My front end modifications (pics!)

[Meph]

Here's my end result of about a weeks work, on and off. The goal was to reduce the Cd of the Z without taking away from the classic lines.

 

Ill start with a picture of the car before modification for comparason

 

 

Pay close attention to the front airdam as thats where most of modification has taken place.

 

Here's a shot of the front end after modification

 

 

I know the lighting wasnt very good, but overall I feel ive stay true to the styling and not degraded the overall look and feel.

 

Now heres the same shot highlighting the areas of interest

 

 

Blue- Air flow in, there is a 6" x 6" passage for air to the rad

 

From the bottom up

-Disk vents, blocked

-Lower Grill block from the airdam to the bumper

-Partial upper grill block (will be more visable in other pics)

 

From here we move into the engine bay

 

 

First off, u see the top of the rad has been sealed to prevent airflow around, on both the sides and top.

 

The upper grill blocks can be seen

 

Below the upper grill block the airflow to the rad has been "sealed" air is directed to the radiator and blocked from entering the engine bay any other way. This will pool up air at speed creating a pocket and sending more air around the contour of the car. Black fiber board can be seen running from the bumper down to the bottom of the rad in this picture here

 

 

Finally, a partial "Belly pan" had been fitted to the air dam, it runs from the front of the dam to appx 4" past the rad support

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks guys,

Edited July 31, 2010 by Meph

[dhp123166]

Love that Toyota hood badge!!

[thehelix112]

Cool. Did you happen to do any roll-down tests before/after to get a rough (!) measure of Cd?

 

Dave

[Meph]

sorry didn't do any testing, based most of the modification off the wind tunnel results, theory and other sticky threads

[Whittie]

Hey Meph,

 

That is essentially what I want to do, but I was thinking a full on radiator duct as well as blocking plates. How does the car go for cooling on the street compared to before? Been or going on a track with any luck?!

 

If it makes no difference to cooling the I think I'll just follow this idea, it looks MUCH simpler than building a full radiator box!

[Meph]

I cant really say how it would perform on the track, but since I installed it, I haven't had temps over 193, so my thermo fan has never turned on. From what I read on here, a 2"x6" opening to the rad is all thats needed, i dont know if this is for ducked application or sealed in general, but im confident my cooling capability is much more efficient now than before.

 

When sealing the rad there was a lot of small gaps that had to covered alwell, the sides of the large sheet running from the bumper to the bottom on the rad, the flat section next to the headlight buckets. I think the easiest way to understand it I read was to imagint he car sitting vertical, you fill the area infront of the rad with water, you would only want the water to drain through the rad and no other way. I know mine is 100% sealed, but id say im 95% there.

[Whittie]

That sounds good.

 

How about getting air into the engine, have you noticed it running rich at all?

 

I was thinking if I did this, to build a full airbox and leave the big circular vent on the carby side of the radiator open to allow air directly at the carbies, how does the turbo motor go with the reduced air inlet??

[Meph]

engines all standalone so engine temp really has no effect on it (its a 1jz). For comparason, when doign this mod, I unknowingly broke my groudn wire, so my fan was completely off for the past week, and highest temps ever got were 200 at a stoplight, driving around it was always 190ish, engine still performs as before

Edited August 4, 2010 by Meph

[Whittie]

engines all standalone so engine temp really has no effect on it (its a 1jz). For comparason, when doign this mod, I unknowingly broke my groudn wire, so my fan was completely off for the past week, and highest temps ever got were 200 at a stoplight, driving around it was always 190ish, engine still performs as before

 

I mean the air intake is inside the engine bay right? Blocking the grill should form a low pressure and I was wondering if this had any effect on it. I guess you haven't noticed anything untoward then!!

 

This gives me motivation, I'll post pics when I make up my mind on what I'm going to do with my car, I like the idea of 'hiding' the ugly indicators where you have them too!

[Meph]

THeres still plenty of opening to get air from under the car, the density of the air is only going to be effected by temps, so it may be a slight bit hotter but the reduced drag will far out weight that.

 

My indicators are actaulyl from a pulsar

 

Edited August 4, 2010 by Meph

[260DET]

That sounds good.

 

How about getting air into the engine, have you noticed it running rich at all?

 

I was thinking if I did this, to build a full airbox and leave the big circular vent on the carby side of the radiator open to allow air directly at the carbies, how does the turbo motor go with the reduced air inlet??

 

Getting it ready for Bathurst I see Airbox is a good idea, use large diameter flexible ducting from it to the radiator support panel hole. Do not unestimate the benefit a bit of ram air effect you will get at speed.

[Whittie]

Getting it ready for Bathurst I see Airbox is a good idea, use large diameter flexible ducting from it to the radiator support panel hole. Do not unestimate the benefit a bit of ram air effect you will get at speed.

 

Yeah starting my rebuild today. Motor comes out tomorrow so I'll have lots of room to move around in the engine bay.

 

I meant I was thinking of building a radiator box in my post as opposed to an airbox. I got on to stuart wilkins and measured up an air box for the carbies but the carbie manifold I have is too long and so the airbox would foul on the strut towers. Therefore, no airbox. I'll just be blocking the front of the grill as per Meph's idea. If that doesn't give enough effect I'll work on it from there. I'll be putting the bonnet vents back into a fiberglass bonnet, but longer this time and in the correct position so it should all work nicely along with a belly pan and venting the wheel wells.