Idea on Auto Adjusting Grill Block

[Varn]

I saw your car and for an instant saw a "Pontiac", I am very sorry.

Nice car. I like it.

[beatr911]

I like the simplicity of the actuation based on airspeed. Using physical properties vs. electronics seems most reliable. This doesn't however address the issue of the stated need for additional cooling in hotter seasons or for increased cooling system requirements.

Short of the wax pellet actuator (like in the 70's water cooled VW airboxes) is there a better way to do this?

[Shortie771]

Originally Posted by AndrzejM

That's the front view of Berta. As you can see I want to keep just the middle part of lower grille opened. So I was thinking more of some kind of blinds restricting flow through radiator

Ohhh, I see... Not sure what I was thinking earlier. Why would the IC be a tube, lol? Ok well how about doing something like this instead? Seems a bit easier IMO. I just modified my original idea for you (which was dumb) and cut a whole in the middle section, just not all the way through. As a plus, this would actually look pretty cool.

This still may not be what you're looking for, but hey I'm trying here

[botsapper]

Appreciate the simple solution, but some needs extra cooling in summer heat & very slow jams. ('shopped)

http://bunkerville.files.wordpress.c...raffic-jam.jpg

[Shortie771]

Originally Posted by botsapper

Appreciate the simple solution, but some needs extra cooling in summer heat & very slow jams. ('shopped)

http://bunkerville.files.wordpress.c...raffic-jam.jpg

While cruising below whatever speed you weight yours for (mine will be 45mph) the blinds will be partially opened, or if going slow enough they will be completely opened. That means the only time you won't be getting air to your radiator (through the grill), will be at highway speeds. At those speeds the air will find plenty of other ways into your car, to keep your engine cool. During summer and traffic there will still be enough cooling. That was my reason for making it this way. I hit plenty of traffic in my area and here in north Texas it wouldn't be summer if it didn't hit 110F for at least a few days.

[AndrzejM]

Thanks for ideas. I have to take out the bumper and check what I can do with space behind that. I'm thinking of sealing space around radiator to have a complete control over whole amount of air going through IC and Radiator. But first I have to move cooling fan behind radiator, because now it's at the front of it.

[Shortie771]

Yes, I think moving the fan to behind the radiator would make the installation a LOT easier. Also I agree (and was going to suggest) that sealing the space around radiator would help direct the air to where you want it.

[Shortie771]

Originally Posted by AndrzejM

This is cool! I like the idea. Do you have a film published somewhere from the testing with a webcam. I'd love to see how it behaves when the speed increases.

Well, I found some left over coroplast, that I forgot I had, from my previous grill block that didn't go so great. Made a video of the grill block closing by mounting a webcam to my license plate. The video is not very good quality because I don't have a very good webcam, but it works well enough. It is a little better if you click on the gear near the bottom right of the video and increase the quality to 480p, after starting the video.

I was not able to record the slides re-opening because the camera kept lagging and freezing up. The slides do open back to where they started in the same way that they closed.

I am very satisfied with how this grill block turned out and I intend to paint it black and keep it on year-round. The only thing left to do other than painting is to add a bit of weight to the back side of the slides, so that it closes a little later. I will be aiming for the slides to close completely at 40 MPH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISXvY7ygK-o

[Smurf]

Great work! From "idea" to "satisfied" in a mere three and a half weeks?!

That has to be some sort of record, right?

[AndrzejM]

Cool! Great job!