Cooling discovery

[jeff1234]

My 1985 Shelby Charger has a fairly large intercooler directly in front of the A/C condenser and radiator. I have a replacement radiator with fewer fins than stock. I was experiencing wide swings of the temp needle. I had recently changed the thermostat from 180 to 195. I thought about installing cooling fans but opted instead to improve air flow through the radiator by modifying the Charger nose. Underneath on either side the bottom of the nose has two large openings. I reasoned that much of the air coming through the nose was being forced out these holes so I created a blocking plate for each side. It worked ike magic. The temp gauge scarcely moves now and stays right around the middle mark. I had used my 4000E to check temps running down the road and I know that the middle mark is 204 degrees. Before it was getting up to 213 degrees at the three quarter mark on the gauge.

[Wastelands Warrior]

Nice engineering.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Ducting is pretty important for best cooling.

[iangoround]

Share some pictures!

[jeff1234]

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I first made a pattern, fun, upside down. I then went to a local store here in Wisconsin, Farm and Fleet, and bought a 12" X 24" 22 gauge sheet of steel. I cut out the pattern with a air nibbler, (Harbor Freight). The lower edge of my fender had some pre-existing holes but my fenders are aftermarket from years ago so maybe yours wont have the holes. I installed some speed nuts for a ten mm bolt in these locations. The pattern shows a black dot as a hole marker, it should correspond to a hole in the front sheet metal on each side. Don't rely on the picture, verify your hole location. Mine lined up and I used them. I then installed a sheet metal screw with washer by drilling into the rubber nose. Use a drill that is smaller than the threads of your screws to ensure a good fastening. The nose of my Charger is stuffed with intercooler, condenser and radiator so I had a good result, if your car is set up differently you may not notice a difference on your gauge but those big holes are not helpful for cooling on any Shelby Charger because air flow under the front end creates a area of negative pressure in the nose sucking alot of the air out of that space. I would like to hear from whoever tries this about their experience.

[ajakeski]

Does your car still have the rubber air deflectors that attached to the bumper brackets to direct air into the radiator opening? These have been missing on most cars I've seen and are typically removed or damaged if the bumper has been removed or replaced.

[jeff1234]

Aj, I don't have anything like that on mine. I have the standard Charger nose and then another nose that nests over the top of that one.

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Did my pictures come through? When I clicked on the links I got an invalid link message on my phone.

[ajakeski]

This was the best photo I had. The deflector is circled in green. There should have been one on either side of the radiator opening. They go from the upper tie bar to the lower and from the face of the radiator support to the back side of the bumper assembly. The purpose is to direct air coming through the bumper into the radiator opening.
If the front end has ever been worked on, these are usually missing or damaged.

[jeff1234]

I am certain I never had these on my car so they must have been thrown out when it had front end damage repair.

[jeff1234]

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I resent the pictures for my post above.