During normal driving, the radiator fans do not come on and the'shroud' in front of the engine gets very very hot. I checked all the fuses... all OK. The fans do come on if I put the AC on.

That actually sounds like normal operation.
The fans will come on when A/C is requested but won't come on until engine operating temps reach over 200°F. The "very hot" you feel is the radiator releasing engine heat and it is very normal.
If your vehicle isn't showing signs of overheating, you should be fine.