Radiator Ducting Ideas?
 

I have been ducting my radiator using aluminum flashing riveted together much like FM's track car:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1352065949

It works but its a major PIA to R&R... I pretty much have to destroy it and remake it every time I need to remove it. What's a better way of doing this? Anyone got some pics of good simple setups? I want something I can remove and reinstall in a reasonable amount of time without destroying it. It would also be great to use a material strong enough that I could build up separate ducted channels for separate coolers (ala Sav's setup)

I'm thinking maybe replace the front bumper support with some DOM tubing to make room. Then use alumalite or ABS plastic panel to make a tunnel from the radiator to the grill and join the edges with AL angle and rivnuts or something.

This is pretty damn good and I'll be doing it after the turbo upgrade: Some Ducting work

Thats a nice piece, but it doesn't really accomplish what I need. I need a completely enclosed tunnel going from the rad to the grill. Trying to patch up holes is just a bandaid.

I should also note that the stock plastic "bellypan" piece is looong gone.

I used rivnuts pulled into the side panels so I can remove the bottom panel by just unbolting it. I've got some pictures on my build thread. I can pull the bottom panel and remove the IC without having to pull the side panels. The side panels are just held in with sheetmetal screws, so I just take them off most of the time.

Take it to a shop that builds racecars and have them build you something. Might cost more but having the right tools and materials will make all the difference. Tell them you want to be able to remove it, etc. Shops that do a lot of late models, street stocks, and other circle track cars usually have a lot of skill doing sheet metal work like this.

Here are a couple shots of mine. I put it together so that I can pull about a dozen fasteners and get it all out. The bottom is made in two sections: one that goes from bumper to radiator and one that starts at the radiator and extends back to the original plastic pan mounting points on the subframe. I added the dip/hump below my IC core to allow more air to get to the radiator instead of forcing air to go through the core...it dips down about 1.5" there. The sides are also in two sections, split where the IC pipe enters/exits (I wrapped the exposed metal there with split vac line to prevent it cutting my couplers). The upper radiator panel is held on with 2 bolts in stock holes and a screw I added at the leading edge. It's all fabbed out of .040 aluminum sheet.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1352083947

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...y-img_2516-jpg

Here are a couple pics from my first effort. I also used aluminum and rivits, but used HVAC foil tape to bridge the small gaps with the radiator so all I need to do if I remove the radiator is cut the tape. The ducting on the left side is from the OEM bumper to an air dam.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1352084615

This view is in front of the radiator looking up (before lower shrowd was added)
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1352084553

DZus fasteners are awesome. I would stick with aluminum, just go a touch thicker if you want to stay with that design. The other option would be to change the design to make it work with ABS sheet, you can get a 12x24 piece of the stuff from parts express for like 3 bucks. Its flexable, bends back when you hit it, but you can cut it with a very sharp knife. Will not take sharp corners though even if you form it with a heat gun, but it will hold its shape if you form it with a heat gun.

I used plastic because it can be cut with a box cutter and if I bump something it doesn't kill the radiator.

What kind of shitty plastic/ABS are you guys using that you can cut with a knife? And do you not have any cutting tools and therefore have to choose your material based on its ability to be cut with kitchen tools?? ;)

OP - having a design that is easy to disassemble and remove/install is just a matter of lots of foresight in the design. Also, obviously don't rivet the whole thing together - only rivet together sections that can stay together and be removed as a whole piece without taking the rivets apart. Use riv-nuts or U-nuts to join pieces that need to come apart from each other.

On another note... I find it tragic that a shop like FM would make something that looks so homebrew as that ducting in the first pic. All my stuff actually is homebrew, but I take the extra time to make it look presentable, line up well, have straight edges, etc.

-Ryan

PVC tub liner worked for me for 2 years, used skiccors to kut... yes, it is shitty and I LOVE rivets. On another note, this has all been ripped out for the re-build - haven't thought about how I'm going to redo it again.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1352119385

Duct
 

Hey @GeneSplicer in this ducting setup did you have the radiator lowered? If so how did you mount it? I'm currently in the process of doing some ducting myself!

10 years.

Might be a new thread necro record

Ok

I don't get this.
Are we supposed to start a new thread on a perfectly relevant subject because x months or years have gone by?
Do these threads go stale after a while? Do they have an expiration date?

The whole point behind an online forum is retaining information on a server somewhere so that said information has a chance to grow.
I would happily post on an 89 year old thread and would feel sorry for whoever who tries to necroshame me.

I agree

@Hernj65 To bring GeneSplicer back into the conversation, put an “@“ in front of his “name” as I did with yours at the beginning of this sentence. The forum will send him a Personal Messenger letting h know that you tagged him.

DNM

@DNMakinson Done appreciate it

Hey Gays... I feel I've been Necro'd as well... been out of the game for a while now - running a business and age I guess, but I'm still "here"... still got 4 miatea all needing something done repair wise.

In answer to the original question, no I didn't lower the radiator. Just ducted and fed up from the bottom. Pretty sure I mounted it on the original points - I'd take a pic but I lopped off the front end years ago.

Love this board.

if you necro a thread, called out. If you start a new thread, you get told to search and find an old thread.

of the failures here, necro is the least offensive.

and yet, I contributed nothing so negative cats for me…