Heat, heat and more heat!!

[DocDirk]

Well I thought since my BB Ford wouild overheat with the hood on and wouldn't overheat as long as I had the hood off, that the 1950cfm fan plus the hindered engine compartment airflow was my main cooling problem. I purchased a 3000+ cfm fan and have yet to install it. It's been a nice balmy 65-70 degrees here lately but we're having a bit of a heat wave today and I drove in 95+ degree April weather (phew!) and that nice steady 185 degree temp reading moved itself to 225 again. No other changes in the car were made, just driving in 30+ degrees warmer weather. I ran it up onto the freeway in the hopes that the ram air effect would reduce the temp but it didn't. I'm wondering....

Does anyone know at about what speed the ram air effect exceeds the cooling benefits of a good strong fan? If 55 mph exceeds the fan's capacity to move air through the radiator with an good shroud then the fan alone won't keep my car cooled in stop and go traffic on a 100 degree summer day around here I've read every post on the engine heat/cooling topic on this wonderful forum and have made every effort to optimize the system other than not yet rerouting the surge tank hose from the pressurized radiator side to the water pump intake hose as suggested by Kitcarbp.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is really a Northern Canadian car in disguise??

Thanks!

Dirk