Bonnet fan

[MattF]

Don't know why, but I've also taken a fair shine to this one:

http://www.essexracing.com/images/spitbonnetvent.jpg

Had this image open in background for three days now. It's calling
my name.

[POPEYE]

Yeah thats neat, looks like an ailen's face, It would need blending in ( as opposed to a lot of screws/bolts) I've never been able to do that without the filler cracking, Been wondering how to fix mine from underneath without bolts pokeing through, but if i do have to bolt it i've got some small stainless dome nuts, one at each corner might not look so bad, Might get a tube of "sticks like s**t on see how it goes, How much is that scoop Matt, Would look nice!!

[MattF]

Yeah thats neat, looks like an ailen's face, It would need blending in ( as opposed to a lot of screws/bolts) I've never been able to do that without the filler cracking, Been wondering how to fix mine from underneath without bolts pokeing through, but if i do have to bolt it i've got some small stainless dome nuts, one at each corner might not look so bad, Might get a tube of "sticks like s**t on see how it goes, How much is that scoop Matt, Would look nice!!

I always go for brass panhead bolts if they are going to be a visible
finish. I think it's BA type bolts that have the best appearance. They
never really look out of place on any finish. I'd be cr*pping myself
if I just stuck something on. Coachbolts might be another viable
option.

http://www.essexracing.com/index.php?cPath=21_49

I know that'd be the problem if I get one of those vents. It'd be an
absolute devil to make it look like it belonged there.

[POPEYE]

Yeah know what you mean, i dont want the vents falling off into the engine!
My son in law uses that sticks like S**t at work and swears by it, but there's the heat to think about? I was thinking about some sort of brace or brackets under there to take the weight, I'll figure something out,
Those scoops are reasonably priced although there pretty shallow and if your thinking of fitting an intercooler you might need a slightly deeper one unless your doing a "lift".

[MattF]

Yeah know what you mean, i dont want the vents falling off into the engine!
My son in law uses that sticks like S**t at work and swears by it, but there's the heat to think about? I was thinking about some sort of brace or brackets under there to take the weight, I'll figure something out,
Those scoops are reasonably priced although there pretty shallow and if your thinking of fitting an intercooler you might need a slightly deeper one unless your doing a "lift".

That's a point. Couldn't you fabricate some crossmounts to bolt to whats
left of the bonnet strengthening struts, then bolt the vents to those?

Must admit, an intercooler will probably never make it onto my wishlist. I
had a 2.5 diesel transit for several years before the Surf. Performance
is obviously not top of my priority list. To be honest, the Surf is plenty
fast enough and has enough oomph for my liking already. My modification
obsession is biased towards reliability and resilience rather than pure speed
performance. Oh, and cutesie but useless things in bright colours or
which light up.

[POPEYE]

Yes mate was thinking along those lines, i had to cut quite a lot of the crossmembers away which has made the bonnet a little flexible when it's up seems ok when it down, Intercooler's something i'd like to do but as you say i've spent most of my money on visable things so really should'nt complain to much about it lack of guts, it's fast enough, just needs a bit more accelleration,

[MattF]

Any update on the end verdict yet, Mike?

[MudSurfer]

Nice job Mike, I'm in the middle of doing a similar thing only with two smaller vent's either side with two 12v pooter fans on each one, Yours should be more effective though, only useing these cos i did'nt have to buy em, Have you don the electric fan switch mod as well,

Hi - are you taking orders??

I'd like to add some cooling to my 2.4, Im looking into the feasibility of installing an intercooler from a Shogun, quite flat and small, as well as some vents with or without fans - and may look at putting something like this into the bonnet to create a kind of Ram-air system to force cool air into the air box......

[BUSHWHACKER]

Hi - are you taking orders??

I'd like to add some cooling to my 2.4, Im looking into the feasibility of installing an intercooler from a Shogun, quite flat and small, as well as some vents with or without fans - and may look at putting something like this into the bonnet to create a kind of Ram-air system to force cool air into the air box......

Like this?

[MudSurfer]

Errr - Yeah!

Any offers to do something similar to mine???

[rubblebags]

Hi all,

No I haven't had a chance to test it out properly yet. That should happen on Saturday on the way to Truro (fingers crossed!!), although when coming back from filling the tank tonight the extra temp guage did seem to be showing a bit lower temp than usual, even without the fan running.

Yes, it does move a lot of air; just sticking it on when the car is stationary seems to create a gale out of the exit from the cowl. Should be even more when moving. The hole should also help to move air out anyway even without the fan on. We'll see if I've spent wisely this weekend.

No, I haven't done the electric fan switch mod. I presume you mean the one on the aircon rad, as that's the only original equipment radiator electric fan on mine. It's something I'm going to look at later.

I was thinking about pop riviting the cowl on, so that when I get round to respraying it with the correct colour it will look a little more like it's meant to be there. However, having thought about it, if the fan needs maintenance or repair it would be harder to remove the cowl if its riveted, although the black roofing sealant that I spread around the edge of the cowl will also tend to make it difficult to remove anyway.

Just a little thing that i found out when changing my rad to a four core rad. Where the rad meets the top scuttle plate (where the bonnet latch fits) make sure that the gap between is sealed with a piece of sponge. The reason for this is that the air will take the easy root and when this gap is present it dose make a difference. If you still have the original foam still in place forget what I have said.
If the hill you are refering to is the one on Bodmin Moor your are not alone. It started to cook my surf once.
All the best & safe journey.

Rubblebags.

[Tallyman]

Update

Hi All,

Back today from two really glorious weeks in Cornwall. Best holiday we've had in the UK for sunshine for years!

Journey back today was horrendous with queues on the A30 approaching the Truro junction (A390), the next junction north of that, massive tailback of about 4 miles of solid unmoving traffic approaching Indian Queens (should be good in late 2007 when the new dual carriageway is completed but complete nightmare today), another approaching the A391 junction for St Austell and again approaching the single carriageway bit towards Bodmin, then again about 3-4 miles of slow traffic approaching the M5 junction.

Through all that and both on the outward and homeward journeys the temp stayed either normal, lower than normal when cruising or only got up to about 98-100C when towing on the uphill bits and use of the fan brought that down or kept it under control. Most of the time running solo without the fan turned on the temp stayed either at or below normal, even when running around in +30C outside temperatures the first week there. Mind you I could only tell all this from the additional temp guage as the standard one didn't move at all off it's normal central position, whatever the other one showed.

Overall I'm pleased with the outcome and think it was money well spent.

[stormforce]

Hi All,

Back today from two really glorious weeks in Cornwall. Best holiday we've had in the UK for sunshine for years!

Journey back today was horrendous with queues on the A30 approaching the Truro junction (A390), the next junction north of that, massive tailback of about 4 miles of solid unmoving traffic approaching Indian Queens (should be good in late 2007 when the new dual carriageway is completed but complete nightmare today), another approaching the A391 junction for St Austell and again approaching the single carriageway bit towards Bodmin, then again about 3-4 miles of slow traffic approaching the M5 junction.

Through all that and both on the outward and homeward journeys the temp stayed either normal, lower than normal when cruising or only got up to about 98-100C when towing on the uphill bits and use of the fan brought that down or kept it under control. Most of the time running solo without the fan turned on the temp stayed either at or below normal, even when running around in +30C outside temperatures the first week there. Mind you I could only tell all this from the additional temp guage as the standard one didn't move at all off it's normal central position, whatever the other one showed.

Overall I'm pleased with the outcome and think it was money well spent.

Haha i was coming onto the A30 at about 10.30ish this morning from truro at chiverton cross r/about and i thought then those poor sods they will be there for a while and the queue was from the r/about back about 1-11/2 mile then