WQ59B Posted March 26, 2005 Share Posted March 26, 2005 From numerous online (and other) pics, Buick took 3 approaches to a fan guard underhood for '59: 1.) nothing, 2.) a radiator-width plate with reinforcing ribs on it. This mounts between the 'fender crossmember' and the radiator and effectively closes off that area from-to-back & side to side. The 3rd approach I saw once was a rather flimsy looking piece that 'floated' in the same area and almost looked to be non-factory. I'm NOT interested in that one.Anyone have a decent (straight, no rot, very little rust) factory fan guard available? Reply here or drop me a line:ventiport@>>REMOVE<<earthlink.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry29-26 Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 I have looked through my 59 books and could find nothing on fan guard or shroud. I do not have a parts book. My Electra dosen't have a shroud around the fan but then it dosen't have air conditioning.My Invicta has factory air and also a steel shroud around the fan. Only cardboard shroud I have seen was on a 59 with add on air. If you would like some photos Email me at pattery@elroynet.com.Terry29-26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tom Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Like Terry29-26, my 59 Invicta with A/C has a full steel shroud around the fan.Terry29-26, what model is your '59 Invicta? Do you know where it was built? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 Here's the first pic I could find to show what I'm talking about, but it's not the best:It's the piece that bridges across from the 'fender crossmember' to the radiator tank. I am under the impression that it was a later retro-fit, but I have no factory info to back that up with. I can't say if it's an A/C piece or not.Mark59-4637 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 I realize that a lot of the pics in the factory manuals are of pre-production cars (or even other makes: '59 Buick tailgate section has a number of pics of '59 Pontiac wagons), but...In the 1959 Chassis Service Manual, on page 7-45 is a pic illustrating the Air Ride shut-off valve. This cropped pic seems to show not only an Air-Ride car, but one with A/C, as a fan shroud can be partially seen. Also visible is yet another 'fan guard' in the same position as in the above pic, but appearing to be moreso a rubber baffle with a sheetmetal reinforcing edge that is bolted to the same 'fender crossmember'. I have also not seen this set-up in person... tho I'm not sure I've ever examined an A/C car underhood before.Anyway- I thought I'd point this out while we're on the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry29-26 Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Tom:The Invicta is a 4639.the Electra is a 4839. I would sell Both if someone offered me the right price.Terry29-26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tom Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Terry,Thanks. I'm still looking for the elusive convertible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amipromo Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Following my researches only the early production '59 Buicks had this shroud; regardless if AC or not. All the later ones used a bracket only to keep in place the radiator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Silver Arrow Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 This particular piece is known as the "Bracket and Fan Guard - Radiator Mounting" in the parts book. Item 1192333, group 1.271 and was used only on A/C equipped 1959 models. The non-A/C models used just the bracket, item # 1190799. Hope this helps!Silverarrow1959 Electra 225 CVT1959 LeSabre 4dr HT1959 Invicta 4dr Estate Wagon1959 Comet-Buick Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 Thanks for the info, guys. My '59 is both non-A/C and a late build (June). I will look for a A/C parts car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 OK New Jersey: I have a fan shroud from a 59 Electra sedan with fact a/c. It's not worth much, maybe $25. or so and the shipping is a pain. Got any 60 stuff to trade? Mitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_widomski Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I took some pictures of the fan shroud on my air conditioned Electra and posted them on my web site, http://www.59buick.com/59_buick_convertible.htm. To my knowledge this is the original piece, when I took the front clip apart, it appeared to all original pieces were there and the car was no bastardized. Hope this helps. I would have gotten them out sooner but didn't uncover the car till today and I didn't have any pics of the shroud when I took it apart.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 16, 2005 Author Share Posted April 16, 2005 Mitch-- only thing I have for '60 at the moment is a set of Super DeLuxe hubcaps. Very nice but very heavy- shipping would get costly...Bob- I suppose you know you have a gorgeous car, right? Just making sure. The 'fan guard' shown in the lower left pic is what I alluded to as the 'floater' (or the "3rd approach" I mentioned in the opening post). I accept that it's factory on your word. However, take another look at the pic I posted above; the 2nd post I made. Note how this guard goes beyond the upper radiator hose and conforms to it's shape. It also fills the space more fully. This one perhaps was a later-issue fan guard. I'd like to find that one if possible. When was your car built? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_widomski Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 There is a Buick Invicta for sale on Ebay, 4544353040 It appears that the fan guard is the same as mine from the pic of the engine compartment. I am going to email the owner to see if he has other pics.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 Bob-looks like he has the circular fan shroud, but no fan guard, just the radiator support. Check out auction #4544074244 ('59 Electra w/ 17K claimed miles)- it has what I will persist calling the 'floating' fan guard (doesn't completely fill the gap side-to-side or radiator-to-support). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 24, 2005 Author Share Posted April 24, 2005 This Fairfield Mint model '59 shows the full guard: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 Here are the photos from the Ebay auctions:This first is from the Invicta flattop currently on Ebay, and the second shows the engine compartment from an Electra flattop that was recently sold on Ebay. Neither car has factory A/C. (My '59 Electra has the same radiator support as these cars.) The green Electra 225 on Ebay has the ribbed fan guard that WQ59B is referring to. This is a factory A/C car: Another A/C '59 225 has just appeared on Ebay, and its fan guard is also the ribbed type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 24, 2005 Author Share Posted April 24, 2005 You guys see what I'm talking about right? There are <span style="font-weight: bold">2</span> different fan guards- the 'floater' seen in the immediate-above pics by Centurion and the 'full' one shown in the 2 pics I posted. I really want the 'full' one (both have ribs). Beyond that, I am curious why 2 different ones were used.Early press on the '59s stated they 'threw away' the fan shroud because it created too much noise, yet obviously they were installed on A/C cars. But a fan guard in addition to the shroud seems like overkill to me; the shroud should be an efective guard by itself. Yet it seems most of the guard-equipped cars have A/C. I guess Buick Engineering continued to refine details during the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_widomski Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 Hey guyscheck out the following ebay auction, 4545545802 Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 Here's what Bob is referring to. The seller claims everything except exhaust and tires is original, but I have some doubts about this fan guard.Do you think there's a possibility that different assembly plants might account for some of the variations we're seeing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest invicta592 Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 Well, if it helps at all, my non-air Invicta was built in South Gate and has the same rad support as Brians. I've also seen a non-air Invicta built in Linden which also has the same bracket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted April 27, 2005 Author Share Posted April 27, 2005 That only seems to reaffirm what I've noted to date, Dave; no obvious rhyme or reason to the installation of these guards. Only theory I have left is date of manufacture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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