I'm in the process of designing and assembling a kit to install functional vents in the sides of the front fenders, which would help carry away excess engine heat. I plan to install it on my car, and also to make some extra units while I am at it, since I am going to have to have most of the components custom CAD machined. It would be built from welded aluminum. I am very familiar with the obstacles to doing this, so I'm not looking for anybody to tell me about the challenges. I have it figured out. I'm wanting to know how many of you would be interested in purchasing a kit? I'm not asking for any pre-pay or crap like that. This is not a scam, I'm asking to see who has geniune interest. The price would be about $750 shipped to your door, with full instructions, a DVD installation video, hole-cutting templates for the fenders, and all the parts; which includes a new fabricated washer fluid jug to allow clearance, side vents covered with mesh which your original side strakes would attach over, and shaped vent tubing and attachment brackets which run to the interior of your engine bay to carry away heat. I am planning to run some tests on it once installed to get some figures on how much heat is actually carried away. I will have the kits ready within three months. So who is in? Any interest? This will be the only kit of its type on the market, or ever produced, and this is a mod that has been discussed quite a bit, but only done once or twice. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks guys and gals!

Peter

 

$750 and the buyer has to cut into their fenders?

i am interested in pictures.

 

I am, only I want to consider it as a site for my CAI. At least on one of the sides. The lower fender box is fine but water issues have made it unsafe.

Keep us posted.

 

I do hope you would make your water jug from 304 stainless and not aluminium. Squirrel Crusher

 

OP, could you please explain how this is your very first post here on this Forum. Where are you, etc.??

 

Depending on build quality, materials, etc. and how/where exactly you need to cut, I would be interested in seeing some pictures.

 

I'm from NY, and many people would describe me as a natural born pessimist.

If this is a take off on that Porthole thread, some people will be pi$$ed...

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...portholes.html

 

I am located near Jackson, MS. I just got the crossfire this summer but have wanted one ever since they came out; so I have been researching on them and learing about them for five or six years. I haven't posted before because without a car to look at and play around with, I am not sure that I would really have any valuable input lol. Why do you suggest 403 stainless over aluminum, Squirrel Crusher?

I have no pictures available yet, this is simply a post to confirm interest. I'm thinking I will probably make about 25 units since that is the smallest number that it is ecconomical to have custom CAD machined.

 

How would that work?
Open to the engine bay it would be warm air and open to the side of the car and closed to the engine bay it would be a lower air pressure at speed.
Oh yeah, and no ram air.

 

He didn't suggest 403, he suggested 304. Seems like you should know that?? We are skeptical of scammers, and you have the initial earmarks.

 

Not only do you have to worry about the scammers... even the people with the best intentions could still end up screwing people over (but not on purpose). That is a lesson most have already learned on the forum.

 

A simple typo guys. And I repeat the question why the steel vs the aluminum? The aluminum would be lighter and also non-corosive. I'm looking for any valuable input. Although I have it pretty well figured out, it would be arrogant to assume that my idea couldn't be improved on. And I know that some forum members have been burned by scammers before, but let me point out again that I am not asking for a prepay or any of that crap so there is nothing for you to be getting your feathers all ruffled about. Nobody is coming to steal your money and destroy your car. Chill out

 

My first knee jerk reaction to this, is ...WHY? I am not an automobile engineer, but my unfounded common sense says to me that the MB and Karmann people have put together a very well engineered car (in most cases), that dissipates the necessary amount of the heat within our engine bays on the normal N/A and SRT6 cars. My thought is, that when at the operating temp engineered for, and most external temps, the engine/drive train is at its most efficient operating temp. If cooled down more than engineered for, its possible that the ideal temp is not obtained. (I don't know if I explained that correctly or not), and engineered efficiency is not obtained. MB has told us what the "correct" oil, tranny fluid, coolant fluid, brake fluid, etc to be used for maximum reliability, and efficiency of the car, so what would better cooling of the engine bay do?
But with that said, I would think that if you have put in a V8 into a Crossfire, then more efficient cooling of the engine bay would be needed.
These are just my initial thoughts, and shouldn't be taken in stone.

 

Truer words have not been spoken, hyprlte420 or whatever comes to mind, or Dan Root, etc.

Sorry, but you are the new guy on the block. I recommend you get a prototype working, and as you say, incur all costs yourself. If it works and can be duplicated for a fair price, you will have several buyers, but until someone on this forum who is respected holds the parts in their hand and installs in their car, many here simply will not bite - myself included. Too many have been burned by custom strakes, side skirts, and everything in between.

Great endeavor, and I am behind you 100% and hope you make a great product... Now prove it.

PS: SquirrelCrusher is the only one who I have ever seen with functional strake vents that look GOOD - may want to follow his advice and probably 40+ years of experience...

 

Here's another one https://www.crossfireforum.org/galle...220_170010.jpg

Squirrel Crusher's and this one, are outstanding examples of how it should be done. Good luck w/ this if in fact you are for real. You don't just come on here w/ your first post w/ no member description, avatar, pic.'s or description of your Crossfire, and tell us to "Chill Out". Whiskey,Tango,Foxtrot

 

According to my man Bernoulli (and his Principal), if you were generating low pressure at the opening, you'd then be sucking air outta the engine compartment.

And you might also be subject to "Fender Vent Icing"...

(I couldn't resist, I just had to say it...)

 

You're kidding right Dave?

Cold air intakes from the side fender are quite common.
Hummers,
Volvos
Land Rovers.

My lower fender box intake has no ram effect unless pressure from the compression of the street creates it. I do not think it does. In fact the air flow likely lowers AP. Funny, that's an issue now, but the opposite, Ram Air, is a humorus myth to you.

The filter is hard to access in there(have to remove the wheel) and if the inspection door falls off, I cannot drive in the rain. A stream of water comes right off the wheel into the K&N like a fire hose.

Pulling cold air from the right grill for the engine intake CAI. Release warm engine air out the left side

On a hot steamy day,the air at two feet off the pavement is likely fresher than what I'm getting 8" off the hot blacktop.

Of what configuration were you thinking?

 

If you want to cool the engine, pull off the hood seals at the front and rear of the hood as I did. This lets in more cold to cool the ENGINE and lets it vent out the windshield or you could open the hood as I did with the reverse hood ( relief scoops ) vents .

Vents are not free and open and dont / wont allow airflow due to the spacing and path. I have looked into this for some time, dont see it happening. Woody

 

Along this same train of thought, I was looking under my hood the other day and thought :
"what if I had a fiberglass/metal box built inside the hood with an air filter(s) in it that had access to outside air at the rear of the hood, and a rubber/vinyl connector to the MAF when the hood is closed"

Question : wouldn't the air flowing over the top of the hood cool down the intake air to some degree ?

( sort of a 'poor man's CAI )

 

I loved Squirrels vents when he posted about them, but when he also showed how little heat could actually escape I checked this project off my want list. The SRT engine just gets so damn hot, I really wanted a way to let it cool off better without removing the splash shield. I loved madmax's (at least I think it was mad max) carbon fiber hood, but the design changed to small slots rather than gaping wholes. It still looked beautiful, I just felt like the function was lost.

For a comparison, when I put the slk55 to rest at night the garage is cool within a few hours. When I had the SRT and I put it to bed the garage was still warm in the morning.

Edit: good luck on the side vents. i think they're really cool and I hope you figure out how to route out as much heat as possible.