Way back in 1967 when my GTO was only two weeks old I went down to the Pontiac dealer and purchased a fan shroud because the engine was getting warm sitting in traffic. My H.O. without A/C didn't come with a fan shroud. The results from adding a shroud wasn't totally expected, but actually makes sense. Idle and low speed operation dropped 15° with the shroud, but made freeway running 5° warmer. So not having a shroud will help on the higher speed cruising.
I've pretty well proven to myself that there is a high pressure area under the engine of our A bodies at freeway speeds to a point where the SD 2797 is on more than buzzing around town at 40 MPH or so. What I always wanted to do, but have been too lazy to try it, was to install an air dam to divert airflow and create a low pressure zone under the engine to pull air through the radiator. I would not put it up front by the bumper simply because it would be dead ugly. I was thinking using a stiff aluminum sheet starting flat from the radiator support to just before the cross member where it would make a sharp bend down to slightly below the cross member. Much of the air starting to go under the front of the car would be deflected from under the engine.
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Mick Batson
1967 original owner Tyro Blue/black top 4-speed HO GTO with all the original parts stored safely away -- 1965 2+2 survivor AC auto -- 1965 Catalina Safari Wagon in progress.
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