Spare tire and radiator in the trunk, Who’s done this? Options

[Lilchopshop]

I really want a “normal” spare tire in the frunk of my Suby conversion. I’m thinking about mounting the radiator at the back/bottom of the frunk and putting the spare above the radiator. I know others have tried… @slowrodent ?

[slowrodent]

I really want a “normal” spare tire in the frunk of my Suby conversion. I’m thinking about mounting the radiator at the back/bottom of the frunk and putting the spare above the radiator. I know others have tried… @slowrodent ?

Yes. Mine is located at the rear of the frunk at approx. 45 degrees. My intention was to fit a skinny, full-diameter spare on top of it and hopefully be able to stuff a removed flat tire in there with the spare removed. I think it will work, but my car has yet to leave the garage, so road testing remains TBD. I feel I have ample cooling vents for the rad exit air. I'll need to work on intake ducting beneath the tire next.

[Lilchopshop]

Thanks! I like the approach. I’ll have to do some mock-up. What radiator is that? What are you doing for fans? Will they push or pull the air through the radiator?

[ClayPerrine]

In 2005 there was a member here who put the radiator for his Suby conversion in the engine compartment with the engine, up against the firewall. He built a scoop to pull air from under the car and route it through the radiator to exit out the stock engine lid. It seemed to work OK, he drove it all over the country like that. Screen name @scotty914 He recently showed back up here and posted about how he was going to get it running again.

Here's the link to his thread from 2005. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...25940&st=40 It gives you some alternative ideas to work with.

[slowrodent]

It's an EBAY 2 row radiator... 22x13 VW Scirocco size. I have two puller fans behind it.

Thanks for the kind words. Good luck with your project. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Kevin

[SirAndy]

I really want a “normal” spare tire in the frunk of my Suby conversion.

I know that's not what you're asking but you can always put a full size spare in the rear trunk. There's already a mount for it.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[mb911]

Couldn’t you do a vertical collapsible spare and run the radiator in front of that?

[ClayPerrine]

Couldn’t you do a vertical collapsible spare and run the radiator in front of that?

Not to be a spoilsport, but they don't make those collapsable spares anymore. And the newest ones are 20+ years old and dry rotted to the point they are unusable.

I had one and when I tried to inflate it, it split where it was folded for years.

Better solution is to find a Boxster donut spare. It is small, fits over Boxster and bigger calipers, and doesn't have to be inflated to use it.

[mb911]

Couldn’t you do a vertical collapsible spare and run the radiator in front of that?

Not to be a spoilsport, but they don't make those collapsable spares anymore. And the newest ones are 20+ years old and dry rotted to the point they are unusable.

I had one and when I tried to inflate it, it split where it was folded for years.

Better solution is to find a Boxster donut spare. It is small, fits over Boxster and bigger calipers, and doesn't have to be inflated to use it.

I thought someone just found a new source for the tires. I think I read it on pelican

[Lilchopshop]

In 2005 there was a member here who put the radiator for his Suby conversion in the engine compartment with the engine, up against the firewall. He built a scoop to pull air from under the car and route it through the radiator to exit out the stock engine lid. It seemed to work OK, he drove it all over the country like that. Screen name @scotty914 He recently showed back up here and posted about how he was going to get it running again.

Here's the link to his thread from 2005. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...25940&st=40 It gives you some alternative ideas to work with.

Thanks! @ClayPerrine I do wish there were more pictures of the whole setup though. Curious what the air scoop looked like and wondering if there were any fans...

A mid-mounted radiator would definitely make a lot of other things easier too... One problem I would have with the location @scotty914 chose is that it interferes with my shift cables (I'm using a suby 5MT). At the moment, I think I like what @slowrodent is attempting best. I plan on doing some cardboard mock-up this week and I'll try and post pictures for anyone else dumb enough to ignore the tried and true, front-mounted radiator location.

[Lilchopshop]

I think it’s going to work! My plan is to cut out the whole middle portion of the frunk floor and add a brace/mount for the radiator. Then, I’ll open up the area inside the blue tape for inlet airflow. I’ll mount two puller fans on the rear side of the radiator. I’lll make a duct that I can remove that joins the inlet hole to the radiator and then I’ll add some removable support bars above the inlet duct that will provide the mount for the spare.

[Chris914n6]

You will need a beefy support from the latch to the floor. See a few Renegade installs for ideas.

[East coaster]

Be mindful of heat absorption into your fuel tank. I’ve seen some say this was a problem for them.

[slowrodent]

I think it will work as well...The spare tire tends to provide some default air direction through the radiator (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ( Your mockup is quite handsome)

[Lilchopshop]

Well, I’m committed now!
Thanks for the comments @Chris914n6 and @East coaster
I will definitely be adding some structure back in to account for the removal of metal here. As for the gas tank heat issue, I certainly hadn’t thought about that. I’m thinking that I could add some reflective insulation under the gas tank or maybe I can fit a small heat shield above the steering rack. I really hope this doesn’t bite me later!