Last night and most of today I spent my time in the shop custom making an oil cooler screen so that I could make this a production. Fitting was fun as I had to dremmel a lot of the detail around the fog light housing. My end prototype is just about what I wanted it to be, I only have one other thing I want to change and that would be making the area around the fog light a little thinner and less wide.

First let me show some pics of what it looks like with the front end off and a close up of the oil coolers which prompted me to do this in the first place. As you can see, there is a bit of damage from bugs and a few pebbles hitting these radiators.

 

So, the next shots are of the right side prototype installed. The rear shots show the frame and the mounting brackets that hold it all in place. The aluminum mesh is not held in place to the frame in these shots. I will affix it to the frame with an aluminum pop rivet and washers to hold it firmly in place. My nose is not on my car in these shots.

 

You can see the three mounting brackets in place. The upper right one is clear as I missed painting it last night around 1:30 AM when I was wrapping up the long night out there. Also, I could not find my trim black and painted it flat black instead. The near finished prototypes are now painted the trim black which better matches the fog light housing.

The grille material will be offered in britght aluminum and black powder coat when I am finished.

Now it's back out there to finish the upper fog light accent strakes that go along with these.

 

I don't see the screens, or are these just pics of the "before" and we are waiting on the "after" pics?

 

????? Maybe you posted before they became available of something, I can see them in the second set of pics just fine.

 

damit looks awesome put me on the wait list.. except i dunno if i can do this myself.. i dont like taking off my bumper its not that east and never goes back that perfect.

 

Shocka I was nervous also but it is a breeze!!!!

 

Yep :o

I'm on your list also - looks sweet! Will the black powder coat hold up against rocks?

 

*Drool* It looks very nice!!! Can't wait for them to be produced, definately worth it. Put me on the list for it....seeing your cooler taking in all that damage, I don't want to see that on mine either

Al

 

Cool D MENAC 7. I was going to go the cheesy way and use chicken wire. :o

 

FYI: http://www.racingbeat.com/resultset....rtNumber=11807

rx8cited

 

He is making his own and will be just as good. They will be sold optionally as a set with his fog light strakes. DROOL

I CAN'T WAIT.

Looking good Dennis. Keep up the great work !

 

Yes, the powder coating is actually more durable than spray on wet paint and should hold up well. Nothing will hold up against bolders.

Yep, seen them and I think they look like ***. That is why I went with this design, they need to be more than just functional, they need to look good, too. I have a problem with a screen that sets up against the radiator it's self. I think those screens are too small to let the air through adequately. Besides, as a bug gets caught in them, that is an area that doesn't cool as efficiently therby having a hot spot until the bug cooks off or weathers and disintegrates.

 

I was truly amazed as to how easy it was to take off the front end. I hesitated about doing this for weeks before I finally got brave enough to do it. It was out of neccessity that I finally decided to do it yesterday. It took all of 30 minutes tops to remove it. Putting back on was not a big deal, just be careful of the head lightsto keep from scratching them.

I put the front end back on and left the oil cooler screen that I had finished on it to check for fit. I was a bit concerned before doing so because of the rubber shroud surrounding the oil coolers. However, the prototype design fit as planned and had no interference what so ever. I also painted it trim black and trimmed the part around the fog light to be a little less fat. It was late and dark and I didn't take any pics yet so I will save that for tomorrow in the light of the day.

More to come...

 

How about the open space leading to the radiator??? Any thoughts or ideas for that grill??

 

^-- Beat me to my question.

I'm very interested in buying the Oil grills as well.

 

Yeah, I have ideas. I did mine in the aluminum screen already but, I am sure I could come up with a design that would be able to be put in without a great deal of pain. This screen would also depend on if you had the front lip spoiler or not. They would have to be different designs. I have the front lip spoiler but, I also have the original bottom piece since I got the front lip spoiler after I got my 8. So, I guess I can put this on my drawing board, after the 3 strake design, the front and rear accent replicas, the front strakes and oil cooler screens. :D If only I had more time and some decent help.

 

Are you going to have a lay-away plan for the financially challenged like myself??

 

We'll talk. :D

 

Slightly redisigned and painted the correct color mounted on my RX-8. They will get molded this coming weekend.

 

Holy **** **** !

I like !

 

Yours are the best I've seen and match what I would consider "ideal". Please consider making the A/C inlet grill of somewhat larger stock, somewhere between the size of the radiator grill and your oil filter grills. Put me on your list!

 

I'll take a pair.

 

OK, where do I Pay Pal????

 

i want a set!