I'm going to start fabricating a ram air system using the front plate area for the intake. Anyone done this? I know someone makes a kit or use to. Any info would be appreciated.

 

This was my mock-up...I bought a used one on ebay and tried it out. Then I took my original one and cut it cleaner and glued a screen in there. Be hind the front lid is a bunch of hard black plastic you have to cut out. There is not much room but I got my hands in there to cut it. I did not run a tube for fresh air like many others, I just cut a large hole to get fresh air in once I get moving. I have NOT noticed a diff. Many years ago tho !

 

Wow

 

lol..I know its not pretty. That's not what is on there now. I made that from scratch using fiberglass. They do make the kits but they are pricey. The pic above cost me 30 bucks.

 

There are too many turns, bends and obstructions for any "ram" effect unless you go all the way and cut thru the energy (crash) pad and the other things that make up the bumper and air box baffle system. Its designed to pull air and direct it as needed. A DIY or aftermarket kit has to be a sealed path to the sealed airbox with the filter. Otherwise, the air simply finds the easiest exit and takes it...

Too many stories of guys that tried the nice system (fairly costly for having to cut up your car) that was designed and mfg'd. If it were a "real deal" they would be all over the place...only a few hundred thousand Corvettes and nobody got excited about cutting permanent holes in the enginered front bumper.
The worst worry being the ingestion of water when splashed or driving in hard rain. The most common complaint was the damage to critical parts (bumper & energy assy) and their inability to do their job because of the butchering to mount a duct system. What good is a bumper and energy absorbing system if you chop holes in it?

Two real bright driving lites mount in that license recess (another kit) and do more good than a water scooping engineering disaster waiting for that next frontal impact......IMO

 

If I get in an accident bad enough that I am worried that the 6" hole I cut in the front of the car might decrease my chance of surviving, then I shouldn't be driving a vette. they are plastic death traps. Cut the dang hole and do what you want.

 

Sorry but that is Butt Ugly!

 

 

These C4's have amazing & built full perimeter frames hidden under all that plastic.

You will survive a crash or rollover.

I have a C4 vert.
If I ever roll it, I have to duck my head down real fast.

 

A&O engineering used to make them, theirs was a neat looking kit, they dont make them any more, I believe they are still in arizona. Their kits are getting hard to find, even the used ones. There was a new one for sale on this forum less than two weeks ago. it was for sale for almost a year, and then the op revived the thread and it sold in three days for close to $400, I saw the plans for it on the net, looked like you could make it our of heater ducting, hope this helps

 

it was a mock up. I will take a better pic of what I have on there now.

 

This is mine. Still need to do the duct work and collector box but I did cut tunnel through to the intake box.

 

As I look at it, my concerns would focus on ingestion of water into the system because of the low prox to the road surface.
If I were going to manufacture a ram intake, I'd probably go though a section of the hood that would then drop down to a sump level to deal with any water intake, then redirect the air flow up to the cleaner. Considering that design, I would need to make a new air filter box that would then attach to the Mass Airflow Sensor.

As for the front piece, I would opt for the driving lights there.

 

Vettes hold up way better than you guys seem to think, and that's speaking from experience.

 

It seems like I've posted this a gazillion times before, but what the hell. From another thread...


The front license ram air will not take in water unless you drive through flooded streets. All the people that claim it will have never owned or tested it. I have in the worst conditions.

Here is the old address to the company that used to manufacture it. I have no idea if they are still around but you can no longer find the kit new.

A. O. Engineering
19523 Delaware Cir.
Boca Raton, FL 33434
(561) 483-2984


If you take a hard hit in the front I do not believe this small amount of foam missing would have helped enough anyway. IMO

 

Man you are right did you see the mishap PLRX got into with his GHOST CROC driving on a SoCal road. These cars can take a beaten.

 

Everything has it's limits before it breaks.

 

Here's my setup. Still have to setup a new intake cover to take full advantage of the cooler air.





I've since, completely boxed in the inner bumper area so it doesn't capture any air.

 

I don't know why, but that small area just seems so painfully inadequate for Ram Air.
Doesn't seem like any air compression can take place before it can get to the plenum chamber.
(I suppose that's why they build turbo and super chargers?)

(ducking: don't kill me)

 

Actually if you take the large volume of air in front of the car and force it into a smaller opening, it will speed up the air as it enters. In this case that air is directed right to the filter. It would be best to have a duct to have the least amount of obstructions as it goes toward the filter. I dont see it helping much at autocross speeds, but larger straights on a roadcourse Im sure it will make a difference.