"Cooling Panels"

[Al]

Ahhh!

I have actually been thinking about doin that. My mate did one on his XA coupe and it make the engine bay look a lot cleaner.

One day i will get off me ass and do it .

[51jay]

Here is the amateur effort this was my first...looks untidy because the grill is missing. 2nd shows the material better it's crinkle finnish alum 0.8mm from local hardware

http://members.optushome.com.au/jay51/Fron...ont%20Panel.jpg

http://members.optushome.com.au/jay51/Fron...nt%20Panel2.jpg

[Guest darrinspencer]

Here is the amateur effort this was my first...looks untidy because the grill is missing. 2nd shows the material better it's crinkle finnish alum 0.8mm from local hardware

I can see why it only cost you $12!

It does not look very neatly cut

It is hard to do neatly with hand cutters and then fold them without the proper gear.

I am cutting these out with a $110,000 computer operated plasma machine to get a perfect cut.

I will have photo's up tommorrow

[siksII]

i have a ricey blue one that was given to me. i really dont think it does anything but add rice, and a place for stickers.

[51jay]

Here is the amateur effort this was my first...looks untidy because the grill is missing. 2nd shows the material better it's crinkle finnish alum 0.8mm from local hardware

I can see why it only cost you $12!

It does not look very neatly cut

It is hard to do neatly with hand cutters and then fold them without the proper gear.

I am cutting these out with a $110' date='000 computer operated plasma machine to get a perfect cut.

I will have photo's up tommorrow[/quote']

..".looks untidy because the grill is missing"

I don't use them any more...the car runs hotter with it on. It totally cuts off the airflow through the grill, and that's the only uninterupted airflow to the radiator, I think its much more important to close in the gap at the sides of the radiator and possibly the bottom forward to the front bar. Not too hard to make a neat one......router table with 6mm straight cutter.

Next time i'm at Q Raceway I intend to do 4 laps with it on then 4 laps with it off. This will maybe tell us something.

Edit: An item that looks really cool....but downgrades the performance of your car just has to be ....The pinacle of Rice !! :devfu:

[Steve]

51jay, I think the ones the Japs make sit on the grill, rather than sit behind it. the theory is that it keeps the air coming in going through the radiator, and prevent it from being deflected over

by the looks, the one you made came down the the bumper??? is that right?

[51jay]

:Oops: I'm an idiot!! please ignore my last post !!

It's been off the car long enough for me to forget how i put it on. It does of course tuck under the top lip of the grill. I took it off because my new grill doesn't have a top lip. So it doesn't, in fact, block the airflow.

However,on the stock bonnet at least, there is a rubber seal that sits down on the bar that runs across in front of the radiator..thus preventing leakage over the top.

I stand by my remark re the gaps at the side being more important. The cooler plate does nothing to address the losses here that are substantially more than any loss over the top.

Now, any ideas why the car ran 2 or 3 degrees hotter when it was on.

[wolverine]

51jay, I think the ones the Japs make sit on the grill, rather than sit behind it.  the theory is that it keeps the air coming in going through the radiator, and prevent it from being deflected over

by the looks, the one you made came down the the bumper??? is that right?

that should be the purpose as i understand it steve, especially if you look at the UAS one on the S1 grill, it allows airflow under it and seals the top, (you need to make sure that air can reach the factory norkel/air intake). sealing the radiator on top should lead to efficiency gains. Same goes for the IC.

blocking off the top feed to the radiator..... it should get hotter.

[51jay]

""that should be the purpose as i understand it steve, especially if you look at the UAS one on the S1 grill, it allows airflow under it and seals the top, (you need to make sure that air can reach the factory norkel/air intake). sealing the radiator on top should lead to efficiency gains. Same goes for the IC. ""

as I said the top is allready sealed with the factory bonnet

The top wasn't blocked !

[wolverine]

51jay it appears from your picture that you are limiting air due to the position of the plate being quite low down near the front bar and possibly deflecting air upward, this may be paralax error from the photo so i apologise if you have taken offence.

i know there is a rubber seal under the bonnet as you clearly stated but the position of the plate seems to be reducing airflow to the top half of the radiator and affecting the cooling.

recently i have built a full undertray to seal up all around the radiator and IC. (mine had been carefully cut away?!?!) i also sealed the sides, so i have been looking at the top pretty closely too, haven't done anything yet so i am interested in other opinions on this topic.

[51jay]

Sigh!! the grill is not there!! the UAS one sits on top of the grill which to my mind is untidy mine was cut to slip under the TOP of the Grill and was held there by two clips. it then fitted neatly around the the grill brackets. The other point is i think most people cut too much out around the bonnet release and lever. My next one will fit even better around these.

Do you think that closing in the sides and bottom made a noticible difference?? more so than just doing the top??.

Hmmm! your right about the bar and seal, together they cover around 60 to 70mm depth of the radiator. The plate would help to push air under and up behind the bar and vent over the top of the rad,into the engine bay

1: how strong does the bar need to be?? perhaps the 2 down sides of it could have 1/2 or 2/3 removed from the bottom up.

2: the plate could then be made to cover the bottom of the bar

Jeez i'm getting finger cramps!!

[wolverine]

51jay if you don't have a full undertray i think it is worthwhile going to the trouble also with a little cutting and shaping you can make some verticals to seal the sides. the left vertical was a pain to make and fit (R33 s2).

you should get improved cooling if air can't spill under the car or around the radiator.

[Guest darrinspencer]

Al - this is the one that Unique Autosport are selling.

Darrin - I'd be keen to see a pic of the ones your making up.

Cheers

J

Here is the first attempt

I think my design is a bit more rounded around the head lights and bonnet catch.

At the moment the one I made suits my aftermarket GTR style grille.

I will be getting hold of a standard GTST grille to ensure things line up right.

I am not happy with the cutting edge left buy the plasma, too much work to clean up.

So I am now going to cut them using a computerised Laser machine. It will do a perfect job but will cost me a bit more.

They will still sell at the same price of $70.

[knore]

Nice work darren, ill be in for one

Also, whered u get the Trust Catch can and Braided lines for it?

Im in brisbane too, thats why im asking

[knore]

Are you still making these?

[Gradenko]

While the benefits to radiator cooling are debatable, the panel almost certainly hurts front mounted intercooler efficency. Forcing air through the radiator creates high pressure infront of it, between the intercooler and radiator. This would slow air flow through the intercooler fins as air would seek a lower pressure region to flow to, ie around or over the 'cooler. Its probably unnoticable in real life, but I though I'd bring it up .

BTW wolverine, interested to see what your undertray looks like. I've been thinking of creating underbody areo panels (to gain ground force) and would be nice to see others.

[wolverine]

gradenko, i wish i had a camera handy. i'll see if i can work something out though.

there is nothing special other than sheet aluminium cut and shaped (BTW the factory plastic had already been cut and removed by a previous owner). i made it in three sections left, centre then right side. one piece would be nice but i am not clever enough to make it fit. i still have a sidemount IC but that is now boxed in which was a major pain to get the aluminium shaped right but i got there eventually (esp. the top). i will get some mesh in the wheel arch and that should keep a reasonable flow thru there and maybe it will help a little.

with regards to getting some "ground effects" from my undertray . i would think i have a better chance of getting a date with rebecca romijn-stamos. hopefully you can lead the way on this front.

[51jay]

rebecca romijn-stamos.

mmmmm!........... Just in case you get lucky....has she got a friend???