Front clip opinions

Leave front clip open or install mesh grilles?

  • Leave it open.

    Votes: 16 64.0%
  • Add the grilles.

    Votes: 9 36.0%

  • Total voters
    25

Taz

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Here's the deal. I've spent a lot of time lately staring at the front end of my Snake while I was working on the HID retrofit, and I got to thinking the wide open upper and lower air intakes look kinda funky with the heat exchanger etc in plain view like that. Soooo ... I bought a set of Grillcraft mesh grilles to cover those gaping holes.

Click HERE to see the Grillcraft webpage for these grilles.

I bought the black powdercoated grilles, rather than silver. They are incredibly well made and fit the openings perfectly, BUT now I'm having second thoughts about installing them. Soooo ... I thought I'd better get some feedback on this issue before I drill holes in my front clip for the fasteners.

If I install the grilles, I plan to remove my grille snake from its bracket and mount it to the upper grille in the same location. Below are a shot of the open front clip and the same shot after the "virtual" installation of a mesh grille to give you an idea of how it changes the look of the front end.
front_clip_comparison__small.jpg


What do you think? leave the front end open, or visually block it off by installing the grilles?

:shrug:
 

TheGord

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I like the one on the top, more than the one on the bottom. if removing the bottom looks unbalanced, then leave them both.
 

Snake Eyes

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I don't like them at all... If you want to make it look cleaner you could remove the plastic upper cover inside and paint your heat exchanger matte black. If you want to install some mesh install it at the back rather than way up front. I think those grills way up front neuters the attitude (it looks too pontiac-ie) but that is just my opinion.
 

Taz

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Lots of good input. Thanks, guys.

I expected the responses to be fairly evenly split on the aesthetics issue, and that seems to be the case. I suppose appearance questions always come down to personal preference, and personally, I'm still ambivalent about the looks.

I admit that airflow through the mesh has been one of my concerns, so I have forced air through the grilles with a fan, and they don't seem to present any significant resistance to the airflow, but how much is "significant?" Any at all could be too much to allow effective cooling of the engine and air charge during the nasty ambient temps that I'm forced to cope with during the desert summers. I just don't know, so that question remains open.

Of course, the positive aspect of installing the grilles is that they would provide some protection for the radiator and heat exchanger from rocks and other road debris thrown up by cars ahead. They would also prevent larger flying insects from blocking airflow through the radiator/heat exchanger by becoming embedded in their fins. Of course, rocks and bugs haven't been any problems in the past 4-1/2 years, so are these benefits really important? I don't know.

Right now, I'm leaning toward just leaving the front clip open, primarily because of the airflow/cooling question. But the jury is still out, so keep those cards and letters rolling in.

:??:
 

Kcobra99

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60% airflow is enough to not effect cooling, a guy I know has been making screens for the 03 cobras around here. He works at a dearship that sells Saleens and asked the techs at Saleen about the screens they use. According to their research 60% airflow won't make any difference in cooling. But, a rad filled with dead grasshoppers will, and the front openings on Cobras are big enough to suck up a dog.

Personally, I'd like the screens to be set further back than in the pic, but it's your car and having them further forward will probably help airflow. :thumbsup:
 

VirtualSVT

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I've decided I don't much care for it.

I like the open look of the car and I'm anal about airflow down here.
 

Taz

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cobraracer46 said:
The grills look like shit. Even worse, is the fact that they block air flow.

Hahahahaha!

Man, I'm sure glad you came along! HahAHAHAHAHA!

Everyone used to think I was the forum dildo ... until you came along.

But thanks for sharing. :-D
 

cobraracer46

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Taz said:
Hahahahaha!

Man, I'm sure glad you came along! HahAHAHAHAHA!

Everyone used to think I was the forum dildo ... until you came along.

But thanks for sharing. :-D
By definition, a Dildo is object or a person that likes to f u c k other people and let me tell ya, I would't f u c k any body on this forum unless they have big boobs. :-D :beer:
 

Taz

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Allright. Recent votes by members of the "leave it open" camp have convinced me to skip the grilles, at least for the time being.

I may change my mind some day, so I'm not going to toss them in the dumpster. I'll just move them to the storage unit where my takeoffs are stored.

Thanks, everybody for your input. Yes, Cobraracer, that includes you too.

Happy trails,

T-
 

99 svtcobra

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umm could you take apicture of your you headlights from far away and turned off. I was wondering how it looks from far away.


thanks

cobrafan
 

Taz

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cobrafanforever said:
umm could you take apicture of your you headlights from far away and turned off. I was wondering how it looks from far away.


thanks

cobrafan

You mean you just want to see how the front of the car looks from a distance with the lights off? If that's what you want, I'll be happy to do that for you.

How about Saturday? The car isn't a daily driver, and these short days mean it's dark outside when I leave for work in the mornings and already dark again when I get home during the week.

Happy trails,

T-
 

JebTonkin

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I like the open look myself, I even took the grill ornimant out of mine so there is nothing there. I like it.
 

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