Just before the engine are flaps that would seem to deflect air down to the ground. Is this for cooling? It would seem to rough up the air flow just before the oil cooler. Would it run cooler if these were removed? Any thoughts or comments?

They help cool the car by creating a low pressure area in the engine bay. Added by the factory to later cars to improve engine cooling.

Runs cooler with them, that's why the factory put them there.

Do not remove them. When the car is moving they create a disturbance in airflow underneath the car and aid cooling of the engine, transmission and exhaust. Early cars did not have them and ran hotter. They were added by the factory in later model years to aid cooling.

It actually creates a low pressure area that aids the fan to push the air out the bottom of the tin.

Rich

Thanks all. I thought it had a science to it.

It might not be a bad idea to check the science though. Some of us have low spoilers up front that might already be creating a low pressure area...

Next chance I get I'll put it into the Ferrari wind tunnel and try it with and without flaps...... oh wait, I don't have access to it.

You could extend the flap all the way to ground and around the engine, turn the fan around to blow upwards and increase downforce...

This is one of those things that I have always thought Mark (Mikey914) should tackle. Should be a piece of cake to come up with the tooling for something like that. Doesn't even have to look exactly like the original, just be functional. Whaddaya say Mark? We all know you have TONS of free time on your hands these days

And suck up all the gravel on the road and blow it on the cars behind you.

....You remind me of the cat that wanted to throw away his cooling tin?
don't do that!

The 2J "sucker car" was banned from CanAm for that reason, plus the heat it threw off on the driver's behind it.

If they would have had any balls they would have been in front of Hall & Sharp and wouldn't have complained.

I recently installed the flaps on my 72. I only have 1 data point but on a long grade to work the CHT always hit 400F and now with the flaps it peaked at 380F. Only 1 test but going in the right direction.

ever removed the head tin and cleaned out all the fins?

RIch

Fins are clean. Engine only has 6K miles but I'm talking about Phoenix and the air temp is over 100F. I don't completely trust the accuracey of my gauge; it's a Micro 1000 with 2 needles and the left (#1) side always reads 30-50F cooler than the right side (#3). The temp delta is consistent even when the engine is just started (CHT <100F). I tried checking them with an infrared thermometer but got readings all over the place. I figure as long as it runs good and AF mixture is OK I'll just use the temp to let me know when something changes.