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My Water to Air intercooler install

I started making the hook surrounds. Not as sexy as what I had in my head, but it was starting to get stupid complicated, so I went with a simpler design that should still look good (I hope). The only "downside" is that I will have to fab up a metal deflector for the rest of the bumper in order to make this work correctly. Not a terrible deal, just more fab work up front.

I have the openings roughed in. I will bolt the bumper on tomorrow night to get the fit finalized. I'll probably be adding some radiuses too in order to make it look more "finished".
IMG_7822.JPG IMG_7823.JPG IMG_7825.JPG IMG_7824.JPG

To go with this design, I will be making a deflector that has a 4" tall flat section with a small angled "chin" on the bottom. I think you can get the idea with this pic where I held a 4" strip up to the bumper.
IMG_7826.JPG IMG_7827.JPG
 
Here's an idea, Nate. Take a gasser front bumper, turn it upside down, notch it and box it to fit around the bottom of the radiator and bolt it to the diesel bumper using the holes for the factory plastic spoiler. It would be solid, the lines would reflect each other and you would have a unique, badass massive looking front bumper that would be aerodynamic.
 
Husker6.5 said:
Here's an idea, Nate. Take a gasser front bumper, turn it upside down, notch it and box it to fit around the bottom of the radiator and bolt it to the diesel bumper using the holes for the factory plastic spoiler. It would be solid, the lines would reflect each other and you would have a unique, badass massive looking front bumper that would be aerodynamic.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, that's not a terrible idea.... I'll keep going down the path I'm on, but if I don't like the way it turns out I'll keep your idea in mind as an alternative. That would certainly reduce the amount of fab required.
 
Yeah, the two flanges for the OEM air dam would just bolt right together through the already made air dam mounting holes. It would also offer some additional protection for the radiator's bottom portion from ground/snowdrift/driveway entrance/little-medium furry critter/kids toy strikes, too. A little back bracing to incease rigidity. Wait, now we're appoaching the Griswold's Family Truckster's double everthing motif!
 
Still think it would look better with a stock air dam even if you had to section it . Paint it flat black and I bet most people wouldn't give it a second look . Flows with the bumper and body lines because , well it's stock . You guys also left the JB Weld off the repair list . ;)
 
EWC said:
Still think it would look better with a stock air dam even if you had to section it . Paint it flat black and I bet most people wouldn't give it a second look . Flows with the bumper and body lines because , well it's stock . You guys also left the JB Weld off the repair list . ;)
Click to expand...
D'oh!! Yes, JB Weld! Oh, and hot glue and sillycone!!!!
 
More progress. Another test fitting. Good thing I did too, I had miscalculated and not made the openings big enough and it wouldn't fit over the hooks! That whole measure multiple times thing, you know......:shifty:

So after reworking the openings I put it back on. It looks pretty good I think! Just that little bit of extra metal really changed the look of it!
IMG_7830.JPG IMG_7831.JPG IMG_7833.JPG

So then I mocked my piece of steel up for the deflector to get an idea of what that would look like.
IMG_7832.JPG

Then I swapped bumpers again and started work on the deflector. Lots of pie cuts tonight but it worked well to make a piece that follows the contour. After that I cut the straight pieces (the easy pieces) and tacked those into place. I'll bolt it back on before trying to make the next piece so I make sure I'm not pushing the end of the bumper up or pulling it down with the deflector. I think it's going to be pretty cool, but far from finished....

IMG_7834.JPG IMG_7835.JPG IMG_7836.JPG IMG_7838.JPG
 
ak diesel driver said:
I'd want the holes a little wider, looks tight for anything but a slip hook
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Good call. Yeah you're right, it would be pretty much impossible to slip the loop end of the strap over a hook now. I may have to make sure I'm carrying a special clevis with me to make sure it works when I need it to. That's the disadvantage to not using the stock deflector that is set back further.
 
EWC said:
Still think it would look better with a stock air dam even if you had to section it . Paint it flat black and I bet most people wouldn't give it a second look . Flows with the bumper and body lines because , well it's stock . You guys also left the JB Weld off the repair list . ;)
Click to expand...
I like your idea of flat black. I think flat black would be a great color for the air deflector. Easy to touch up and possibly more durable from the extra texture. The contrast could be nice too.
 
The problem with the stock air dam is that it is plastic and offers NO impact protection to the bottom/sides of the radiator in case of something like hitting a 25lb male raccoon or catching a steep driveway entrance, Nate'll need more than just the welded flat framing around the bottom/sides of the radiator that's there now. Definitely build that air dam with the flat stock you're using, Nate. Do you have access to an English Wheel to bend the curve with instead of cut-and-weld, or perhaps a mandrel bender?
 
Husker6.5 said:
The problem with the stock air dam is that it is plastic and offers NO impact protection to the bottom/sides of the radiator in case of something like hitting a 25lb male raccoon or catching a steep driveway entrance, Nate'll need more than just the welded flat framing around the bottom/sides of the radiator that's there now. Definitely build that air dam with the flat stock you're using, Nate. Do you have access to an English Wheel to bend the curve with instead of cut-and-weld, or perhaps a mandrel bender?
Click to expand...
Nope, none of those fancy tools in my possession yet, so I have to do it the old hack-and-weld way. I don't think it will be too terrible, but the next couple days will tell. This weekend should be when a lot of that progress happens.
 
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