Welded & Balanced fan replacement ...time & effort?

How much time-effort or any special tools involved in replacing my fan ( type 1 )with a higher quality fan?
Should I replace the fan and hub or just the fan? I've got a 1776 doghouse in a mexi-crate VS, so does it / can it use the "wider' super beetle fan?
Thxs
Doug

Here's the list for the 356 pulley set-up is 3 pieces
1 pulley hub
1 pulley inner 1/2
1 pulley outer half

https://secure.klasse356.com/catalog/ShowItems.asp? Category=EEL

1 dayco 15345 belt or equivalent. gates 7345 ?
1 pack alt. shims .....
Have these handy to align alt. pulley with crank pulley if needed.

Changing the fan isn't too bad a job. Remove the belt, alt. wires and remove the nuts from the fan cover behind the alternator. Loosen the alt. hold down strap. The fan and alt. comes out in one piece. The fan just bolts to the end of the alt. shaft.
Not sure if you can use the wider fan. My guess would be no.
I wouldn't think you need a welded fan for your engine unless you plan running 6-7000 rpms routinely. Welded fans are needed mostly on hi-revving engines.

~WB

I agree with Bill. If you shift under 6000 rpm the stock fan is fine (your 1776 Mex motor probably runs out of poop over 5500 anyways). If your engine's good for 6000+ shifts I'd get the welded/balanced fan. My 2110 engine made power up to (around) 6500 rpm, and when I get it back together I'm replacing my burned 911 type shroud with a doghouse shroud and welded/balanced fan.

If you're going to go the route of a new fan AND fan shroud, then get one from a 1971 or later T-1 engine: Fan, Shroud, oil cooling tower, thermostat and any associated additional cooling tins you can find. That way, you'll have a group of stuff all designed to work together and you won't be messing around with stuff later on.

It all goes together just as Bill outlined.

Ron: How's the rebuild coming?

gn

As the guys say, you might not need it but if you're doing an install anyway, better safe than sorry. I'm not totally understanding what you mean by "1776 doghouse". Doghouse is the term used by VW enthusiasts to refer to the extra compartment for the oversized oil cooler in the fan housings on 1971 and up motors. Those units had a wider fan which is why you associate it with Super Beetles, which also came out around that time. The truth of the matter is that those units came on all late German made engines, regardless of the car model and some from production from other countries. They are definitely superior to the earlier units for higher performance engines.

"Ron: How's the rebuild coming? "
Unfortunately, the rebuild is on hold for a while. I'm in the process of replacing the cooling system on my V8 powered Mazda Miata and that's draining my 'car account'. Custom stuff is never cheap!
Ron

Ron - V8 Miata! Don't skimp on the luxories bro, life is too short.

Ron - did you do the Ford 302 conversion on your Miata?

No, the conversion was done in 1994 by Cardiac Cobras. It was a local shop that built Cobras, and a small batch of monster Miata conversions. I've owned it for 3 1/2 years.

Ron - NICE! I like that it is a 'sleeper'(roll bar aside), cool! I'm sure you have way too much fun driving it!

Shades of Sunbeam Tiger II - my neighbor owned one of those beasts back in 70s. Same concept - small car, small block Ford = max pulse beat!