Thread: Cooling Plate Prototype (Not Pretty)

Ok, first off this was my first attempt and I just wanted to try to see if I could drum something up with a sheet of Aluminum. With the right tools I'm sure I could do better, but this was just a learning experience for me. All in all I would say for using tin snips and my hands its not to bad. I still need to file some edges and smooth it up but this is the general result. I will also probably paint it to avoid any rusting since it is raw aluminum. I got a big fat sheet from Lowes and just went to town. For shit and giggles once I get the car temp sensor in i'm going to run it with and without the plate to see if the function is there, which I dont see why it wouldnt help. It certainly doesnt seem like it would hinder performance so maybe it isnt as pretty as a $100+ laser cut piece, but its got chacater and cost me like $15 bucks lol. Just looking for suggestions/ideas....etc. I plan on trying it again with the other half of the sheet on my B13.




little trimming and figured a decent way to make the bends straighter.



Trimmed it up so that I could kinda tug the edges under the core support (its so wedge in there I prob wouldnt even need to screw it down, but I prob still will to be safe)


Pretty flush, dare I say this might actually be functional lol! Like i said i might paint it paint to hide imperfection, but if brings down temps, i'll rock it HARD

Looks pretty good to me. I would say if anything it needs to be thicker,because it looks flimsy in the pic.

Yeah its just .020 gauge aluminum. Its all I could find (in aluminum) at the store, and as this was just my first attempt I didnt wana spend to much on the first go.

Sheet metal brake will help a whole lot

Yeah i was thinking of grabbing the cheap hand one from HBF for like $50 or so but I wanted to just run through it real quick to see what would happen. I have another half that I can make another one out of. Better idea of what I need to do to "perfect it" though ill never reach perfection using hand tools lol

Bump added 2 pics to OP

Trimmed it a little so now its flush. It also allows for tucking under the core support cuz MOAR TRAPPED AIR =]

2x For Metal Brake!!! Other than that and some filing Id say its good.

how do you plan on mounting it?

have any anti-rattle ideas?

Love it. Inexpensive is good as it allows you to save money for tires and other stuff you cannot make. I made one out of a road sign that had blown off of it's post. Seriously! That's what happened. Anyway, it made a great cooling plate. I had it easier as I've removed hood latch as I now use hood pins and so it was a solid piece. Then I turbo'd the car and have had to open it up as I built in a scoop to direct air into the rad through that space.

Mine was friction fit with a couple of rubber washers as anti-rattle. Perfect.

Well I planned on using some of that foam type weather stripping. I havent started it up yet, but the way i have it now (tucked under the core support) there is no loose-ness to it at all to rattle. Not that it wont rattle itself loose but thats why i plan on throwing some double sided adhesive weather strip along the edge underneath. If coming loose is an issue further, then I will drill a hole through where it rests on the sheet metal that the grille attached to on each side and thread a screw.




Nice! I got another sheet i may make one for my B13 and see how it goes. Perhaps even make another one for my B14 using the first one as a layout and take my time on it. Gonna order some carbon fiber vinyl wrap to cover it in to hide the imperfections and all that good stuff.

Yeah, without a latch it would be sooooooooo much easier. Trying to figure out how to line up the hole you cut out for it is the hardest part. If you dont have it totally pre bent to how you want it, and cut the hole then bent it, the hole ends up further back lol. But pre bending, you cant sit it flush over the latch cuz, well the latch is in the way lol