Radiator Support Bars---MORE AIRFLOW & COOLING
 

As a lot of you all know one of the big things you can do to help cooling is by getting rid of the big bar in the radiator support and replacing it with a smaller tube. Scaxx and I worked together and came up with the below solution to cut out the center of the radiator support and replace it with our bar that sits roughly 3/8 of an inch off of the bumper skin giving ample room for airflow and even a slight nudge if you really needed too. It is made out of 1"x1" box tube and weighs in at only 5.5lbs.

PM for ordering info


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Hmmm. Gotta measure something.

So much room for activities...

What vette intake is that? It looks like a C6 with a custom bottom on it. Super clean.

Z06. https://www.flyinmiata.com/projects/...ld.php?UID=253

You got a PM. I am way to lazy to fab one of these myself.

Not a Z06. The Z06 doesn't have the Helmholtz hole that the regular C6 does and is shown plugged in the photo.

This looks great! Just out of curiosity, how much driving have you done with one of these installed thus far? Have you noticed any negative effects on chassis stiffness?

Any idea on NB fitment?

Me personally just a handfull of spirited drives around town since it is still in the 30s around here but no negative effects were noticed on chassis stiffness.

I think it is the same but as soon as Scaxx gets back from upside down land in AUS we will be able to veryify fitment on his car.

I can probably check the one I am getting on my NB2.

A cute couple going out today to their new home.

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Any idea what the scrap chunk and bumper structure way compared to the aluminum bar? I have an NB which has the aluminum bumper structure vs NA plastic. But mostly curious about the steel hunk.

I tossed my steel chunk prior to getting a weight. The steel bars that are shown above weight 5.5lbs.

When we check fitment on scaxx's nb when he gets back from his work trip we will get a weight for all the parts that get removed.

I'll be in upside down land until the 17th (next sunday) and then I'll get a look at my nb as well as getting a weight of items pulled off of my other na. Hopefully that can help!

This is tempting and would solve so many of my issues...
Any concerns at all re front end strength after this? Guessing the replacement is stronger and stiffer than the stock part right? Does this still retain the IC mounting points used by folks like fab9? I know a lot of other people mount them in the same spot.

Would you be willing to share the plans for these bad boys with us poor folk who wish to fab one up ourselves?

It's only $150 shipped and they did all the work. Buy one.

Any concerns at all re front end strength after this?
No concerns regarding front end strength after this.

Guessing the replacement is stronger and stiffer than the stock part right?
This is much stronger than factory. It might bend the mounting plates its welded to with major vertical force due to the lever aspect but it should never really see much vertical force.

Does this still retain the IC mounting points used by folks like fab9?
Still retains all IC mounting points used by fab9 and others that use similar mounting solutions.

"3/8" off the bumper skin" - can you please elaborate? so with the stock bumper skin on the support bar is about 3/8" behind it?

Perspective makes it look farther away but the bumper skin has about 3/8" of an air gap before it touches the bar. Hope that helps.

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Thanks man! Looks like a good product.

If you need to ask this question, you probably should not fab it yourself :facepalm:

Bought some more material today. Im hoping to get 6 or so done in the next week or two. Once material gets bent i can get two a day finished. Will also be getting NB fitment verified in the next week or so for those interested.

Awesome idea. Im gonna pick one of these up soon.

Question... Could tabs be added to the bar for mounting an oil cooler?

I wanna cut a square hole in the bumper cover, put in some heavy duty very fine mesh, and have the oil cooler basically between the IC and the passenger headlight.

Sent you a pm

I got my American Piledriver Equipment support bar in today. It looks good. I should be able to test fit it on a NB next week when I get home from delivering some turbo setups.

Hahaha:rofl: Yeah I can ship stuff cheap through work so I do that instead of going all the way to the ups store.

Is there room to gusset the sides for vertical bracing? I just see a minor fender bender pushing it down.

I can add bracing if you like. However this was not meant to be a bumper replacement to get into fender benders with.

It was designed for track use to increase airflow while still maintaining some rigidity for bump drafting.

For the next batch we are making next week I have six spots available before i need to order more material from waterjet.

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
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Next round of bars made

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I got mine today, very well packaged. My whole front end will be coming off soon to do cowl braces and install FM 2 turbo and intercooler once better weather allows my NA8 to come out and play. Still too much salt left on the streets, but the snow will probably be gone in another week....
Mine will be a street vehicle, I'll take my chances with front end collisions. I did learn my lesson about non-ABS on wet streets with fools stopping unexpectedly to let others take a left turns. They probably thought they were being considerate while causing an accident behind them.....:mad:

Hopefully minimal to no damage to your car. Mine gets driven on the street a lot too. I suspect it to be stronger than the stock structure but still a consumable in the event of a crash. Better to bend a cheap bolt on piece rather than your actual car.

I dove under a Gran Cherokee and dented her gas thank. Ripped my right headlight assembly out, buckled hood and punctured the bumper cover. It just annoyed me as I had distance to stop, but brakes locked up and I couldn't pump them as fast as ABS or dive left or right.
I agree, the brace will be an expendable in case of another front end collision, but any crash that serious would have more collateral damage too. I just now have a lot more respect for how easy it is to lock up Miata brakes, even stock ones. I'll have to keep that in mind when I upgrade to Wilwood calipers in front and sport calipers rear soon.

This is definitely not going to protect the car like the factory impact absorbing bumper especially by removing the tie point between the frame rails, but is much better than just removing the factory stuff. Giving some protection, better air flow, more room for activities and drop some weight off the nose. I want one but would like some gussets on the inside and outside if possible, or I can do myself later. I would think these will bolt right on to an NB but we'll find out.

Add me in if it fits NBs.

In for NB result.

Add me if fits NB's .....specifically a MSM

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
3.Autofreak57 - NB
4.ICantDo55-NB
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Next round of bars made

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Tubes are getting bent up and should have them back from Stewart tomorrow or Thursday then for those of you who already ordered one I am shooting to have them in the mail on Friday

Bolts onto the NB. No idea if it fits under bumper cover or not.
Attachment 228217

I want one of these but I'll have to check when I get home later, to see if it will fit with my TDR intercooler. I think it bolts up to where I have to cut the rad support

Thanks for the data point!


How are you going to win at racewars with no engines!

Saving up right now for an engine. SR20's are pulling a premium right before racewars.

:rofl:

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
3. Wrengel
4. Autofreak57 - Pending NB Fitment
5. ICantDo55-Pending NB Fitment
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Put me down for one, if it clears the nb bumper

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
3. Wrengel
4. Autofreak57 - Pending NB Fitment
5. ICantDo55- Pending NB Fitment
6. Stealth97 - Pending NB Fitment
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Next round of bars made

7. HeelToeHero931- Pending NB Fitment
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Quick update.

Stewart got me the bent tubes yesterday and I got everything prepped and ready to burn today. So you guys that already paid should have tracking later today.

As far as fitment on the nb we should have a definite answer this weekend.

I want one. But concerned about loosing factory crash protection.. because idiots on the road.

In for nb1 and nb2 fitment.

Go ahead and put me down for one.

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
3. Wrengel
4. Autofreak57 - Pending NB Fitment
5. ICantDo55- Pending NB Fitment
6. Stealth97 - Pending NB Fitment
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Next round of bars made
7. HeelToeHero931- Pending NB Fitment
8. mrmonk7663 - Pending NB Fitment

NB fitment has been verified and I will start cranking these out as fast as I can next week to get a stock going for anyone that wants them!

Verified as in the bumper still "fits" or that it still has the same 3/8" gap as on the na?

And was it tested on an nb1 or nb2?

Verified as in still fits with 3/8 gap to bumper skin around the front bends, so same as the NA. Tested on an NB1, but there shouldn't be a problem with an NB2.

Ignore the third hole not lining up on my bar. There was a batch of plates that wasn't cut correctly and I took one of the sets for my bar since I can just re-drill the hole. We didn't use those for everyone else's.

My bumper is horribly dented from the license plate bracket and it still fit well.
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Ordered a bunch more material today that i should get Friday. Ill have enough to make 10 more before ill need to order material again so if you want in this round put your name down below! Also due to the water jet company i ended up with a handful of blemished plates mentioned in the above post. They are functionally the same as all the other bars but will need and extra hole drilled by the end user. I can offer these at a discounted price but you will have to drill the final mount hole in the plate. I will lay out where it is supposed to be but final drill and verification will be on the user since it wont have a slot for wiggle room.

1. gjsmith66
2. WigglingWaffles
3. Wrengel
4. Autofreak57 - Pending NB Fitment
5. ICantDo55- Pending NB Fitment
6. Stealth97 - Pending NB Fitment
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1. HeelToeHero931- Pending NB Fitment
2. mrmonk7663 - Pending NB Fitment
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Discounted bar with blem plate

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I’m definitely in for one. Let me know what to do to firm up the order.

Your bar is next in the line. Sent you a pm

Payment sent. Thanks!