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Front Grille Material

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racing girl

racing girl

Jedi Knight
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Anyone have any ideas where we could source a good, preferably stainless steel, material for the front grille. Still trying to get more air forced through the front end of the G15 at high speed. Looking for something that's more rounded in section rather than flat.
 
Hey RG,

I'm not familiar with G15 grills. ( Maybe I'll cruise the parking lot at lunch to see if I can spot one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Are you saying that it's perforated sheet and you want find wire cloth, expanded mesh or a material with greater % open area to replace it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif


PC.
 
PC
The grille is fairly open right now but it’s a flat metal grid sheet which has proven in a battery of more recent tests to block a lot of air flow. Newer vehicles are getting away from the flat grille and going to one where the horizontal and vertical “bars” have a rounded section, I suppose they could be considered 3D rather that flat. And I mislead you (all)… currently the grille is a flat metal grid rather than a mesh.

Oh, how many 15’s did you find at lunch time?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

RG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif
 
It's pretty common for perforated sheet to block more than half the total surface area.
OpeningShapeSquareDecorative12.gif


OpeningShapeDiamondperf12.gif


That, combined with the fact that it's flat and square on the edges and it's no surprise that the airflow is bad at speed.

My favorite source for stainless steel wire cloth (and a plethora of other wonderful things) is McMaster-Carr. (From the home page scroll down to the Raw Materials and Springs group and click on Perforated Materials)

PC.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
Sounds like you are looking for a woven stainless steel weave. Like the grills used in old Bentleys. I have this stuff in the grill of my racer (but I got a piece of this stuff for free from a friend who sells scrap).
May want to see if a Miata aftermarket s-s grill would work:

https://store.miataparts.org/gomdiamgril9.html

Or do a Google on "woven stainless steel" or "wire mesh".
One thing I seen used is the concrete reinforcing wire mesh. Very cheap and available in Home Depot, etc.
 
My pleasure RG.

I didn't find any G15s in the parking lot yesterday (or today either). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

You and Andrew are going to have to drive yours out to California. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


PC.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

.
 
If anyone is interested in the figures… Andrew did some static testing with air flow equipment this week and found a staggering 40% increase in air flow through the front end without the front grille in place!

RG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif
 
...or the lack of front grille altogether.

Brad did some of his own unscientific testing at the track this weekend in that he removed the grille from his Midget due to high temps. (even checked with the Chief Steward before doing so) The difference? Thirty degrees cooler under race conditions. Yep, I'd call that "staggering" too!

Tim /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
PCS, Rule 9.6. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Darn glad to see you are still at it Jeff! Roger 9.6 and Brad was advised that if a protest was filed... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

His water temps were way too high and without doing something quick and easy at the track, he'd have been risking the engine or coming in early. I highly suspect the VW radiator from All European Auto will be in for next race weekend.

...obviously Brad did not expect to be protested. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

Tim
 
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