CUSTOM FRONT OIL Cooler Mount + TRE RSR Pan venting mod (photos)

DW SD · 03:15 PM

Guys,
I've seen a few people interested in an example of the TRE pan mod, as well as an appropriate oil cooler.

I'm installing a modified Setrab 72 row cooler (22 1/2" x 6 1/2". I cut the mounting legs off it and am adding 90 degree Aluminum brackets to each end. Those will be welded and aren't ready yet. I had to cut the mounting legs off because the cooler is too tall to fit in my early RSR style bumper (longhood '73).

The TRE sheetmetal is VERY strong and naturally triangulated due to its shape, so I decided to fabricate brackets which mount directly to it. I used cardboard to make the templates and then fabricated 1/8" plates to weld to the modded sheet metal. Additionally, it is anchored in the rear of the vent at the pan crossmember, which is very strong and then the brakes are gussetted at the front for good measure.

If a picture is worth 1000 words.....Here's 4k worth:

cali74 · 03-06-2006, 07:38 AM

Nice work! And not just the welding - I know it took a fair amount of grinding to clean off the spray coating that was on there before :-)

The whole while-I'm-in-there thing is kicking strong!

sd_73_914 · 03-06-2006, 08:34 AM

Doug,

Nice work.

It looks like you and I were both working on the same thing this weekend. The approach we took was based on the materials we had at the time, mostly Home Depot metal strips. Either way, I think it'll serve its purpose.

I'll add some pics from my setup when I get home tonight.

mjshira · 03-06-2006, 10:29 AM

thank looks good. I have two oil coolers now, sometimes the right front tire rubs on the rock gaurd, this is really slick!!!

sd_73_914 · 03-06-2006, 01:07 PM

Doug,

Do you nave any pics of the modified cooler? Just wondering how deep it sits inside the bumper.

Thank you.

DW SD · 03-06-2006, 04:22 PM

I haven't had the cooler modified, yet. I just know the dimensions of the angle brackets (they will mate up to the brackets on the car). I'm using 1" rubber vibration isolators, too.

It fits deep into the bumper, though. It should be in the same place as before. I had 1/2" between the opening in the bumper and the cooler itself, prior.

Doug

Doug

sd_73_914 · 03-06-2006, 08:54 PM

Here is what we came up with, there are two tabs up on top, one open and one closed. The other piece of the equation is the bottom removable bracket, it'll be lined with rubber for dampening. we tried to get the cooler as close to the innner opening of the bumper...

Inside trunk shot

Here is a good shot of how I installed the screen/mesh on the inside of the bumper, lots of fiberglass... Not pretty, but I think it'll hold.

DW SD · 03-07-2006, 12:26 PM

Fernando,
Beautiful work! Clever solutions, too.

Here's mine painted and with the first thing mounted after two coats of the POR treatment. Paint isn't perfect, but will defend against Rust admirably and be easy to keep clean.

fastbacker · 03-07-2006, 01:28 PM

I too have that duct piece (Elephant Racing) that I plan on using on my track car project. I have heard from two people (race car builders) that the duct will increase lift on the front end at high speeds.

I'm wondering how much difference it would make - in regards to lift. Any of you track car builders know?

Thanks-
Craig Backer

sd_73_914 · 03-07-2006, 01:40 PM

Craig,

You bring up a good point. I'm interested in knowing what other people have to say as well, specially since my mod is more pronounced than the ER/TRE mod.

DW SD · 03-07-2006, 01:47 PM

You can always do like Rattlesnak and vent up through the trunk. Only a few more hours of fabrication :-)

Doug

fastbacker · 03-07-2006, 01:50 PM

I was also told that would be a better route .

sd_73_914 · 03-07-2006, 02:13 PM

Maybe the front splitter will add enough downforce to cancel out the lift generated by the mod ???

A big portion of the mod opening is covered by the bumper, the air that comes in is limited in volume by the opening on the bumper itself... I think.

Heck, for all I know I'll be the first one to flip a 911 driving down my street...

cali74 · 03-07-2006, 02:21 PM

hehe, all 3 of us could take a pic with crazy lift due to overpowered-front-pan-modded cars!

or we could just drive the hell out of them, then install the splitter

911SCfanatic · 911SCfanatic's Garage

That's what I was thinking too--wouldn't a splitter cancel out the lift?

DW SD · 05:55 PM

Some progress, cooler Setrab 72 row cooler modified with new mounts welded on, plumbed with -16AN, vibration isolators installed. The early long hood RSR bumper has hardly ANY room for a big front mounted cooler. Fitting this is a challenge as there is little to no space inside the bumper. I had to dramatically modify the cooler (cut off original mounts and clean up inside the bumper to make it fit. I wanted it as far forward as possible to maximize airflow through the cooler without making additional ducting. Note the 90 degree -16 exiting the cooler (bottom). That's the only fitting I could get to clear the curves of the bumper.

I'm awaiting my new muffler from M&K before firing the engine for the first time. Fitting last items back to the car:

I used -16 to Porsche 22mm unions to tie into the Elephant Racing hard cooler lines. Patrick Motorsports sells the unions for a very reasonable $23 ea. (Reread this, this AM, Is anything reasonably priced for a Porsche?, $23 is still a lot of coin, but it was considerably cheaper than other vendors) Setrab makes the -16 inlets to the cooler.

Fuel cell installed:

Cut down rear engine grill to protect the oil cooler, not mounted yet, but fit is nice!

Almost on all fours:

Facey · Facey's Garage

this looks exactly like a car recently featured in excellance...i mean exactly....

anyways.... i'm also adding a front mount, however mine will be fed from holes in the front bumper (1/2 of each foglight hole), and will either be ducted into the trunk, or under the trunk. to make this fit i had to remve the spare tire.

also as mine is a street car, the reason that i did not push it as far out as possbile is in the case of a light front ender, if the cooler gets K.O. so does your engine if u don't see it right away, this way i still have a bumper and some fiberglass protecting it.

so just to claify, from the outside, there is no visible cooler. however behind the bumper, cut into the front pan, is a 2 core, 16"x 2" x 4". alumin ducitn will control airflow, and a fan might be braught in to help.

nice build ups!

Chuck Moreland · 04-20-2006, 07:32 AM

Nice touch with the engine cover converted to grill!

04-20-2006, 08:53 AM

Doug,

The car looks great! I like the touch with the engine grill. Did you put some mesh on it? You can actually cut a piece of mesh to the exact size of the front of cooler and zip tie it through. It looks very steardy.

I decided to mount my cooler further into the body in case of an accident.

Fernando,

Thats a big air duct you have. No pun intended. Maybe you can channel some of the air thru the side and out of the battery box weld in plates

My air duct is a bit large as well as we had the same person make them. Have to explain to joeG. that bigger is not always better when it come to cooler venting. Too much lift.

Yellowbird RS · 04-20-2006, 10:05 AM

well done!
nice setup