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My new aluminum Radiator Shroud!

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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 04:30 PM
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Talking My new aluminum Radiator Shroud!

Hey guys I just made this at work the other day and was wondering what you guys think of it? It's not cleaned or painted yet, but I plan on black anodizing it soon. I just have to wait until I yank out my motor again, lol. Anyhow, here it is so let me know what you think.







I cut it at work using a waterjet and chose a jagged font for the lettering (I think it was called Creepy Girl or something like that). I've cut a few other things for my car too, and made a page regarding custom water cutting parts on my website (link in sig) for those interested.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 05:02 PM
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is anything holding it down?... you should make a couple more holes in it and you can bolt it down using a few pre threaded holes in that area.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 05:09 PM
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Originally posted by Scott 89t2
is anything holding it down?... you should make a couple more holes in it and you can bolt it down using a few pre threaded holes in that area.
Nothing is holding it down yet, but I do plan on making something that will. I'm thinking of using some type of quick release, similar to the small ***** in the rear of our hatches where you access the spare tire.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 05:22 PM
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Wow... That's fancy
I'm running an RX-7 without the front air dam and I was looking at something like that... I just use it to drift and race so I bet that would look cool How can I make something like that for myself (between my dad and grandpa I have access to everything from a metal lathe to a mill)
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 05:31 PM
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Just make a template, or create a drawing with your own measurements and make it, lol. You can cut aluminum easily enough with a jigsaw, mill the holes and slots, and then sand/file/grind the jigsaw cut edges smooth. If I didn't have a waterjet to do the cutting for me, that's probably how I would make mine I suppose.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 06:27 PM
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have you thought about polishing it? it looks good by the way!
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 06:53 PM
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Thanks! I did think about it but it really wouldn't go with the color scheme of my car I think. Also, the lettering cut out will actually show up red once I finish it up. I'll be painting another piece of aluminum red and affixing it to the underside of the panel so that it will look like red recessed lettering. It should look pretty good with the red lettering and black anodizing, and it will match the rest of my engine coloring scheme.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:08 PM
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wow have you thought about making some cold air boxes? I'm sure they'd sell good I'd buy one you could probably get templates from some one on the forum whos made one
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:10 PM
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Did you find out...what was up with your coolant problem.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:11 PM
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how think is that aluminum?
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:12 PM
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Originally posted by *a*jones*
how think is that aluminum?
Thick?
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:15 PM
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yeah, that too, you post that before i got to edit it.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:23 PM
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Originally posted by totallimmortal
wow have you thought about making some cold air boxes? I'm sure they'd sell good I'd buy one you could probably get templates from some one on the forum whos made one
If it's flat patterns that need to be cut out, I can easily do that and all that people would need to do is get it welded together, or bracket the pieces together somehow.



ERAUMAZDA
Did you find out...what was up with your coolant problem.
Having done the geyser test and failing, I'd have to say it's a coolant seal problem. I also ran the car with the radiator cap closed and every couple seconds air bubbles would come out of the overflow tube in the coolant resevoir.



*a*jones*
how thick is that aluminum?
For this I used .071" thick aluminum, 2024-T3


Last edited by White_Seven; Mar 28, 2004 at 07:26 PM.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:46 PM
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Wow that looks sweet! I never even thought of doing something like that. You could probally sell those.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 07:55 PM
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Originally posted by gergrx7
Wow that looks sweet! I never even thought of doing something like that. You could probally sell those.
I'm working on that part, heheh. I've cut a few other things for myself, though nothing as "detailed" as this yet.

This is an S4 adapter for an Apexi cone filter


S4 filler neck cap that you can use to put a water thermo sensor for aftermarket gauges


3-gauge panel and radio panel for a friend's car's (S4 surround)


Black Magic electric fan bracket (2 pieces welded together per side)
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 08:09 PM
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Thumbs up

Nice, man! That's some crazy type style you conjured up on that shroud.

I also like your surround gauge panel, except that I wouldn't want to give up my logicon/ac or the related vents.

Have you thought about doing an insert for gauges that would fit in the idiot light hole on top of the dash? I've seen the idiot lights relocated in the ashtray area on a car at Sevenstock and that looked good. But I haven't seen a clean set up for gauges in the dash top. What do you say?

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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 08:19 PM
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Originally posted by fcfdfan
Nice, man! That's some crazy type style you conjured up on that shroud.

I also like your surround gauge panel, except that I wouldn't want to give up my logicon/ac or the related vents.

Have you thought about doing an insert for gauges that would fit in the idiot light hole on top of the dash? I've seen the idiot lights relocated in the ashtray area on a car at Sevenstock and that looked good. But I haven't seen a clean set up for gauges in the dash top. What do you say?

Thanks! The surround gauge panel that is pictured was for a friend's car that he's turning into an autocross car, so he did away with the logicon, vents, etc. I'd never do that personally, heheh. As for gauges up in the top area, as in the idiot lights, if you showed me a picture I could see if I could come up with. Although, I am gearing up more for flat shapes and stuff I can cut from sheets of aluminum, stainless, titanium, etc.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 08:54 PM
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is there a place you can get those radiator shrouds? Not that exact one I know you did all the fabrication yourself but for just one that fits an fc? Thanks.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 09:10 PM
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Originally posted by hondahater
is there a place you can get those radiator shrouds? Not that exact one I know you did all the fabrication yourself but for just one that fits an fc? Thanks.
Yup, Corksport.com, SpeedMachinePerformance.com (formerly FCStore.com) are a couple places that have them. SpeedMachinePerformance offers a carbon fiber one too I believe.
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 09:17 PM
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i want one
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Old Mar 28, 2004 | 09:27 PM
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Originally posted by DominiCan
i want one
Just send me a PM and we'll chat about it there

That goes for anyone else that is interested in getting some pricing on watercut items
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Old Mar 29, 2004 | 12:35 AM
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Lightbulb IDIOT LIGHT GAUGE POD MOD

Originally posted by White_Seven
Thanks!... As for gauges up in the top area, as in the idiot lights, if you showed me a picture I could see if I could come up with. Although, I am gearing up more for flat shapes and stuff I can cut from sheets of aluminum, stainless, titanium, etc.


White_Seven:

You ask for a picture, I give you a picture. Hell, I ripped the dash out of my car just to give you a picture.

I put a 2" Autometer boost gauge in the hole for scale. The actual trim piece that fits in the hole is off to the right. Three 2" gauges would fit nicely in this area, which is about 10" wide. The upper rear section of the dash where the tape measure sits is about 3.5" higher than the bottom of the idiot light hole. The hole is about 7" from front edge to back.

A piece could be fab'd to extend off the higher back side of the dash and create a near-stock looking boxed area for three smaller gauges like the one shown. They could even be tilted toward the driver as I have shown. If this were done right, it could be a really clean looking dash mod.

I guess you are into flats and metals and this is probably formed fiberglass or c/f, but I just wanted to get the idea out there (it's been around but I haven't seen anything clean looking developed) and see what came of it. Thanks!
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Old Mar 29, 2004 | 12:45 AM
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Damn, that would be a great product to see, but you're right in that I deal with flat sheets of metal, lol. One of these days I'll start learning to make things in fiberglass and such, but until then I'll stick to the stuff I can make at work, heheh
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