What do you guys think of my front bumper photochop? :)
- Thread starter born2drv
- Start date
shaeff - my car sucks too .... i gotta bite the bullet and get all my body stuff together and get all the rust removed and get her painted up!
Adjuster
Supramania Contributor
Thought about this quite a bit.
Seen a few of these done in person, and every single one of them looked hacked up to say the least, and some were down right shitty.
*
To solve the problem of more air flow through the stock sized hole, you have a few options.
1) Make the hole bigger, but destroy the looks of the car by going wider, or lower, or just cutting out the bumper clear through to make the opening larger.
2) Be smart, and keep in mind that air is like any other fluid, and will react to what you design in ways you would not normally think.
a) Look at the nose of a corvette, or F-body GM. They are bottem breathers, and the designs are very effective at drawing air over the radiators. So much so that most vette's have a "trash dump" of leaves and pet hair packed up on the upper part of the radiator/condensor.
b) We can get much of the same effect on the Supra with mods that you can't see unless you lay down and look up UNDER the bumper.
c) Cut the bumper impact bar from a square tube to a triangle. A simple shroud then directs the air over the FMIC and also mounts the stock grille in place so when your standing in front of the car, you see a stock grille. When you lay down, you see the grille opening is really about 2x the size it used to be.
Fluid dynamics and the fact that air always flows from high to low pressure works for us here. A reverse vented hood would further improve the flow, but that's another post.
So, here's what happens to the air that reaches your bumper/grille. Becasue the hole is now larger surface area wise, it would create a low pressure area and draw that air up behind the bumper and direct it into the face of the intercooler. The lower pressure behind your radiator due to the fan, and the design of the car then draws that air through the FMIC, Condensor, oil coolers and your radiator of course. Higher speeds actually make it work better, especially if you have effective shrouds that don't let the air escape off to the sides, or back under the car. (The lower tray pan for example.)
You also need to design vertical panels that keep the air flowing over the FMIC and don't let it go around the sides. (Air is like water, it will take the path of least resistance, and if you leave larger holes on the sides, it will go there instead of going through your intercooler where you want it to go.)
Ok, end of my thoughts. One of these days I'll build this setup, and find out if it really works.
Seen a few of these done in person, and every single one of them looked hacked up to say the least, and some were down right shitty.
*
To solve the problem of more air flow through the stock sized hole, you have a few options.
1) Make the hole bigger, but destroy the looks of the car by going wider, or lower, or just cutting out the bumper clear through to make the opening larger.
2) Be smart, and keep in mind that air is like any other fluid, and will react to what you design in ways you would not normally think.
a) Look at the nose of a corvette, or F-body GM. They are bottem breathers, and the designs are very effective at drawing air over the radiators. So much so that most vette's have a "trash dump" of leaves and pet hair packed up on the upper part of the radiator/condensor.
b) We can get much of the same effect on the Supra with mods that you can't see unless you lay down and look up UNDER the bumper.
c) Cut the bumper impact bar from a square tube to a triangle. A simple shroud then directs the air over the FMIC and also mounts the stock grille in place so when your standing in front of the car, you see a stock grille. When you lay down, you see the grille opening is really about 2x the size it used to be.
Fluid dynamics and the fact that air always flows from high to low pressure works for us here. A reverse vented hood would further improve the flow, but that's another post.
So, here's what happens to the air that reaches your bumper/grille. Becasue the hole is now larger surface area wise, it would create a low pressure area and draw that air up behind the bumper and direct it into the face of the intercooler. The lower pressure behind your radiator due to the fan, and the design of the car then draws that air through the FMIC, Condensor, oil coolers and your radiator of course. Higher speeds actually make it work better, especially if you have effective shrouds that don't let the air escape off to the sides, or back under the car. (The lower tray pan for example.)
You also need to design vertical panels that keep the air flowing over the FMIC and don't let it go around the sides. (Air is like water, it will take the path of least resistance, and if you leave larger holes on the sides, it will go there instead of going through your intercooler where you want it to go.)
Ok, end of my thoughts. One of these days I'll build this setup, and find out if it really works.
Adjuster
Supramania Contributor
Well, to put it nicely, a modified, or other than stock front bumper is a screeming call that your car is not stock, please pull me over officer, and check my car out for being leagal. (I notice your in CA, land of the fruits and nuts.)
Do some stealth mods, and make your car totally perform, yet look pretty much stock.
Paint your FMIC black.
Hide the red silicone hoses.
Undercut your stock bumper for more flow, but you can't see it, so they will leave you alone.
Run larger wheels if you must, and get the big brakes, but again, keep them low key, so they are only noticed when you actually look for them.
Run a quiet yet effective exhaust. (Like the HKS Turbo sport one, very stock looking dual tips, yet it's 450rwhp capable easy flow wise, and it's nice and quiet, so you can enjoy your stereo again.)
Do some stealth mods, and make your car totally perform, yet look pretty much stock.
Paint your FMIC black.
Hide the red silicone hoses.
Undercut your stock bumper for more flow, but you can't see it, so they will leave you alone.
Run larger wheels if you must, and get the big brakes, but again, keep them low key, so they are only noticed when you actually look for them.
Run a quiet yet effective exhaust. (Like the HKS Turbo sport one, very stock looking dual tips, yet it's 450rwhp capable easy flow wise, and it's nice and quiet, so you can enjoy your stereo again.)
Just for interest's sake, I'm going with a Bomex bumper with the center and side holes filled like this. (Available from the bomex group buy) I think it really makes the car look more modern and less 80's.
PS: Why not just get a Shine turbo A duct? I think it looks better than a gaping hole.
PS: Why not just get a Shine turbo A duct? I think it looks better than a gaping hole.
hey adjuster, thanks for all your info.... i may think about that triangular shaped support bar to allow air to flow up to the top of the IC, that's not a bad idea. as for keeping it looking stock, i intend to keep it stock looking everywhere except the front bumper. i haven't had any issues yet, and to be honest i'd prefer the look of it no matter what it costs me in fines or tickets. i plan to keep my plate in my window as well which should be legal according to what i read on the subject but of course the cop could be an ass and still give me a ticket.
anyhow we'll see but i love the look of it all opened up and infact my air filter will be down in the passenger fog light hole area exposed as well for some cool air. if it gets to be a big problem with cops i could cover all areas up with mesh later on.
anyhow we'll see but i love the look of it all opened up and infact my air filter will be down in the passenger fog light hole area exposed as well for some cool air. if it gets to be a big problem with cops i could cover all areas up with mesh later on.
i dunno.... the turbo a duct requires you to cut your bumper support anyways so if i'm going to do that i might as well make a nice big opening, but i'm not ruling it out yet.
A nice, big, ugly opening.
I guess I'll wait and see how it ultimately looks, but all the pics you posted so far are... less than appealing to me anyways.
I guess I'll wait and see how it ultimately looks, but all the pics you posted so far are... less than appealing to me anyways.
Adjuster
Supramania Contributor
Look at this photo. You can see the lower part of the radiator, and the "aftermarket" CAI that sticks down into this area to supply cold air to the intake.
http://www.motorsporttech.com/c5_air_intake01.asp
Even with this CAI in the way, the air is still going to go up behind the intake and bumper and be pulled over the radiator/condensor due to the design of the bumper.
We should incorporate this type of a design into the underside of the "bumper" where the licensplate mounts. Leaves the look stock, but if you looked underneath, it would be hollowed out, and have a shroud that directs air up over the intercooler.
Having the stock lower grille hanging down there would just complete the sleeper look, but you would not need it for anything other than impact reistance from minor debris.
http://www.motorsporttech.com/c5_air_intake01.asp
Even with this CAI in the way, the air is still going to go up behind the intake and bumper and be pulled over the radiator/condensor due to the design of the bumper.
We should incorporate this type of a design into the underside of the "bumper" where the licensplate mounts. Leaves the look stock, but if you looked underneath, it would be hollowed out, and have a shroud that directs air up over the intercooler.
Having the stock lower grille hanging down there would just complete the sleeper look, but you would not need it for anything other than impact reistance from minor debris.
Greg: I love your approach to modifying something. It's always just so well thought out and planned.
Jeff: Your photoshop ftw!
Jeff: Your photoshop ftw!