Oil Cooler, lines, mods, etc. for a '74 Options

[Mark Henry]

I will soon be strolling down the ol' HP path, so an oil cooler will be in order. I've done some searching, I know that Brad likes the '75-76 bumper trick but I hate the looks (no flames please) of them. Plus I want to keep my '74 looking as stock (sleeper) as possible. Sorry, I know it's a lot of questions.

Why does every one use hose, why not rigid lines at least for part of the system? (I know you have to connect the engine with hose.)

Do most guys run the lines up to the top near the gas tank filler so that the cooler will not drain back?

I hate to cut up my nice trunk (Oh well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) ) but what is the best enter/exit for the airflow?

One of those CB oil thermostats's or is there a better one?

I am keeping the stock cooler as well, what is the best route to take off of the engine? Remove the stock filter mount with an adaptor, to a remote filter, to thermostat, etc.?

I have a nice aluminum cooler, I think it is off of some kind of farm equipment, 24" X 5" X 2", it looks like a auto water rad, but it is a oil cooler for sure. What do you guys think? It fits good, it's clean, heavy duty, good flow, etc.

I have a 125/15 temporary spare that I think I'll mount on a 4.5" beetle rim and mount it standing up, sound good?

I know, I know, f-ing newbie, how many times do we have to cover this? Thanks Mark
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Lawrence]

I've followed Brad's posts for some time.. but obviously I missed the 75/76 bumper trick....

What's that?

-Rusty

[Dave_Darling]

Some rulesets won't let you put anything in front of the stock contours of the car. If you use the 75-76 bumper, you get a whole lot more room in front of the front trunk. You can put an oil cooler in that space, and still have room for the outlet air.

Rather, you can put a fiberglass replica of the 75-76 bumper, and not have the extra 75 lbs up there...

--DD

[Mark Henry]

I think Brad likes the 75-76 bumper because you can hide an oil cooler off of a freak'en 747 behind the thing with out the cut and hack. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

OK, I did the net search thing and a bit of mock-up, so now I have fewer questions. Maybe I can get some help now, Please?

What is the best exit for the air? bottom? wheel well? under the fuel tank?

One of those CB oil thermostats's or is there a better choice?

Princess Auto has hydraulic hose, they call it 1 wire or low pressure hose (1300 psi) tough stuff, you can't kink it, 1/2"ID, but will it stand up to hot engine oil? Pre-made 8-10-12' sections with ends about $30 each or should I stick with hard lines with hose ends?

[cha914]

Mark,

I can tell you what I am going to do... I am running a mocal sandwich adapter that has a built in thermostat (bolts on and you keep the stock cooler also)...and I am running -10 areoquip blue hose which is a rubber flex hose that uses push on barbed fittings, so no messing with braded line and its alot cheaper. I think my total setup was about 400 dollars including all the fittings and cooler.

Also, I am planning on running the vent air out into the wheel wells cause I don't like the idea of having air going under the car...and I will be running a second oil filter in the front trunk...

I have mocked almost everything up but I keep having other things get in the way of my finishing...so pics will come eventually...and lastly I think I purchased everything from racerpartswholesale...but I might have gotten an item or two from jegs also...

I hope that helps some, if you need more info just ask...

Tony

[Mark Henry]

Anyone? Is it that dumb a question? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Thanks Tony, I can get the 250psi hose from the same place as the 1300psi. Your sandwich adapter/thermostat how big do the oil passages look? How tall is it?
Mark

[Aaron Cox]

here is my question.....If you ran a sandwich (sp? im tired!) adapter, could you run the oil lines up through the longs/ rockers and mount your oil cooler in a front fenderwell, like on 911's? or you could go factory look and mount in bumper-

[Mark Henry]

My ol’ research told me some guys run hoses along the longs under the rocker and some through the long if you don’t need heat. I think it was Brad that said to run them under the car on either side of the center tunnel, if you feel there is an indent on each side, fasten the hose into it.

I would be too afraid of puncturing the cooler with a stone to run it in a wheel well.
I’m just going to make my valance look somewhat like a 914-8 valance for intake air.

[Aaron Cox]

what exactly did a 914-8 valance look like? weren't there only 2 cars (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) ever made? anyone ever try putting a 908 engine in their teener? are 908 engines even available? just curious!

[Mark Henry]

I think it's about the price of a new top of the line Porsche and unreliable to boot! Check out this thread:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....&highlight=9148
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Aaron Cox]

wow, what a beast! Double wide headlights,hmmm...what were those white canisters in the front trunk for anyway? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Brad Roberts]

Mark,

I think the next cleanest way to do a front mounted oil cooler is to utilize a GT shroud. Not all of my guys like the 75-76 FG bumper. So.. we use a GT valance and GT shroud. This exits the air under the car via cutting "slits" in the front trunk floorboard. I like exiting the air out the fenderwells, but forget about ever putting anything in the left over trunk area. First rain drive and everything will be hosed. Another method I have used: put the oil cooler in the GT location and drill 3 2 inch holes in the flat panel at the base of the bulkhead. This exits the air into the steering rack area (its proctected by the splash shield) this keep crap out of the trunk.

Lines: Run them wherever you want. I run them through the heater ducts on the race cars and cut the holes that lead into the front trunk area. I havent tried hard lines, but Porsche used them for 30 some odd years on 911's. The problem is: running them in the rockers panels makes them exit into the front fenderwells (like the 911's) then you have to cut holes into the inner fenderwells to get them inside the tub for the front trunk.

I use the sandwhich adapter from MOCAL (sometimes) and I use a billet plate that replaces the cooler completely.

Oh.. lines. I always run -12. This allows me to convert the car to a 6cyl at a later date if the owner so chooses. This allows for a little more oil.

B

[Brad Roberts]

This method leaves a portion of the line exposed inside the passenger area, but a small shield cold easily be fabbed.

[Brad Roberts]

And the passenger side floorboard area:

This goes straight into the front trunk area.

B

[Dave_Darling]

wow, what a beast! Double wide headlights,hmmm...what were those white canisters in the front trunk for anyway?

The -8s were made from leftover prototype 914s. That's one reason they have external fuel fillers, and why the orange one has double headlights. Also check the front turn signal lenses...

The white cannisters are fire extinguishers. They apparently thought it was a good idea with the all-out race motor (300 HP!) to have an on-board fire system.

--DD

[ChrisFoley]

Brad's pictures show a neat trick to get the lines from the passenger footwell to the front trunk. It's possible to run two -12 stainless braided lines through there. You can also get the hoses into the heater tube inside the longitudinal from there back to the engine comp, or along the inside and through the firewall. Going through the long. is a bit tricky. Last time I did this I used a hole saw to make a shortcut into the heater channel, instead of up and into the elbow at the top. Be sure to protect sharp edges from the oil lines.

[Brad Roberts]

Yep.. I couldnt find a pic of how I did the lines. 2 -12 fit NO problem. There is a plastic plug that is placed right next to the 90degree heater tube bend. I pull the plug and cut into the 90.

B

[Brad Roberts]

Here is the MOCal thermostat and how I like to mount them.

B

[Mark Henry]

Thanks Brad, great pic’s (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

This is a street car so I’m going keep my stock cooler, how about removing the stock oil filter stand and putting an adapter there, then to a filter adaptor and on to the cooler? Or is there a better way? On a bug I would just use a T1 pump and a ‘full flow’ cover.

I kind of like the holes in the bulkhead area idea, how good is the airflow compared to the fender wells? I plan to make a removable sealed cover for the spare tire well to hide this from the wife (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) and to still have a useable trunk.

[cha914]

Mark, if you are going to keep the stock cooler as I am for now, this is the best solution I could find:

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/mocal.htm

the piece I have is the second one on the page, the top one is the one Brad uses.

also, here is the line and fittings i will be using

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/aero5.htm

should be plenty for a street car. I will be running the lines along the rockers and under the gas tank then venting the air into the wheel wells, as I don't care about crap getting into the front trunk.

man, I really need to get going on this project again...if only this damn wedding wasn't comming up so fast (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Tony