in use at any one given time.

From what I have seen on cars "in the field", the 65 style 5x5 round rivet fan lingered around on some 66 models built at some plants through a portion of the 66 model year (I have seen them on a 396 Impala built as late as mid March of 66). The 18" fan with 5 blades (with an indention around the rivet area) and five flat-headed rivets per blade started showing up in early 66 production, and was used off and on throughout 66, but will rarely be seen on a 67 (probably just left over stock when you do see one on a 67). And then the 18" fan with 5 blades (again with an indention around the rivet area) and four flat-headed rivets per blade started showing up a little bit further into 66 production, and seems to have been used on all the solid lifter motors too. Then in 67 almost all the clutch fans are 4 flat rivets per blade (with the indention in the blade), but with occasional exceptions where the 5x5 flat rivet blade will be seen. (I think same holds true for 68's, but I'll leave that to the 68 gurus to confirm or correct!)