Intercooler placement
 

Finally got my IC.. Evo 8 stocker. I didn't have much time to work on the Miata last night, I just kinda eyeballed the IC and temporarily put it on the car. I can probobly get it alot higher if I have it as far back as possible (Maby an inch from the radiator), my car is low enough that that is a major concern, but I see everyone else putting them as far FORWARD as possible.. Will far forward/far back really have much of an impact on efficiency? I'll have to do some cutting if I decide to mount it more forward..

the only ones i see mounting them more forward are the NBs. Putting it right up near the radiator will be fine.

I'm gonna sandwich my ic to my rad, I think its just as good if not better than stocking it way out there. Think of it this way,

I think this area between the i/c and the rad the airflow would get wonky and mis directed compared to a sandwiched set-up.
Just my opinion though, in reality you don't see high horsepower supras ect with sandwiched set-ups so who knows...

So far, everyone who had it mounted far forward has told me they only did it because it was easier to run the piping for them.

i'd just try to make sure it wasn't contacting the radiator to help prevent heaksoak from it.

maybe you could sandwich it and use some weatherstripping around the edge so that it does not make contact with the radiator

Mine is sandwiched and I don't seem to have a problem. The close proximity to the rad probably get's things a little warm when sitting at idle, but once moving I doubt there is much of an issue.

i dint have to do no cutting to mount mine. i don't see the advantage of this sandwiching business, only disadvantages.

With out A/C mounting it right against the rad was the easiest way to do it for me. This was on a Starion I/C, with jamesB pipes. I did it out of convience, I'm lazy and took the quickest route possible. I had to build new brackets since my I/C didn't come with them.

I still don't think it sucks :)

How far forward did you mount it? Do you have any other pics online other than the vGarage pics? Looks good!

I just hung it off the stock a/c mounting brackets, which are about an inch or two forward of the rad, i believe. used some 3 or 4 inch metal pieces with holes drilled to make up for the slight difference in width between the stock evo mount tabs and the miata a/c mounts. bent the top hanger thing way down, strung a zip tie through it and tied it to the chassis directly above it. not structural, just keeps it from flopping back and forth.

https://www.miataturbo.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3241
there are a few pics and there that show piping and the ziptie, might help. also you can see the endtanks refelecting the flash a little, gives you an idea of where it is.

Well mounting further back creates a quite the low pressure area in your bumper which lets more air flow thru.

By sandwiched I don't mean bolted to eachother, I simply mean very close as to the norm of mounting it way up front.

I will have custom ducting and some sort of heat resistant material as a buffer between the rad and i/c, hopefully it works good, if not I'll just hang that bitch out the front and call her a day.:bigtu: