rficalora Rob Ficalora Willis, TX (2764 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 02:46PM Main British Car: '76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302 |
Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
Which cars in addition to Merv Hagen's and Bill Guzman's can you think of that have good shrouding?
I've modified my radiator mount to angle it forward at the bottom & now I'm able to fit a way stronger fan - one off a Volvo (uses the same motor & blades as a Taurus, just packaged better for custom mounting). I'l make a fan shroud and one for the bottom of the radiator. I'm looking for some ideas to keep air from bypassing the radiator over the top of it and to keep engine bay air from recirculating back around. I re-made my core supports intending to run a piece of channel connecting them to hold a seal, but it's ugly. One thought I've had is to use core supports like I had (a panel on each side of the radiator) and figure out a way to hold the seal to the under side of the hood. I'm thinking that wouldn't be as noticeable. What have you guys seen that looked good and worked? Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2012 01:25PM by rficalora. |
BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6470 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I think the one on the Roadmaster is about as trick as anything else I've seen so far, since it also secures the fan, locates the radiator and holds the hood latch as well as shrouding the inlet to the radiator all the way out to the grille. For a simple bent piece of stainless sheet metal that's pretty good, and it eliminates any need for a seal of some type to the hood itself since the grille attaches directly to it. Maybe you could come up with something along those lines?
Jim |
flitner John Fenner Miami Fl (168 posts) Registered: 03/11/2010 10:58AM Main British Car: 1972 MGB 350 CHEVY |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I originally built a baffle to the radiator that acted as a bulkhead, this go round I went from the radiator to the slam panel to stop recirculation, did the shroud as a full cover on back of rad. cut out for the fan only, I may add some slots with flaps to allow more flow on highway speeds.
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ex-tyke Graham Creswick Chatham, Ontario, Canada (1165 posts) Registered: 10/25/2007 11:17AM Main British Car: 1976 MGB Ford 302 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
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rficalora Rob Ficalora Willis, TX (2764 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 02:46PM Main British Car: '76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
Think I got it figured out. Hoped to work ob it some this week, but going to Austin tomorrow... will post some pics of what I'm doing this weekend.
Jim I really liked.the roadmaster - it is slick. I wish I'd made my frame rails accept a wider before I painted the car. I ran it around in 100 degree weather here and never saw the water temp above about 195. |
BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6470 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I put the same radiator in my car. It is huge. But modding the car for it really isn't that bad. Easier the 2nd time and will be still easier the 3rd. It's nice to have excess cooling capacity, and the integrated curb guard is a plus. But I think the local sheet metal shop charged me 80 bucks for the slam panel, untrimmed. Nice radius to the bends though and the bling is nice.
Jim |
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Moderator Curtis Jacobson Portland Oregon (4577 posts) Registered: 10/12/2007 02:16AM Main British Car: 71 MGBGT, Buick 215 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
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Moderator Curtis Jacobson Portland Oregon (4577 posts) Registered: 10/12/2007 02:16AM Main British Car: 71 MGBGT, Buick 215 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
Graham, please remind us... did you lay up your own fiberglass fan shroud? Nifty!
The big tip I have for fiberglass is to use epoxy resin instead of polyester. Slower to kick, which makes it much easier for novice fabricators. No fumes. Typically better for high temp applications. Here's my lightweight carbon/epoxy recirculation shield, fiberglass prototype, plug, and mold: |
ex-tyke Graham Creswick Chatham, Ontario, Canada (1165 posts) Registered: 10/25/2007 11:17AM Main British Car: 1976 MGB Ford 302 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
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lars49 Larry Barnes Colorado Springs (177 posts) Registered: 06/11/2009 02:12PM Main British Car: 1980 MGB GM LA1 3400 V6 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I like it but have absolutely no experience in doing anything with fiberglass. Are there any good web sites you guys would recommend for learning to do this?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2012 07:38PM by lars49. |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I have gotten a lot of stuff here. They have quite a few books wich are quie good. It is all about the mold:
[www.fibreglast.com] |
britcars Phil Ossinger New Brunswick, Canada (346 posts) Registered: 02/02/2009 07:58PM Main British Car: 1977 MGB Roadster, Rover 3.5 ADVENTURE BEFORE DEMENTIA! |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
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rficalora Rob Ficalora Willis, TX (2764 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 02:46PM Main British Car: '76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
That is an interesting one Phil. The style isn't my cup of tea, but there's a lot of work in it. I like the wider radiator and he did a bunch of trick stuff on that car.
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rficalora Rob Ficalora Willis, TX (2764 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 02:46PM Main British Car: '76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302 |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
I'm moving like a turtle with bad knees on this, but thought I'd show what I'm doing... 1st I remade my "core supports" to work with the radiator angle. I'm going to weld some steel rod following the top contour so the paint wont chip as easy and to give a bit more sealing surface...
Next I made an aluminum frame that bolts to 4 tabs at the edges of the radiator tanks. The fan mounts to that. This was just a test fit before making the shroud. Now I'm making a simple aluminum pan for the shroud. It'll be sandwiched between the fan and frame. Turned out to be pretty simple. Hope to finish it tonight (at my son's school's football game. He is in JROTC and is commander of the color.guard - carries the American flag) Almost forgot to mention. The core supports follow the contour of the hood about 3/16" away. And I'll add a cap across the top of the radiator. Then I'm going to scavenge a rubber seal from the salvage yard that I can attach to a piece of aluminum and mount it to the under side of the hood. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2012 08:17PM by rficalora. |
Jim Stabe Jim Stabe San Diego, Ca (829 posts) Registered: 02/28/2009 10:01AM Main British Car: 1966 MGB Roadster 350 LT1 Chevy |
Re: Radiator shrouding ideas wanted
Rob
It looks like you are using a bulb type seal along the bottom and sides, why don't you use the same thing across the top? They make it with a 1" diameter bulb. Here's a link to McMaster [www.mcmaster.com] I'm thinking about using the same stuff for my door seals |