Pinky's Sweet (Air) Box
 

I'm pretty much down to the details on the MSM swap into the FrankenMiata, just killing time until my Rev MS3 gets here, so I whipped up an airbox. (By the way, I'm no better at bending sheet than I am at Origami, which is not surprising given their similarity..)

Anyway, it's pretty much self-explanatory. Mild steel box with stainless heat shields. The whole thing is located right under the louvers in my Simpson Design hood, and should help to keep the master cylinders cool too. And dig my Fat Pipe; intake restriction should not be a problem. Intake noise however, right there at the cowl and under a louver, should be sick.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1385506519

Another pic, in a separate post because iPhone.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1385506637

Aaaaaannnnnndddddd another.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1385506722

Interesting. I wasn't planning on bothering with a 'cold air intake' for my build, but that has the added bonus of protecting the masters from heat. Keep us updated on how it works out. If you want to try to melt your brake master, just do what I did and forget to reset your timing back to the table from "fixed to 10 degrees" after verifying timing with a light. Then get on the interstate.

Thanks- it probably would be less effective (if it ends up being effective at all- my fallback will be to add insulation behind the shields) on a hood without an adjacent vent or scoop over it.

(A couple rows of good old-school louvers punched into the hood above it would be pretty sick though..)

Looks good. My cowl induction makes sick noise too.

Surprised you painted it black and not silver. Painting black inside and out kind of defeats the purpose. It absorbs all the radiant heat from the engine bay and then emits it all into the air box area. For extra baller status DEI gold foil both sides.

Gave props, looks nice, well done. :)

Dann

your engine bay is far too clean. please pour some tar on it.

btw i'm curious what your solution for engine movement with respect to box non-movement is. I would worry that your big toob would rub on the box and make some sort of evil screechy noise (NOT badass or sick).

Very cool setup. When you gonna take me for a drive? bahaha

Is there guidance somewhere for color vs. heat retention/emission? I thought black was good for emitting heat hence the term "black body emitter"? Typically radiators/oil coolers are painted black. I know Swaintech has a black coating for intercoolers and their header/manifold stuff is white.

Just thought I'd ask for clarification.

The Ladies love it when my big toob rubs the box...

I actually hadn't really considered that. Pretty dumb actually, although I have two silicone joints between the "toob" and the turbo inlet, so there may be enough give there. Also, I'm trying to find some edging that's more elegant than split fuel hose to seal around the lower edge of the box and the "toob". Maybe the solution is to add a "bellows/bulbed" style of silicone connector and bolt down the toob to the inner fender.

What say you?

The closer a color is to black the closer it is to being a black body emitter, bbe's are also the best absorbers. White and shinny colors are good reflectors.

Thanks, that makes total sense. You want heat exchangers to absorb heat (from what's flowing through them).

Thats different. The water inside a radiator is transferring almost 0% of its heat to the radiator by radiation, most of its by convection and a little by conduction. The radiator emits most of its heat by convection and a small amount of it by radiation. Radiation is the only heat transfer type effected by surface color.

You should weather strip the top so it seals to the hood.

Wow ! Very nice setup ..

You did a great job fabricating this and I wish my engine bay looked half as nice as yours. Maybe this is a stupid question but I have to ask: won't the air box somewhat impede your hood vent from doing its job properly?

Shouldn't be too much of a problem; my hood has louver vents on both sides, and an elevated cowl "scoop" area, there are plenty of other paths out for air. (Lol - I hope... Remember, I still haven't fired it up yet so this is all just Hopeful Engineering and Wild Guesses at this point.

I have a shit load of diamond plate aluminum laying around...I think you may have just inspired me to do something like that. I dig it!