Permanent Aluminum Grill Block and Belly Pan
 

After researching here and other forums for a few months, I finally bought my FE car and started modding. I have a 2007 Vibe. I first did the normal things like new DVD/NAV unit, new speakers sub and amp, added more power outlets, put in a direct wire for my radar detector and GPS, got new rims put on, had 15% tint done... you know the usual stuff.

For my first major ECO modification I decided to make a permanent grill block and belly pan. I wanted to use something that was durable, lightweight, maleable, slick, and that won't tear or rust. My material of choice: sheet aluminum (.40 gauge) ... recycled from an old garage door I took off of my boat house. The best part is it was FREE and eco friendly!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...be/mymetal.jpg


TO DO THE GRILL BLOCK
First remove the three central screws that hold the front fascia on. Then remove the two screws that have a rubber cap for the hood to rest on. You have to take out the DRIVER SIDE GRILL FIRST as it has a catch over the other side (you put the passenger side in first when reassembling). They are easy to get out if you just hold up on one clip at a time and then push from the front on the grill (towards the engine). You'll have to pull forward on the plastic fascia to get them out (and you may have to move the hood release a bit for the dirver side one).


Both Grills Removed
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p.../grillsout.jpg


Next you just make a template out of paper (I just taped two pieces of regular paper together to do it). You want it big enough to cover the inside rim, but not so big that it covers the clips for the chrome piece. Trace the template (go a little big if you are worried as you can always cut it down more).
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...cetemplate.jpg


Next use some snips to cut out your shape. BE CAREFUL when cutting aluminum as it's difficult to do and there are many sharp edges. You want to cut it within like 1/2 inch of your line all the way around first ... and then go back to cut on the line (letting the aluminum curl around like this:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...uttemplate.jpg


Ohhhh fancy art work:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...be/artwork.jpg


Now just lay the metal on your first grill and line it up. I bent it to shape by putting it around my leg to get the slight curve in it. You can use the same template for the other side (it's a mirror copy of it).
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...grillblock.jpg


To attach the metal to the grill was a challenge. I starred at the dumb thing for quite a while and then had a brainstorm. I just lined it up on the grill, used a lot of painters tape to hold it in place, and then marked where I wanted the pre-drilled holes at with a magic marker. I then used pliers to bend tabs up where the marker was. I then pre-drilled a hole into the metal and through the plastic. I then ran a 1" screw into each hole at a big angle (the drill was almost flush with the metal sheet). You need to be careful to just barely go through the second part of the plastic on the lower part of the grills or it won't line up when putting it back on.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...rewupclose.jpg


Next I just used an open end wrench to bend the tabs back down (to look nicer).
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...endtabdown.jpg


Once done repeating all steps with the 2nd grill you just put them back in. Remember to do the passenger one first! I had the best helper ever on this project with me (my 4 year old princess):
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...helperever.jpg


Line up your clips and just push it away from the engine. Put the drivers side in and you're done!!!
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p.../reinstall.jpg


A view of the finished grill inside:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...lockinside.jpg


A close up view from outside (you can't really see it at all).
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ockcloseup.jpg



BELLY PAN INSTALL
Before Belly Pan (uuuugggghhhhh what a mess under here)
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...underbelly.jpg


I again starred into the hole laying under my car for a while. How am I going to template this thing???? Hmmmm. I needed a large piece of paper which I did not have. The car is up on blocks and I don't want to take it down to go to the store.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...be/goingup.jpg


Hmmm. Wait, I could use a roll of paper.... but I don't have any. Ahhhh, actually yes ... we all do (paper towel ... heh). I used tape to hold it in place and traced the bumper contour with a magic marker.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...umpertrace.jpg


Lay it out on your sheet and then mark it (measure at all sides to make sure it's on straight). And the make your cuts.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...underbelly.jpg


Now just lift it into place and slide the curved part into your bumper. I used a tool box to hold up the weight in the back and I used tape in the front to hold it in place.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ibe/holdup.jpg


I decided to leave my existing wheel deflectors because they are better than nothing I think. I put the sheet up underneath the deflector/wheel well plastic. I may make them bigger at some point. I did put duct tape over all the gaps and holes later (not shown here).
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ldeflector.jpg


I drilled two holes in the center area of my sheet right through the unibody frame of the car and put bolts up through them. I also put two bolts and nuts on through the metal and wheel deflectors (it's not going anywhere now!!!!) Finally, I put short 1/2" screws into the front bumper to hold it down there and prevent it from flapping and making noise.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...underbelly.jpg

I pre-drilled the holes with a smaller bit and then put my hand through the lower grill vents (they bend back easily) and held a screwdriver handle against the metal to drill it. Otherwise, the sheet would just lift up and the hole would be off.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...ssurepoint.jpg

I was also worried about drilling to far so I made a drill stop out of some nuts:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...rillsleeve.jpg

The finished aluminum under belly!!!!
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...underbelly.jpg


This project took me about 5-6 hours I would say. It isn't difficult to do at all and is well worth it. I will add more to the underbody later, but this was enough for one day. ;)

When I make the full belly pan with these sheets ... Is it ok to cover up the rear muffler completely? I know the material will be fine, but will the heat go up into the rear of the car then?

Any ideas on how to make my wheel air deflectors better?

Roof rack ... can't remove them without looking terrible. Anything I can do to help aero on them ... taping? Fill seams and holes?

Rear of car ... would like to have better Cd... but needs to look ... well normal ... lol. Any aftermarket spoilers that would work well (like on the Ford Edge, or the new Vibe)? I think a slight upslope on a flush spolier would help reduce the rear wake (like on the Prius, the famous Camaro thread, etc.) since the spolier would have to be too long to clear the wake zone otherwise.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig1511a.png

Trikkon already modded his Vibe and I bet you can gleen a few ideas from him (I'm sure he won't mind :D) including rack removal, divot coverage, blocks and more.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-0-a-2202.html

Oh I've been watching his build thread a while too ... lol. I don't think I want to go so far as smoothing out the front (mainly because it's an '07 and a new paint job would cost more than I could justify) ... but I love what he's doing with his.

I'm surprised that they're are not more Vibe/Matrix users doing the aero mods. I have found tons of info on other cars, but not much on these.


http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig1511a.png

very clean!

good work..

Very nice work

how did u attach it to the grill, close up pic,

looks great

Super nice job on the recycling project. Hmmm, my neighbors are on vacation....they have a garage door...old too, they probably wouldn't even notice.

Have you noticed any difference yet? Mileage or quieter ride?

The wheel air deflectors, those are the little strips under the car in front of the tire? I saw on a Honda site that they call them strakes. Could make them slightly larger or just add an air dam.

Thx taco.... attaching it to the grill involved about an hour of me starring at it and trying to figure out a way to do it without the screws coming through ... heh.

I ended up using painters tape to hold it where I wanted it, then used a black magic marker to mark fixation points. I then drilled a pilot hole a little smaller than the screws I used (small diameter one about 1" long). I then used pliers to bend a tab up where each screw was so I could angle it through the ridge behind the chrome on the grill. You have to be careful on the bottom to just barely go through the other side or the grill won't snap back into the front end well. I then used an open end wrench to push down the tabs I had made.

I am at work now, but will get some pictures up later today that show it in more detail.


http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig1511a.png

LOL ... they might notice that one. The garage doors we took out were from like the 1950's. I had planned on taking all the metal to the recycler to get the cash, but figured they would be perfect for this mod (and they were). You can get .40 aluminum for pretty cheap (maybe $1 per square foot I think).

It does seem to be getting better mileage and I am keeping a before and after log. It is also a little more quiet yes. I think it will help even more when I do the whole bottom.

Not sure about the air dam. I've been debating that one a lot as well. I think you're right, maybe just make them a tad larger like they are on the '09 Vibe. They made them bigger for a reason I guess.


http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig1511a.png

I found a shop where they sell rubber strips from 2inch. I will use one of those to make an airdam. Rubber is flexible so when i hit somethink it wil bend. :D Maybe is that also an idea for your car.

A problem with rubber is that it can bend too much or worse, wobble and oscillate under airflow and that can create more turbulence than you may care for.

Since you've go so much of the front belly panned, a front air dam is probably not necessary. Front/side/rear wheel fairings might be helpful but conversely will entail more work on your part. (My Scion also has those little tabs ahead of the front wheels -- also a mini pan under the fender)

Hi,

A general comment about inside vs outside blocks:

I have noticed a (small) difference between taping (the outside) in courses starting at the bottom of the grill vs starting at the top. The only difference is the direction of the overlap -- the air is catching and lifting the seam if you start at the bottom, and this then drags a bit more!

So, if that small detail makes a difference, then blocking the inside of the grill can't be as effective as blocking the outside.

Heck of a job! Looks great and kudoos on the recycle!!!

That's sort of what I was thinking after reading a bunch of car magazine and other aerodynamic articles. It will likely increase my overall frontal area and counter the gains I'd see if I do the full belly pan.

That's interesting on the overlap of the tape. I was thinking of trying some test runs with painters tape over the upper grill.... then with both grills taped ... and then both grills and fogs covered to see if the MPG changes at all. So go from bottom up .... that makes sense ... especially if the tape starts to lift at all.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig1511a.png

Very, very professional looking.
I really like these 'stealth' factory looking mods. that you guys are doing.
Thanks for posting pictures.

We're on our own, Markmysite. ;)
Be watching for my new grilleblock...it's almost done..

I'm wondering if anyone has thought of my idea for a grille block.

I was planning on using insulating foam sealant (the kind you get in a can) and squirting it into the gaps between the gaps on the grille. After time to let it harden, I would trim off the excess with a knife, paint it black to match the rest of the grille, then reinstall it. THe beauty of this idea, other than the cheapness of it, is it wouldn't be hard to push the foam out of the grille if I go into an overheating situation. But done right, I think it would look very clean.

the picture links are dead!!!

If anyone has copies of the pics upload them to the website as part of their posting, that way the site "integrity" (as in you can come back in the future and see it as it is now) is preserved. We get no zombie threads that way and info is shared in the most effective way.

Pictures work fine. It's photobucket. Are you at work? Is it blocked?

no, I'm at home. It says, right were the pic is ACCOUNT INACTIVE.

actually I am also on photobuket I even have the pro account.

Do you use the same user name on photobucket?

Same here, no photos :(

@almightybmw you could be seeing them now if you saw them when they were first posted and your computer saved them in the cookies. If you refresh, they will probably be gone!

Take some screenshots for us if you would be so kind!!!!! :D I'm really interested in seeing this!

yes please!

yup, says account inactive

Better than screen shots: right click on the photos and save them to your hard drive (where you know the location) and then upload them again to your favorite image hosting site! And them post 'em here, please!

Will do boys. I'll just copy and paste his posts. Give me a bit.

Reposting Pictures
 

here you go!

This is very well done. This got me motivated to block my upper grille in my 07 Vibe. I took out the grilles as Markmysite did, but used clear packing tape to cover the front of the grilles. That way, when I put them back into the body, no excess tape showed and I didn't have to risk paint damage by taping over the whole front.

I'm considering doing the belly pan, but would prefer something easily removable. Suggestions?

Crocks - love 'em.

?????

Crocks.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...7&d=1280597469

(or maybe a similar and other branded form of plastic shoe)

PS - that block is superb.

It's much more ninja than my preliminary block.:thumbup:

I'd like to emulate that belly pan with coroplast, perhaps. Guess I'll have to find a sign shop in the STL area...or maybe support an elected official.;)

Nice job looks good.

What kind of aluminium is this? I didin't find any at the home depot.

By the way, good job with the belly pan an the block, it looks great. Are you planning to make flaps on it to open it on warm trip?

Very nice mods - I liked the idea of the nuts for the drill stop -

I was wondering, wouldn't it be better to extend the belly pan further back say at least to the middle of the car? I think that would be better would it?

p.s. I like the photos you provided, it really helps with the visualization of of how to do this kind of project. Also aluminum is good I think because it won't melt on exhaust.

Thanks
Dave

I did essentially the same on my car, but found that it ran too hot in summer. After all the meticulous work of designing it, I had to remove the permanent lower grille block I fabricated. My aluminum upper grille block is surface mounted and easily removable during warm weather, so that's no problem. The partial belly pan in front works well and is easily removable if I ever need to service that area.

Nice job. Hope yours doesn't run too hot.