Lightweight grille

[DusterRT]

Yup, that's the one... looks like I have some quality time in my future with a holesaw...

I'm just curious what you're planning on cutting..are you going to put speed holes all around the plastic grille frame? Seems like a pricey piece to get just to hack up like that to shave a pound or so!

 

[SoundGuyDave]

I'm just curious what you're planning on cutting..are you going to put speed holes all around the plastic grille frame? Seems like a pricey piece to get just to hack up like that to shave a pound or so!

No plans per se right now, more like blowing off steam. I've been getting hit with a lot of rules frustration during this particular pre-season build, so...

As always, it'll be inspect/assess/plan/execute. As I said earlier, my car is so fat (how fat is it?) that shaving a pound or two here and there just won't make any difference.

 

[Vapour Trails]

Scrape all the sound deadening material out of the trunk, that's 20 pounds or so.

 

[uniquestang]

Scrape all the sound deadening material out of the trunk, that's 20 pounds or so.

if i remember correctly mattD did that and only got a couple punds out. correct me if im wrong but i remember reading about this in his build thread.

 

[DusterRT]

if i remember correctly mattD did that and only got a couple punds out. correct me if im wrong but i remember reading about this in his build thread.

Yeah I chipped a fair amount of that stuff out to put my roll bar in, it's not particularly dense. Seam sealer seems a lot heavier. I'd do it for aesthetics more than anything if you're taking out your trunk, interior, etc. But if you've got nothing better to do...

 

[Sleeper_08]

My weight reduction programs is centered on the nut behind the wheel.

I figure it is free and will do me some good as well

 

[Random Asshole]

Scrape all the sound deadening material out of the trunk, that's 20 pounds or so.

20 lbs?? Then my dick is 20 pounds.

If you really wanna slim down fatty, buy one of steve poe's shell's and swap VINs Gone in sixty style. (the ORIGINAL one movie, not the repro) lol.

I've been thinking seriously myself and:
The only obvious ways to shave EASY weight I can think of is the bumper rails that marksti is using..That and carbon fiber doors/fenders/trunk, but I wouldn't do that without a cage with nascar bars.

You can do the nickel and dime approach like Matt, but he doesn't drive his car when it's "less than nice" outside. Wish I could do that, but oh well. Some day.

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

I thought you were joking about trying to find weight savings by looking at other upper grille options. How much weight did you save over OEM? Just curious. I totally understand your frustrations re: racing and TT rules and points, and the challenge we have with these relatively heavy cars.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Dunno yet... I'll let you know when the vendor gets it to my door. I'm hoping for the early part of next week, but I won't hold my breath, as it's coming from the left coast. Honestly, it was less a joke than it was a little worry about all the congestion that I have going on between the fascia and the radiator and cooling efficiency. Operating under the assumption that I need more airflow than the stock grille can offer, that means either a relatively involved modification to the OE piece, or outright replacement. My logic was that a lightweight part would most likely have less material in it than the stocker, thus it would have more flow capacity, and kill two birds with one stone...

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

I agree - you'll likely see more benefit re: cooling vs. weight savings. I've been considering grille options too for more air flow and cooling capacity over the OEM piece. I didn't see your mod list, but can assume you're already running an aftermarket performance radiator, oil cooler and larger capacity oil pan. What water and oil temperatures are you seeing on the road courses during the summer?

 

[DusterRT]

You could increase airflow by removing the fogs and/or opening up some of the blocked off honeycomb from the stock grille..

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Ghost: Last year, I had NO cooling problems, and want to keep it that way, DESPITE a fairly radical re-build of the front part of the car...

Background: The Steeda competition fascia that I have been running was deemed to assess a whopping six points (NASA TT), putting me way over budget for TTB, so that had to go... That means a stock front (GT, not CS) fascia, which in turn means that I have to re-design my brake duct routing. I CANNOT run them in the corners of the lower grille, since one of them is currently housing an oil cooler. I can't really mount them in the blank space below the turn signals, due to obstruction (D/S is where the remote-mounted oil filter lives, and P/S has a coolant overflow catch tank and transponder in the way). The POS stock P/S cooler is in the way for duct routing for a more central location in the lower grille, but I have a solution for that... FR500S power steering cooler! It looks like that will mount up top, right across where the horns live stock, but those are not that difficult to relocate. That would put my ducts in the "middle" outside panels of the lower intake, where they will most likely rob a bunch of air from the radiator, and the ducts running into a 90* elbow on the back of the intakes will block more of that area. Add in the P/S cooler up top, and I'm really starting to potentially choke the airflow pretty badly. I am running the stock radiator, and stock oil pan, but: 1) with no airflow, depth of the radiator will only delay the inevitable, and 2) my oil system capacity is upwards of 9 quarts (stock pan, relocated filter #FL1A, oil cooler, thermostatic flow valve, and Accusump). Last season, with a wide-open lower grille inlet, I was running around 205-210* coolant temps (measured in the side of the block cooling jacket), and max of 220* oil temps, just barely above the point needed to flash condensation out of the crankcase (measured at the oil pump outlet, not the pan). My fear is that by blocking the P/S corner of the lower grille (TT rules are a little obfuscated on what exactly costs what), plus the bulk of the two "middle" panels with ducts, and then adding a fin/tube cooler up top, I would robbing enough airflow to create issues for myself.

My overall thinking would be to run an essentially "open" grille (have to keep the shape to meet the rule book) would buy me a bunch of that flow back, and allow me to "tune" the airflow rate by adjusting the size of blockoff panels behind the grille. In essence, it's MUCH easier to cut down on airflow than it is to add it. The fact that it would also potentially shave a bit of weight high and forward is also a bonus. I will also freely admit, that I would like the car to look at least reasonably nicely put together, so a decent looking but functional grille would kind of cap off the front of the car.

Honestly, I'm staying away from the radiator/oil pan primarily from cost considerations... With all the events I want to run this season, just keeping myself in tires will be hard enough. The extra kilobuck or so up front is just not in the cards.

Duster: Believe me, I gave that some thought, but the "missing parts on a racecar" theme (deleted fogs, with mesh covers) just doesn't sit well with me. I'm still not trailering this year, so I drive to/from the events, and if the car at least looks decent I'll have a SHOT at getting past the state troopers, even with the car lettered up and towing a tire trailer behind. Also, I don't know if there's enough area I can open up in the webbing to give me the flow I'm looking for. That gets back to the "easier to restrict" concept. I should probably put up a "pre-season buildup" post with the gory details and pix of all that's been going on.

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

I would defiitely consider going with a high capacity radiator - it's amazing to see it side-by-side with the OEM radiator. One of the first cooling mods I made on my car. I think this coupled with the Shelby grille that you ordered, you'll be good to go. IMHO, the HD performance radiator will give you the peace of mind you're looking for.

Fluidyne Aluminum Radiator FHP20-05MU

This performance Fluidyne radiator has been specifically designed for high performance Mustangs and is highly recommended if you have made any performance modifications to your 05-09 Mustang GT especially if it is Supercharged. FLUIDYNE radiators feature CAB-brazed (no epoxy) core construction, polished aluminum tanks and durable, high-efficiency air fins for maximum cooling capability across the full range of city, highway and road course driving.This is a "Direct Fit" replacement, high performance Aluminum radiator that fits all 2005 - 2009 GT Mustangs. Core Size: 24.0W x 19.6H x 2.09D

 

[iDance]

On the 2010, you can make your own quite easily.

The stock GT grille on this thing was HEAVY. 10lbs or more.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

FINALLY!!!!!!! The vendor will be shipping on Friday! Apparently, the grille is out of stock at Shelby, no idea when it will be re-stocked, but they found one at another vendor, and are cross-shipping it all over the place, and finally slated to go out to me on Friday... Pix when I get it in...

 

[almost heaven]

How'd it all work out for you? If you are still looking for alternatives, I'd consider just putting all mesh there instead. The previously referenced link to Pegasus and McNichols has some good options.

Also, it might be worthwhile to move your oil cooler out of the corner and put it in front of your radiator. That way you could have the typical brake duct set-up, and you could even use a bigger oil cooler.

 

[Random Asshole]

How'd it all work out for you? If you are still looking for alternatives, I'd consider just putting all mesh there instead. The previously referenced link to Pegasus and McNichols has some good options.

Also, it might be worthwhile to move your oil cooler out of the corner and put it in front of your radiator. That way you could have the typical brake duct set-up, and you could even use a bigger oil cooler.

He's got a gigantic fr500 power steering cooler right behind the grille, so "no go" there.

The brake duct inlets are on the towards the outer edges of the lower opening. Not the prettiest thing in the world, (I should talk..cause I put them there) but I haven't heard him complain of brake fade.

 

[MSgt46270]

This grille weighs in at less than 8lbs and that's in the box with the fog light delete kit and horn location kit.
You can check out some of the other grilles I can get also at SD Mustang Accessories.

Ed

Here's a better picture of the lower grille.

 

[SoundGuyDave]

I didn't get the same grille as above, but here's what I DID get...

And here's what it all looks like on track...

As Carl said, not the prettiest thing out there, but I certainly don't have brake fade issues, even in 110* temps on a brake-intensive track...

 

[Random Asshole]

Ever considered taking a spritz of black paint to where the lower "grilles" used to be? I think that's the thing that sticks out the most. The duct inlets would be almost invisible..at least on camera.

That SD mustang grille looks pretty sweet. Especially cause of the fogs.