Mopar1973man

Well gang...

I just got done creating my own version of winter fronts for my beast... Simple sweet and to the point...

I used a old highway sign and had a friend cut it down for me and I sat there with a file and shaped them to fit the grill. The used a stainless steel 1/4" X 1.5" bolt with fender washer and nut.

It seems to bring the pyro temps up a bit about 150*F more than without...
Idle - 250-300*F
Cruise 55 MPH - 500-600*F
WOT - 900-1100*F

It warms up much quicker from a cold start. About 2-3 miles you have full 190*F engine heat. With outside temps down to 0*F to 5*F which it was in New Meadows Idaho today.

Engine temp never changed... Still the same 190*F on the stock guage...

What do you guys think??? ( Yeah I got to buff them out a bit yet)

infidel

Good job!
I might have to go pick up the deer crossing sign that's been lying at the side of the road for the last couple of months...

Mopar1973man

That deer crossing sign will work great... It cuts fairly easy... The long part is sitting with the file and shaping it to fit... Be aware that the grill isn't completely perfect from left to right... small variance from left to right on mine...

Not to mention that the holes are not straight either... Slight taper to it too...

Once you get them cut and shaped... Bow them a bit so you can use one bolt in the center and they won't rattle on you...

So take you time when you make them...

P.J

Nice fit, looking good.
Sounds like it serves the purpose too.

How did you get the initial template & measurements close enough? I have been thinking of buying some perforated stainless sheet goods (like the new GMC's), but am a little skeert that I wouldn't be able to measure twice, cut once as they say. I tend to measure three times, cut five or six.

Mopar1973man

We measured once and filed for hours... As a matter of fact we filed for over 5 hours shaping them carefully... Should of had a grinder...

We measured everything wide... about an extra 1/8 to 1/4 inch more.. Then just cut a square piece and started to file into shape with a very course rasp file. About 4-5 strokes would eat a good 1/16 to 1/8 inch off if you weren't careful!

But all in all they turn out great...

Tom

Hey, those would work for me. I wish I had thought of that before I bought mine.

Shovelhead

Nice job.

Maybe you could give us the benefit of your trial and error and trace them on paper to save others some time.

Mine are very similar, except they're made from a heavy plastic.

Mopar1973man

Sure!!!

Let me pop them out in the morning... And I will trace them to paper. They are not perfect by no means but I think you can tune them to fit...

Now what kind of format do you guys want??? JPEG/JPG or PDF files???

Edit: opps... I don't think my scanner is big enough to hold a image that big. Let me rethink this a bit... I'll come up with an answer...

Stamey

My winter front is a 36" x 20.5" plastic shower paneling with an 8" round hole cut in the center so the fan clutch can breath. It fits perfectly between the intercooler and the radiator, that way I can still get a little air across the tranny cooler and condensor. Took about 1.5 hours to make 4 of them (that's how many you can get out of a 4' x 8' sheet of that paneling).
I can post pics if needed.

Chris

JSX

Those look cool.
I did the same thing this weekend, but used some clear lexan.
To draw out the shape, I removed the honeycomb insert from the back of the grill and held the lexan behind it and traced out the opening.
They are held to grill with stainless screws & nuts with grey caps over the screwheads.

P.J

Umm, this is what I was thinking, but didn't want to directly ask.
Maybe you could cut them (the tracings) into 11 1/2" (and less) pieces, then scan?

jrs_dodge_diesel

The guy that designed the BHAF heat shield did just that so you could print them on regular paper. Heat shield template is available in the Tech Facts section. Hey maybe your winter front template could go in there Mopar1973man.

Mopar1973man

Well... It really should go into the tech facts... It's one of the easy things a guy (or gals) can make for there trucks for the cold winters... Now all we got to do it get the pattern together... I'm going to try and pull my gril to trace it or just the insert... Tell you more when I get out to the shop...

I like the clear lexan idea... But that going to get hit with rocks or scratch up... Looks cool though...!

Ph4tty

Does that mean you have three extras?

Oops- revived an old thread, but if ya do have three just sitting there,...