V8 conversion, is it possible to keep the original front bumper completely intact? ie Not cut holes in it. Options

[billium01]

Hello,

water cooled 914 here. I have an LS6 motor I'm dropping in. Has anyone ducted a radiator successfully without cutting the front bumper? I'd like to keep the bumper intact and use a front lower valance for an intake. Was going to lay the radiator in the front trunk at an angle. Thanks!

Bill

[Chi-town]

You're the first person I've seen that says LS's run hot.

Once you get away from the standard 195 degree + emissions set up it's actually quite easy to keep them cool.

The idea I was kicking around was cutting a hole into the floor similar to what the A/C kits do and then ducting through the hood

[Andyrew]

You're the first person I've seen that says LS's run hot.

Once you get away from the standard 195 degree + emissions set up it's actually quite easy to keep them cool.

The idea I was kicking around was cutting a hole into the floor similar to what the A/C kits do and then ducting through the hood

My point was they typically run at 215+ but I see your point. I'm sure they are easier to keep cool than a typical SBC. But no front cutout is extremely unlikely to keep cool... There is a damn good reason the rennegade cooling system is the way it is.

I would hate to push/pull air from the ground. If you pulled air it would be really hot on a hot summer day and would probably overheat due to the super high ambient temperature of the asphalt at low speeds/idling. And if you pushed air through it then you would just dust the area around you as well as create front end lift at higher speeds.

[djway]

You're the first person I've seen that says LS's run hot.

Once you get away from the standard 195 degree + emissions set up it's actually quite easy to keep them cool.

The idea I was kicking around was cutting a hole into the floor similar to what the A/C kits do and then ducting through the hood

My point was they typically run at 215+ but I see your point. I'm sure they are easier to keep cool than a typical SBC. But no front cutout is extremely unlikely to keep cool... There is a damn good reason the rennegade cooling system is the way it is.

I would hate to push/pull air from the ground. If you pulled air it would be really hot on a hot summer day and would probably overheat due to the super high ambient temperature of the asphalt at low speeds/idling. And if you pushed air through it then you would just dust the area around you as well as create front end lift at higher speeds.

I had a 2002 Trans Am WS6. The had no nose opening and only a small plastic strip that stuck down only about an inch below the underside bodywork and only about two inches back. Not a large opening at all pulling air right off the road then exiting back under the car. Never had a heat issue no mater the outside temps and how I drove it. That car is also over 4500 pounds.
BigKat 83 has a small opening in the body with average wheel well exits, no ducting. LS1 and no heat issues.
Most cars the air enters the nose and exits under the car with no real lift. If you place flaps to create a negative pressure in front of a floor exit ( like the flaps in front of the motor compartment) you should create a negative pressure which would actually suck the air out the bottom and you should not really have much lift. Ducting would increase the efficiency. A low entry point actually should pull the air that the rounded valance would push under the car and should cause equal lift if not more.
Low air entry and floor exit does not to increase the distance the air travels compared to the air going under the car. The greater distance would be the necessary element in lift.