We're learning as we go along. I originally intended to put a small block Chevy in my car, so bought the Renegade radiator. At the time they were considered the only sure way to cool a big American cast iron heat pump. So when my son and Jeff convinced me to switch to Subaru we had a big radiator but didn't really know what size inlet we'd need for the Subaru. I had an expendable dented painted bumper, so we used it for the experiment, cut a very small hole in it thinking if we had cooling problems we'd just enlarge it until we had a large enough opening.




That first hole was 4 inches tall by 20 inches wide (80 sq in) and right in the middle of the bumper so it would align with the opening in the front panel to give the air a straight shot into the radiator. This is the front panel cutout:




To my surprise we never had even a hint of cooling problems. The only time the fans came on were at the first stoplight coming down out of the mountains after thrashing the car. Or in the hottest part of summer coming down from freeway speeds into stop-and-go traffic. But drive it normally and the fans never cycled. I was surprised you could cool 250 hp with that little hole, but can't argue with the results so we never had to enlarge that original opening.

It's not the best look though, and I've suspected we might be able to cool the thing just using the opening for the oil cooler in a GT bumper, so I bought a narrow bodied GT valance to mate with a cut-out in the original chrome bumper. I've had other things going on so it's been sitting a while, but then last Sunday my son insisted we put it on. He said he wanted to do it because he wanted to use my bumper and the air dam valance. Fair trade, so this is how it looks now, from the front:




Closer:



Straight on, from the front, low:



And the significant one, from the side, low:



I say that one's significant because it shows the real path of the air. If you only look from the front you don't have perspective so can only see the pressing holes in the front panel, and it doesn't appear that there's much opening at all for air to enter. But from this view you can see the space behind the bumper cutout and that panel, where there's actually about a 4 inch distance from the bumper to the front panel and those holes, so the air enters and is directed up and over those holes and into the big cutout above, then into the radiator. There's still what's effectively a 4 x 20 entrance for air, though it's not obvious and looks relatively small. So far I haven't seen any difference in the cooling. Totally stealth, and as the industrial designer son points out, that mass of chrome above the oil cooler hole is something that gives the front of the car some of its 914 "character". And it's also changed the overall look of the car, less boy racer with the air dam, now more understated and serious.

If you ever read my earlier build threads you saw my little granddaughter growing her first two little teeth. She's big enough now that she dresses herself, though she still hasn't totally got the hang of that "style" thing. So what does she think about Grandpa's car?



I like the new clean stealth almost-GT look. Fun and getting funner.


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My radiator opening is very small on my suby. I was amazed as I have such a large opening on my v8 setup. It cools great though. My fans kick on about 200 & it doesn't get there. Unless it's 80+ out & I'm in stop & go traffic. I have the Renegade LE style valance & no cut out on the front bumper at all. Not a great view in this pic from Route 66. Closest I had of the front though. You can tell the bumper isn't cut though

The GT opening is enough to cool a V8 if everything is ok with the cooling system. I've tested my SBC system by covering up the opening on a 100 degree day to see how small I could go. I had the fans unplugged and would let the car get to 230 on the side of the then drive at 50mph until it cooled down to 180 and then reconnect the fans. GT size hole on the blue car.
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Bob

I would think you are getting a fair amount of air entering through the horn grills also

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Yep, I'm doing mine the same as DB has his. I pick up a paintable bumper at the G&R roast this weekend. If all goes well I will cut the CP bumper after testing is complete. I like that sleeper look.

That really turned out great!

Now to see how small a radiator can be used.
My mate is always hounding me to go Subaru power but I don't want to loose the trunk as it is.

10"x26" Fluidyne double pass radiator. Leaves a little room in the front trunk. The large openings in the front are from a DAPO. I plan to redo this someday.
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Any more pics of this?

Call me crazy here.guys but I wanted.to use Subaru power in my teener too

But

I found out from renegade that the front raidiator setup was the only option
I quickly reconsidered , it really put me off the conversion path


I was thinking a rear spoiler radiator setup

Or the boxster style split radatiors

But was told it would not perform correct and would be prohibitively expensive.


An how bout those Baja bug and or bus external oil cooler scoop

Or gt layman style scoop right atop the hood see por gt1 ???


And for future discussion can I say radiator or aka

heat exchanger







Pics coming but everybody's seen the boxers




" in his genius , misunderstood , as genius always is . "

Ty Cobb

Has anyone see the nobles m12 I think it is ?



" up in the moring to the risen sun , gonna run all day til the runnins done "

I Plan on just trimming the lower edge of the bumper. Should allow for plenty of incoming air. The bulb lit for me when the C5 came out. How the heck did they cool this motor? Wheres the huge gaping hole like my 70 Camaro had?

You do such nice work Bob
How's about some build threads?????

with Bob

I'm working on the radiator the rest of the day, so I hope to have it installed and ready tonight. I just realized that I may have it in upside-down though.

I've been looking through all the different installs as well, in preparation for my subie conversion autocross car. I had plans to install a fuel cell to help lower the CG a bit. Has anyone considered installing the rad where the original gas tank was? Only problem is getting the air out the bottom/side of the car, that could be done with wheel well cut outs.

Hood would look something like this with a cover over the valley aka hood scoop:
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