Bought grille delete - radiator looks awful
 

Since I installed my grille delete, people keep asking me what happened to my car. Apparently it looks like it was in a car accident to everyone.

The radiator is an eye sore. I read that some people put a thin coat of paint over the radiator (Maaco laughed me out of the store when I said that), and some people put a folded piece of mesh behind it but it limits air flow.

Please help! :dunno:

Customcargrills.com

Get some mesh, epoxy to your grille. Voila!

I don't want the mesh look, though.

I had an '03 Cobra that came with a grille delete and loved the look. It just looks weird on this car..

You need more FMIC and splitter! :devil:

I am curious to see what it looks like...

It's your AC condenser by the way. Radiator sits behind it.

The 03 had about half as much open space for the grill and probably the floating pony to break it up more. That and the down slope of the hood probably improved the image vs a flat and very open hole in the front of your car.

Not sure which setup you went with, but if its GT500 most will fit an emblem. That might dress it up some. Try printing one out and taping on. Stand back a bit and see if you like it more. Then you don't spend the money on it to still dislike it.

If you did it for increases air, just tell anyone who asks that you needed it for the track. They'll give you that same puzzled look like when they see tow hooks, but at least it will give them something to gossip to the next person.

If you aren't happy with the delete, try to sell it and buy something you like better.

BTW, thanks for posting stuff like this. Real world "dislikes" help other who might be on the fence as to buying something for looks and getting negative feedback from outsiders.

Now if only I could post to every EuroCar forum explaining how ridiculous their slammed and uncambered wheels look. Sorry... I digress...:lee:

A few guys have just sprayed it with a high temp flat black paint.

^ that is what i see most Shelby and roush del kit owners do mostly.

You can paint it black and do what I did.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/themust...7acc8b9c05.jpg

Very cool..:nice:
Any pictures of your set up in the day time.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/themust...46f1055558.jpg

Anyone concerned about the coat of paint reducing the heat conductivity from the radiator?

In theory a "rough" paint like a flat black will conduct more hear. A rough surface area is a bigger surface area. And bigger transfers more heat. Ther could be a trade of with the conductivity of the paint though. Could be a wash, could be a positive, could be a negative.

Real high dollar race car heat exchangers (radiators, oil coolers, etc) are "basted" with a fine aluminum particulate that increases the surface area quite a bit. Sometimes as much as 20%.

I hear what you're saying here...but it's possible to imagine that the flat paint, even with the extra surface area, could be insulating the fins and reducing the heat transfer rate.

If I had access to precise enough equipment and a free afternoon, I'd love to experiment and figure that out.

This will explain your questions about painting a heat exchanger black. Short answer is don't.

John

Thanks, John.

The OP was asking about a radiator. Unless you're tracking it, I don't think it would matter much on a stock motor.