augiedoggy

Wow , OK I see the real problem here

BOOT77

I shoulda went into more detail I guess but I couldn't think how to put it w/o getting advise on ten other things.

So let me put it this way. When you go really really fast at cooler spring/fall nights only and it shuts your t-stat and then it spikes kinda high B4 it opens because the engine is hot, but the high speed cooled the rad too much. I race at night and this is something that will block the rad some and I can take off in the day. Blockin gthe grills will give me a small aero + instead of blocking the rad.

7t9l82

i worry a lot more about the car running hot than i do running cool.

augiedoggy

Ok I see now why your looking at them...I did go through two sets as well as made some replacement pieces myself for the ones on my old 84.. they looked cool but did not fit very well and fell off at times....the second set I bough had rubber like trim around them to protect the already trashed paint from the first set I also used a grinder to reshape them a bit to fit in the recessed openings and fill them correctly.

Easy Mike

C3s bring cooling air from the bottom, under the chin. Very little cooling air comes from the grilles. Regardless of the fit, your blackout kit would have very little affect on the cooling system.

Alan 71

Hi,
I agree that our cars breath from the bottom, so removing the spoiler might have the desired effect.
I don't think that's an x, y, z, suggestion, maybe just a d suggestion?
Regards,
Alan

BOOT77

That would be a B,C solution. Your in the same area and the same concept(less air flow). Plus I have read about the extened air dam being use in a more cooling needed situation. I considered extend for more areo, but knew it would make my problem worse. Also I know some have a problem overheating when they are removed. I'm a lil gunshy on trying that move. I read about Beejay making some grill covers and running 10-20 degrees hotter I think, so figured I wuold give it a try.

BOOT77

My blackouts are the kind with the outer weatherstripping so I peeled it back and trimmed them on the plate side and uppper corner and they fit pretty snug, part of them pops behind the top lip. I'm tempted to leave them in and see what happens, it's kind of a pain to get them out once popped in. Still I think I need to scure them some so they don't flap on the blinker loose end, it's inside and won't pop out just has some wiggle room. I might use the sticker body 90 degree mounts attacjed to the backside of the blackout and drill a couple holes in the velcro sides to use zip ties thru the grill to help hold em on.

BOOT77

Just thought of it, might use some stick on weather striping on the backside by the blinker to take out the wiggle room and make them snug there.

villare

Hey Boot77, would you please post pictures of the blackout kit intalled on your vette...i have had the kit for years and have not put it yet i wanted to see how they look on your vette, thanks.

F4Gary

Sounds like some cardboard and tie wraps would do the trick. Just cut the tie wraps and take them off when you aren't racing at night.

donnie1956

Lets see some photos of the blackouts?

BOOT77

I'll pop them in and snap a pic when I get a chance, it'll be kinda a close up because the car is on jack stands in the garage with the front towards the back. I got sidetracked by so much this summer I never ran them after fitting and kinda was saving them for my new wheels that took way longer than planned. So I don't know how well they would of held up. But if I get the car out soon I'll deff have them on.

FYI for the heat part of the disscusion. I was already running under drive pulleys and about mid-july I swapped to a smaller crank pulley to slow the water pump/fan down some more and my temp is still 160. From a 5.75" too a 4.75" crank pulley and I lowered the alt pulley to keep the same amps.

1977L48

if you put an under drive kit on the crank and its still not getting above 160* I would really check the gauge for accuracy, what radiator are you running?

bashcraft

What temp thermostat are you using? If it's anything other than a 160, it's not working.

BOOT77

An open thermostat is less pumping ressistance. I wouldn't run one, but then it would take forever to warm up. If I wanted to put the temp at what ever I wanted. I would put a higher temp thermostat in but it would be closed a lot, because my engine does not produce much heat and is maybe overcooled. Thermostats help the engine warm up if you run too hot a lower stat will only delay that maybe. If an engine wants to run 200 and has a 160 stat it'll run 200. My goal is to get the car to run hot enough to have an open stat after it warms up. I can either make more heat or cool less and I'm trying to do that w/o causing further ressitance. Maybe it's not a huge loss, but it's my goal. Blocking the radiator would be ok but I'd rather try a smaller fan. Blocking the front grills should have some small aero benefit and is not the same as the radiator, but less effective.

1977L48

Do the Iowa trick, put cardboard infront of ur radiator

The Punisher

A picture would be cool

bashcraft

Are you serious? This is probably the dumbest thing I've read on this forum in quite awhile.

76Rat

Install an electric water pump and an adjustable sensor to kick the water pump on when needed or at the temp you want. This way you have less resistance from the water pump.
Turn the pump off when racing. No resistance.