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After doing some reading.. I blocked off the upper grill *pics*


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Well after looking at TitaniumZ's front end mod with decreasing the opening to the radiator and reading the data on the Aerodynamics data chart..

 

I decided to block off the upper grill from the bumper line to the hood.. and I also blocked off the sides of the grill so no air is wasted in the monster opening of the Z's mouth.

 

I just welded on some sheet metal from Home Depot behind my grill..

and added a piece of sheet metal from the air dam to the radiator support.. and an upper piece of sheet metal from the grill, across the intercooler and to the radiator.

 

I am just experimenting with different things right now.. yes its ugly but Function over Form.

 

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Excuse the poor quality.. i misplaced my camera.. so its camera phone time

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You've made great strides towards increasing your downforce and reducing drag.I know people freak out about small radiator openings,but if the details are managed[hood vents and such],the system works.The SDI blue Z in the tunnel tests has run the same nose seen in there for about twos years.Many events are run in the hot stick Southern Summer.25 to 30 minute session.I have NO FAN.We run the CSR Electric Water Pump,and the temp's have never gone over 185 degrees...Except when I forget to turn on the pump.OOPS!

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Need to SEAL the airdam to the rad core support and close up all the holes that allow air to divert around the radiator.

 

Jon, I have been thinking about the seal in particular and was wondering what to use in this case. Tape? It may sound stupid, but what material comes to mind? The only thing I can think of is gaffer's tape or maybe aluminum tape. Anyone have better suggestions? *please*

 

Davy

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I will be using a exterior caulking/sealant with some "extreme temperature" ducting tape. The tape is aluminum with a strong adhesive and should withstand cold and hot temperatures and is waterproof!

 

Everything I am using is from Home Depot.. since I work there I have alot of spare time to wonder around and look at the product haha

 

So far this has cost me $22. $12 for a 4x8 sheet of sheet metal

(Home Depot offers 3 types. Galvanized in the plumbing/ducting aisle. The steel is 26 guage for $11. Steel in the hardware department which is way overpriced. $18 and its 22 guage. The third type is 22/24 guage steel in the gutter/roofing aisle used for flashing. This was $12 and much thicker than the galvanized metal in plumbing)

 

I used 3/16 aluminum rivets and washers =)

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for a seal, somthing a little more servicable and clean would be preferable. if when cutting, the lengths were accomidated to allow for a half inch tab on the end that you bend up w/ a brake or some pliers, that would give room to use adhesive backed pressure stripping like modern vehicle window/door seals. just order in a roll of the stripping, cut to length, and remember to keep that .5" padding in your measurements.

 

then the part can be removed for vehicle service w/ out looking like a colligen injection gone horredly wrong.

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Just an FYI, the USAF uses that adhesive backed "aluminum tape" as stock in their ABDR Trailers (Air Battle Damage Repair). They fair in riveted panels' leading edges with it, it's both sticky, persistent, and won't peel back off if applied to a clean surface at speeds well over what we will be acheiving in a four-wheeled vehicle. It is the tape of choice in "Tony's Z Graveyard" behind the house for sealing the edges of P.O. installed Sunroofs, windshields that are cracked, or have sealing problems with the cracked and weathered seals... Some of that stuff I applied in 1991, and it's STILL stuck on the root of a Fairlady Z, hasn't lifted yet!

 

So if you are thinking of using aluminum tape to finish your sealing, I'd say it will probably deliver Yoeman Service in that duty!

 

Duct Tape, on the other hand, is very disapointing, even the good stuff made in the US of A. Won't last more than a year, and even less when exposed to direct sunlight.

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I would just like to comment that sealing the inlet area to the radiator is first priority. Blocking off the inlet area comes after the inner sealing is perfected.

 

If you block off a significant portion of the frontal area without sealing the inlet. You might significantly reduce flow through the radiator.

 

I only say this because I know that some people will jump in and block off the frontal area without addressing the inlet sealing. That will likely lead to overheating.

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You should be able to get some bulb vinyl similar to what is used to seal your sliding glass doors in the "shut" position.. and MAYBE even some "track" to pull it through.

 

As the mental gears and noggin cogs start spinning more and more rapidly... MWAHAHAHAAA

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  • 2 weeks later...

Heres a couple of pics of my mock ups for the front/radiator.

 

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The opening for the radiator is 12" wide by 4" high and is between the air dam and the bumper. Also note the judicous use of 500 mph tape to seal everything up in the front.

 

At this time they are cardboard and sheetmetal but after I get everything worked out the way I want I will make everything from aluminum sheet and it will all be painted.

 

As a side note I actualy took it on a test drive with the cardboard and it worked great up to about 110 mph when the cardboard got flatened against the radiator. I ran the car through city traffic and at typical freeway speeds with no over heating issues (had to use the low speed side of the fan a couple times while stopped in traffic), it was after I was done testing that I decided to see how fast I could go before the cardboard gave out.

 

Dragonfly

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Ok so I got my act together again. I have got the "while I'm at it syndrome, and decided to do more extensive work to direct air into the rad and i/c

 

I already had a lower piece that joined the top of the air dam, to the rad. I then put in an upper piece that joined the top of the grill to the rad to stop air from going over the rad.

 

It worked great. The wind tunnel testing has got me interested in making changes on either side of the i/c to make sure air gets better directed.

 

I am going for a cross between form and function here. The little vertical pieces were a real PITA to build and make a decent fit to the upper "pan"

 

Well this post is useless with out pics so here goes.

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Finished.

 

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Scott.

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