Yes, A yellow TR6 fan can be installed frontward on a TR3. I've been
running one for about 2 year now. Removing the nose is, however, required -
at least I figured it was, so that's how I proceeded. With the radiator
out, I elongated the lower radiator mounting holes and moved the radiator
forward about 1/4". The top radiator stays also need to be adjusted full
out to push the top of the rad forward some. This gives you just enough
room to mount the fan on the hub (in the correct direction), with about 1/4"
clearance between the face of the fan and the radiator fins. I had to notch
the tips of the fan to clear the lower rad tank, which sticks out about
7/16" to the rear of the fins. I have also found that the 1/4" clearance is
not quite enough room to get a fan belt over the front of the fan, so
changing the belt on the side of the road could be real booger. I suppose
you could loop a spare belt over the fan and tie it out of the way prior to
reinstalling the radiator, thus insuring yourself of a built-in spare. I
didn't, and have lived dangerously for a couple of years now, always wishing
I had the spare belt.) One thing I am going to try "realsoonnow" is
shortening the hub about 1/2" to get the proper clearance from the rad face.
We'll see if it works. There is a guy in our local club that machined a few
shortened hubs from aluminum just for that purpose, but I think he's sold
out and not planning to do any more. Apparently it's quite a labor
intensive machining process. Plus, I'm not sure I want that particular
piece to be aluminum. The bolt that holds the whole assembly together gets
tightened pretty tightly; I think I want steel or iron there. There are
several who are running the aluminum hub, so I dunno...maybe I'm just being
overly cautious. I'll be the fist to admit I don't know the first thing
about metals technology.
Dennis
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