73 to 78 fan shrouds. What improvements? What years?

[Bob Dunahugh]

I've had 3 - 1978 Royales. And bought a 73 GMC last year to fix up. I had no idea of all the changes over the 5 years. Then Barb's 73 came by with no shroud. So I set out to put my extra 78 shroud on her 73. Went over to look at my 73. Wow. Lots of differences. So did the 73 design go to 77? I'm always towing with a 17,000 lbs GVW. With our 403 - 78 Royale. With absolutely no cooling modifications. Not even an extra trans cooler. Never had any cooling problems. In the mountains, or Arizona in August. So could the 77,78 improvements be the reason for my lack of problems in cooling? With the loads I pull. With my enclosed trailer. I'm at 24,000 lbs. Bob Dunahugh

 

[Ken B]

My 76 did NOT have the wider shroud and the added baffles. So we can assume that the change was made sometime after Jan of 1976. I replaced my
shroud with a split one from Faye Curtis. She made them full width like the later year GMCs and sold them for all GMC years. It it worth while
upgrade for access to every thing on the front of the engine. I highly recommend it for everyone. I did not buy it to address cooling problems and I
have never heard of it be sold for that, but is sure improves servicing everything on the front of the engine with that horse collar gone.

I saved the old one for a couple of years and finally was going to throw it away. Then a friend said he wanted it for a spare. Well, he never got it
because I accidentally ran over it one day with my PU truck.

If you are installing a new one for her, order one from Faye Curtis or Jim K. if he has them. Jim has almost everything for a GMC.

Also those 4 front brackets on the engine get thrown away with this shroud. I can get both halfs of that shroud off in 10 minutes and the bottom in
less than 5 minutes.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[johnny]

My 23' Transmode had the 'horse collar', while my 26' has the full width one piece shield. This leads to the conclusion that the change came sometime
in the 1976 model year, the 23' being early production and the 26 late by VIN.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased