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View Full Version : Front skid plate made of 5052 aluminum


silverfrost1
11-16-2006, 08:03 AM
Custom made front skid plate made of 5052 aluminum (0.032 mil). No overheating issues, but I live in CT. I do not have to remove the whole thing to change the oil filter. I think there is a slight aerodynamic benefit, and it helps keep road grime out of the engine bay. I bought a 4x8 piece of this material. The dealer rolled it up and put it in the back seat for me! This mil thickness cuts easily enough with metal shears. I call it a skid plate, but the strict constructionists around here would probably call it a splash guard.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q170/silverfrost1/front-skid-plate1.jpg
Zack
11-16-2006, 08:10 AM
No offense, but that is a dumb idea for this car.
vkirkend
11-16-2006, 08:13 AM
It looks very nice. how sturdy is it? (Rocks, curbs, etc....:)
Haggis
11-16-2006, 09:26 AM
Glad to hear that you do not have any overheating issues, yet. That will not work for those of us with aftermarket heat exchangers and air filters in the wheel well.
magindat
11-16-2006, 11:33 AM
No offense, but that is a dumb idea for this car.

Zack is (as usual) a little blunt. But right.

Lemme translate:
The space you covered is supposed to evacuate air from between the fan shroud and the belt area of the motor. This is part of the reason the fan shroud angles down slightly in stock form. It is also the reason for the notorious air dam.

Keep an eye on your temps especially in traffic as it will be harder for the engine bay to evac hot air build up.

Good luck with it.

Rich
Raudermaster
11-16-2006, 11:44 AM
What could we benefit from this though? I mean, it's not like I go four wheeling with my car on the weekends lol, I'll take my dad's truck for that.
Zack
11-16-2006, 11:47 AM
Another retired police car driver preparing for the 'what ifs', thats all.
Power Surge
11-16-2006, 12:15 PM
That's a nice piece, fits good, well made. Nice job.

I think some of you other guys are out of control. There's nothing wrong with that splash shield. It's not going to hinder anything. Ford actually uses those on many vehicles to help promote airflow TO the radiator. Hell, even some other Panther's have them OEM.
mtenderenda
11-16-2006, 01:17 PM
I think the rear skid plate was a good idea....I don't think there is a need for this one.....:down: :shake:
Master
11-16-2006, 01:57 PM
Do watcha gotta do, and be happy with what you've accomplished. Let us know what you see in the plus/minus categories as the miles are put on this mod.
silverfrost1
11-16-2006, 02:29 PM
Another retired police car driver preparing for the 'what ifs', thats all.

I dismiss your presumptuous and ignorant ravings with :sleepy:
buickconvert
11-16-2006, 03:03 PM
Hey, how bout getting some louvers stamped into the pan to evacuate the radiator airflow? I think that'd look really cool:banana:
SergntMac
11-16-2006, 03:29 PM
Ford actually uses those on many vehicles to help promote airflow TO the radiator. Hell, even some other Panther's have them OEM.Can you help us track it down in application? If there is an OEM application where the OEM has used something like this, that may be helpful to us all.

Meanwhile, I do see a few probable conflicts between this mod, and other mods we enjoy. Though it seems a rather ingenious use of malleable aluminum, how does it attach? Is it easy to remove for access to other areas, such as draining the radiator, frequent oil changes, front end alignments, tranny flushing, even cold air routing to the OEM air box inlet behind the headlight, and so on. My questions abound.

But, I like this approach to this mod too. To para-phrase John (TooManyFords) from another posts recently, "you would be surprised to see what came from a dreamer's workshop, to a designer's work table".

Yep, I bet I would...
Power Surge
11-16-2006, 03:35 PM
Can you help us track it down in application? If there is an OEM application where the OEM has used something like this, that may be helpful to us all.

Meanwhile, I doo see a few possible conflicts between this mod, and other mods we have made. Though it seems a rather ingenious use of malleable aluminum, how does it attach? Is it easy to remove for access to other areas, such as draining the radiator, frequent oil changes, front end alignments, even cold air routing to the OEM air box inlet behind the headlight, and so on.

My questions abound, but I like the approach to this mod too. To para-phrase John (TooManyFords) from another posts recently, "you would be surprised to see what came from a dreamer's workshop, to a designer's work table".

Yep, I bet I would...

Just start looking under various Ford products. New Mustangs have them (05-up), some Town Cars, some years of Crown Vic/Grand Marquis (91-97 bodies), and lots of other models. I saw plenty of cars with them when I was a dealer tech. Hard to forget some of those cars, cause they are a PITA when doing oil changes.
RCSignals
11-16-2006, 03:47 PM
Can you help us track it down in application? If there is an OEM application where the OEM has used something like this, that may be helpful to us all.



Something like this was used as a lower air baffle on pre-'98 CVPIs, covering the lower space between the bumper and radiator. The idea is to help direct more air for cooling through the radiator.

There must be some reason they have been omitted from later production.
jgc61sr2002
11-16-2006, 03:58 PM
Something like this was used as a lower air baffle on pre-'98 CVPIs, covering the lower space between the bumper and radiator. The idea is to help direct more air for cooling through the radiator.

There must be some reason they have been omitted from later production.

Probably a cost saving factor.
Drock96Marquis
11-16-2006, 04:44 PM
*Zack, no offense but you seem to come off so rude to anyone who doesn't drive a MM.



Can you help us track it down in application? If there is an OEM application where the OEM has used something like this, that may be helpful to us allAll 1992-1997 panthers have a similar piece, but in plastic. The 91.5-97 Town Car has an even larger one than the cv/gm, and they had no issues.




There must be some reason they have been omitted from later productionMost likely cost cutting. It is not necessary; the vehicle performs fine without it, so Ford would rather just ditch it.



FYI; Silverfrost has had this mod for over a month now, he has only just posted it here. Obviously he is still having zero cooling issues.

If anything, this is a good mod for those who want to keep their lower engine and FEAD cleaner.


*mixed up Zack with Mac http://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Bill Lalk
11-16-2006, 05:32 PM
Ford is not the only one that used these. I had a shop yrs ago and we were stripping these covers out of the way on, I swear, half the cars we worked on.
RUSTY
11-16-2006, 05:42 PM
Good work, I was thinking of something similar, but no bigger than the existing one. The ones on the MM are not well made with the velcro and staples. I also think there is a front bumper sag much like the rear. I wish the bumpers were made of a more solid plastic.
RoyLPita
11-16-2006, 06:44 PM
It looks nice.

Keep us posted on any changes.

Also see if it survives a hard landing from a jump. :jk:
Master
11-16-2006, 07:02 PM
Hey Drock...
Just my 2c, but I actually took the Serg's comments to be pretty tame and even handed this time :) I've been the recipient of his blunt commentary in the past, but have learned to accept his presentation. In this case, though, I was pretty impressed with the even handed reply. OK. I'm done. Have fun!
DEFYANT
11-16-2006, 07:19 PM
I like the idea. But there is a lower aid dam that "scoops" the air and directs it into the lower radiator.

I suggest you data log the car in various driving enviroments ( in traffic, slow speed, high speed, parked, etc) with and without this in place. I'd be interested in the results.
Power Surge
11-16-2006, 08:25 PM
Hey Drock...
Just my 2c, but I actually took the Serg's comments to be pretty tame and even handed this time :) I've been the recipient of his blunt commentary in the past, but have learned to accept his presentation. In this case, though, I was pretty impressed with the even handed reply. OK. I'm done. Have fun!

I also didn't take Serg's comment in an ill manner. Zacks comment was the rude and uncalled for one.


I like the idea. But there is a lower aid dam that "scoops" the air and directs it into the lower radiator.

I suggest you data log the car in various driving enviroments ( in traffic, slow speed, high speed, parked, etc) with and without this in place. I'd be interested in the results.

On my car, I did the Mach 1 spoiler to aid airflow to the I/C. But if I had the shield under the car (like the Lightning does to direct flow to the cooler), I probably wouldn't have done it.
sailsmen
11-16-2006, 09:26 PM
The factory temp guage reads the same @180* as it does @240*.
DEFYANT
11-16-2006, 09:32 PM
The factory temp guage reads the same @180* as it does @240*.


D'oh!

I should have said that in my last post. The data logger will show minor changes in coolant temps. If your heading toward overheat, you'll probably see it on the data logger before the temp guage.
Zack
11-17-2006, 08:25 AM
The factory temp guage reads the same @180* as it does @240*.

I just had a chance to disprove this last night.
Car started overheating (cause my sorry azz hasnt changed the thermostat yet)

As the factory gauge climbed to the tip of the green (at the top) the scan gauge read 208.
Zack
11-17-2006, 08:27 AM
One more thing:

Sal, take a mydol, you really need one.
JVJ
11-17-2006, 08:33 AM
Looks good!
Power Surge
11-17-2006, 08:35 AM
One more thing:

Sal, take a mydol, you really need one.

Save the Mydols for yourself bro, you need them more than I do.
rvaldez1
11-17-2006, 09:34 AM
One more thing:

Sal, take a mydol, you really need one.


Save the Mydols for yourself bro, you need them more than I do.

Now gentleman, is that a way to be treating your fellow MM.net user? Hold the Mydol, take 3 chill pills and be men about taking someone elses opinion, blunt or not.
SergntMac
11-17-2006, 01:15 PM
C'mon, gents, everyone settle down. It's no big deal.

No, I didn't like being called rude, but if this is Drock's opinion of me, so be it.

Yes, Zack can likewise be blunt at times, but he speaks effectively with a few words too. Wish I could pull that off better, but I tend to talk too much.

Sal (Power Surge) is likewise smart on stuff we want to know more about, and he's willing to share his thoughts in a way that guys who make their living at it characteristically do no want to talk. They see it as money floating away, and his comments are valuable (in general) to us all.

Let's get back to the mod at hand, shall we?

Thanks.

In the long run, I think for a Marauder, this shield will be more problematic than beneficial, but it does add a clean look to things. Depending on how it attaches, may be something us stick up for a car show?

Zack, I've seen 240 degrees on my ScanGuage, without any movement on the dash gauge at all. OTOH and IMHO, this is why we have two sensors on the crossover pipe. One for the EEC, the other for the dash gauge.
Blackened300a
11-17-2006, 01:28 PM
Depending on how it attaches, may be something us stick up for a car show?

Not if the car show is here in NY. They dont look under the car and they could care less how clean or sleek looking you make your car.

From looking at the pic, it seems to using the bumper cover screws to hold it on, I think after some time it will pull the screws out since its only threaded into plastic.

Good luck bro
Drock96Marquis
11-17-2006, 09:19 PM
No, I didn't like being called rude, but if this is Drock's opinion of me, so be it.Mac, I apologize. I inadvertently mixed up you and Zack for some reason, I edited my post earlier today.

And Zack, as I said in that post, no offense to you, you just came off rude to one of my other forum buds.
SergntMac
11-18-2006, 09:11 AM
No problem, a lot worse has been said.

Mac, I apologize. I inadvertently mixed up you and Zack for some reason, I edited my post earlier today.
We look so much alike, happens all the time.

Carry on, gents.
GreekGod
11-18-2006, 04:36 PM
It would be excellent protection for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb or the POR. Not good for speeds above 180 to 200+, as it needs a deflector/air-dam to reduce lift.
Master
11-18-2006, 05:47 PM
In light of all that has been said about lift, cooling, etc., what is the concensus on the Mach1 air dam offered by Wes? The less air that gets under a vehicle, the less drag and lift. Makes it look like a good idea. The downside, however, being less opportunity (in our case) to draw in cooling air. Ideally, I'd love it if someone came up with a really good air dam with integral engine bay cooling, and ducted air discharge either through the fenders and/or hood. Then we should get the best of both worlds.
Thoughts?