Doghouse Style Fan Shroud, No Heat Ducts, Black

OVERVIEW

When it comes to maintaining the longevity of your air-cooled engine, heat is the ultimate enemy. This Latest Rage Doghouse Style Fan Shroud is engineered for the serious enthusiast who demands maximum cooling efficiency without the cluttered look of stock heater ducts. Designed specifically for Type 1 engines, this shroud utilizes the superior ''Doghouse'' design, which incorporates a separate exit for air passing through the oil cooler. Unlike early-style shrouds that dump hot oil cooler air back onto the cylinders, this setup ensures that your number 3 and 4 cylinders receive the same cool, fresh air as the rest of the engine, preventing the dreaded localized overheating that can lead to dropped valve seats and warped heads.

Constructed from heavy-duty steel and finished in a sleek, durable black coating, this shroud is the perfect choice for custom street builds, sand rails, and dune buggies where heater boxes are long gone. By eliminating the heater duct ports, you create a much cleaner engine bay and eliminate potential air pressure drops caused by leaking or unused heater hoses. This shroud is built to withstand the high-vibration environment of a performance VW engine while providing the structural integrity needed to keep your cooling fan perfectly centered. Whether you are building a high-revving weekend warrior or a rugged off-road machine, this shroud provides the professional-grade cooling performance and aesthetics your Volkswagen deserves.

FITMENT

This fan shroud is designed for Type 1 air-cooled engines and requires the use of a ''Doghouse'' style oil cooler and a wide cooling fan. It is compatible with the following applications:

• Volkswagen Beetle: 1971-1977 (Standard and Super Beetle).
• Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: 1971-1974.
• Volkswagen Thing: 1973-1974.
• Custom Engines: Any 1300cc, 1500cc, or 1600cc based Type 1 engine retrofitted with a doghouse oil cooler setup.
• Off-Road: Ideal for Dune Buggies, Sand Rails, Baja Bugs, and Trikes using Type 1 upright engine configurations.

SPECS

• Material: High-gauge heavy-duty pressed steel.
• Finish: Semi-gloss black powder-coated finish for corrosion resistance.
• Style: Doghouse (Offset oil cooler design).
• Heater Ducts: None (Clean-sided, no-heat design).
• Internal Vanes: Precision-welded internal air deflectors for optimized cylinder cooling.
• Weight: Approximately 11 lbs.
• Compatibility: Requires Doghouse-style fan and offset oil cooler tin.
• SKU: AC119015.

PRO TIPS

1. Optimize Your Airflow with Internal Vanes

Never underestimate the importance of the internal air vanes inside a fan shroud. This Latest Rage shroud includes internal deflectors that are critical for directing air downward over the cylinder fins. When installing, always ensure your fan is centered within the shroud opening. Even a slight misalignment can cause turbulence, reducing the air pressure delivered to the heads. For the absolute best results, we recommend using a Shroud Spacer Kit (Appletree Part # 4552-51) during installation. These spacers help achieve the perfect gap between the shroud and the cylinder tin, ensuring that every cubic foot of air moved by the fan is forced through the cooling fins rather than escaping through gaps.

2. Seal the System for Maximum Pressure

An air-cooled engine is only as cool as its seals. Since this shroud eliminates heater ducts, you have already taken a great step toward a more pressurized cooling system. However, you must ensure that the fan-to-shroud seal is tight and that all perimeter tin is properly fitted. Use a high-quality foam or rubber seal around the engine bay tin to prevent hot air from the exhaust from being sucked back up into the fan. If you are running a high-performance engine, consider checking your cylinder head temperatures (CHT) after installation to verify that the absence of heater ducts is providing the increased air pressure expected at the cylinder heads.

3. Verify Your Oil Cooler Tin Compatibility

Because this is a ''Doghouse'' style shroud, it must be used in conjunction with the correct doghouse oil cooler, the offset oil cooler stand, and the specific doghouse exhaust tin (the piece that directs air out the back of the vehicle). If you are converting from an older 36hp or non-doghouse style shroud, you cannot reuse your old oil cooler. The doghouse system is a significant upgrade because it removes the oil cooler from the main air path of the cylinders. Double-check that your oil cooler foam seal is in good condition before bolting the shroud down; a missing seal here will bleed off significant cooling air, defeating the purpose of the high-performance doghouse design.