henkdeswardt

Hi there.

I bought a '90 vette L98 2 months ago. I'm forced to do a lot of work on the car. The more we look, the more we find...

It looks like the previous owner did a "cold air intake" mod, but I'm not so sure if it is correct.

1. The car has a beautiful kit in the front.

2. The original air intake is blocked by the kit.

3. The air intak top has been closed.

4. A hole was make in the bottom of the air intake.


So:
a) This looks UGLY! If this is at all supposed to be working - are there not after-market parts that I can rather fit. I like the idea of the washable K&N filter (still the rectangular shape). I've looked on the net, but nowhere can I find a proper description with photographs of how it used to look and how the modification is supposed to look - and does it even apply to my car since the kit has been fitted that blocks the original air inlet?
b) Does the radiator air not "fight" with the engine air and thus at high speed you may not get enough air into one or the other?


Any ideas?

Thank you.

Henk

lt4obsesses

Wow, that looks like a train wreck. The intake is comes closed at the bottom, where they cut, and draws air from the top. The only thing I can surmise is that they thought by taking air from the bottom they would get some kind of forced air thing going, which it won't. This set up will only draw hot air from the radiator and most likely allow alot more debris into the engine. My biggest concern with this is the sealing issue around the filter.

GKK

I've seen a Cold Air Intake like that before.

The cool air is drawn from underneath the bumper instead of inside the engine compartment. The plastic in front of the radiator is cut to allow the air into the air filter housing from the radiator side.

Foam strips are used to seal the air filter housing to the radiator shroud.

mcm95403

The execution may not be beautiful, but functionally if it was done well (sealed up well) then you're probably getting some benefit at highway speeds.

The ram air setup on my C5 made a significant improvement at highway speeds.

If they made the kit previously linked to for my 91 I'd have already bought it.

henkdeswardt

So are there prettier parts that I can buy to "do the same thing", but that would not look like I got my 'vette from a scrap yard?

Henk

GKK

Not that I'm aware of...

Just clean that one up with body filler (after welding the filler cover better), or buy another stock filter cover and seal it up yourself.

mcm95403

In you want a better looking top, then I'd buy another one and block it off from the inside. On the C5's they do a similar mod and it's known as the "zip tie" mod. Don't know of that will help any, but it may give you some ideas after you do some searching.

JrRifleCoach

Most all of the intake kits sold here draw air from the engine compartment.
This is a novel idea that I'll be looking at soon.

henkdeswardt

Thank you, that explains it.

I'll have to neaten it a bit.

kimmer

He had the right idea just not to appealing to the eye but you can clean it up.

mxnuke

Here is a shot of my API intake flip lid.. seems like it helps on the top end over the stock box.

Sleazy Rider

looks like a home made c4 version of the callaway honker intake for the c5 & c6. years ago there used to be a product that pulled the air from the shroud similar to yours. only a cleaner looking top.

henkdeswardt

Wow, sound like we've got a new winner mod for C4's?

As long as we can make it look ok.

Where can I get this "API intake flip lid" from? Can't find it on Google.

Henk

mxnuke

automotive performance international was the name on it..they went under 5-6 years ago i think.i have seen them on ebay.mine had a cut lid -k&n mod sucking in hot air, and a buddy gave me this one after he sold his vette racer.good luck in your hunt.if you need any photos to help make one let me know.

mcm95403

Wondering what it would take to make molds of this.............

mxnuke

here is another shot..

henkdeswardt

Thank you.
I've found them on Facebook, but their web site no longer works...

I've e-mailed them and hopefully they still exist!

Henk