Custom Ram Air *Build Pics*
09-27-2010, 03:33 PM
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Custom Ram Air *Build Pics* Yeah, another one of these threads. Catfish are good for something...
First of all, I dont recommend doing this with a street car. It involves removing the A/C condenser, front bumper support, cutting the hood latch brackets, cutting down the front bumper, deleting air baffling, deleting the washer tank, and requires a new front grill.
With that said, I set out to build a ram air box to utilize the entire "mouth" of my camaro. I found all the materials at Lowes and built it using hand tools...total cost was about $110. The sheet metal is 26ga. plated steel, cut with tin snips, and everything was riveted together with tabs.
I took measurements around the car and designed the assembly in AutoCAD. I then made nets of each piece, and machine cut vinyl decals to stick to the bare sheet metal to act as a cutting template. Once cut out, I made bends using two 4x4 pieces of wood. From there, all it took was drilling the rivet holes and fitting it into place.
The lower airbox is completely sealed to the air inlet with weatherstripping. I sealed up the inside of the ducting using HVAC tape. The box assembly bolts to the upper radiator support, hood latch bracket, and directly to the bumper.
Naturally, after building it I would have made a few changes. Namely, larger, if not full length tabs. The material was much easier to bend than I anticipated. It also would have came out much cleaner if I used 200mph double sided tape to put it together and then reinforce with rivets. But it came out very clean for a first attempt.
Unfortunately, I dont have track results to back up any gains I might have gotten.
First of all, I dont recommend doing this with a street car. It involves removing the A/C condenser, front bumper support, cutting the hood latch brackets, cutting down the front bumper, deleting air baffling, deleting the washer tank, and requires a new front grill.
With that said, I set out to build a ram air box to utilize the entire "mouth" of my camaro. I found all the materials at Lowes and built it using hand tools...total cost was about $110. The sheet metal is 26ga. plated steel, cut with tin snips, and everything was riveted together with tabs.
I took measurements around the car and designed the assembly in AutoCAD. I then made nets of each piece, and machine cut vinyl decals to stick to the bare sheet metal to act as a cutting template. Once cut out, I made bends using two 4x4 pieces of wood. From there, all it took was drilling the rivet holes and fitting it into place.
The lower airbox is completely sealed to the air inlet with weatherstripping. I sealed up the inside of the ducting using HVAC tape. The box assembly bolts to the upper radiator support, hood latch bracket, and directly to the bumper.
Naturally, after building it I would have made a few changes. Namely, larger, if not full length tabs. The material was much easier to bend than I anticipated. It also would have came out much cleaner if I used 200mph double sided tape to put it together and then reinforce with rivets. But it came out very clean for a first attempt.
Unfortunately, I dont have track results to back up any gains I might have gotten.
09-27-2010, 05:15 PM
#4
very nice to see another ram air...the finish looks great...
not to rain on your parade but you could have made it alot smaller since it necks down so much...it can only flow what the tightest transition area is...
so if you open that necks down part some you might even see greater gains...
reminds me of the big gulp smokin did back when he was going for the cam only record...
very nice man
not to rain on your parade but you could have made it alot smaller since it necks down so much...it can only flow what the tightest transition area is...
so if you open that necks down part some you might even see greater gains...
reminds me of the big gulp smokin did back when he was going for the cam only record...
very nice man
09-27-2010, 05:19 PM
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I cant really tell sotp difference, as you have be going pretty fast for ram air to be that significant. I also make 400 to the wheels, so even if the ram air gained me 20 hp, it would be hard to tell the difference. The best way to test it I think would be to compare trap speed with and without it.
09-27-2010, 06:12 PM
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very nice to see another ram air...the finish looks great...
not to rain on your parade but you could have made it alot smaller since it necks down so much...it can only flow what the tightest transition area is...
so if you open that necks down part some you might even see greater gains...
reminds me of the big gulp smokin did back when he was going for the cam only record...
very nice man
not to rain on your parade but you could have made it alot smaller since it necks down so much...it can only flow what the tightest transition area is...
so if you open that necks down part some you might even see greater gains...
reminds me of the big gulp smokin did back when he was going for the cam only record...
very nice man
My whole idea behind it was to take advantage of all the dynamic pressure at the mouth to force more air through the neck down. More as in more air than what the ftra style could support.
Thanks for comments! I actually tried to modify one of your ram air boxes to do just this before scrapping that idea and starting from scratch.
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09-27-2010, 08:45 PM
#14
I guess its hard to get an idea of how big this ducting box really is by the pictures. The mouth is roughly 36"x7", and the smallest area is 15"x2.25". The neck down area really cant be made much larger as it will interfere with supports and the radiator. The ducting also must neck down at some point to mate to the airbox.
My whole idea behind it was to take advantage of all the dynamic pressure at the mouth to force more air through the neck down. More as in more air than what the ftra style could support.
Thanks for comments! I actually tried to modify one of your ram air boxes to do just this before scrapping that idea and starting from scratch.
My whole idea behind it was to take advantage of all the dynamic pressure at the mouth to force more air through the neck down. More as in more air than what the ftra style could support.
Thanks for comments! I actually tried to modify one of your ram air boxes to do just this before scrapping that idea and starting from scratch.
another thing I always feared was taking away from the aero of the car by takng air in the front...I would love to see some track results with it blocked off and open though...
looks good man I like it...
09-28-2010, 11:28 AM
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3rd gear in my case 
I need the plate in the middle to block furry critters from getting sucked in Haha. The plate will come off when I take it to the track, which should be Oct. 23rd if nothing breaks before then.
I need the plate in the middle to block furry critters from getting sucked in Haha. The plate will come off when I take it to the track, which should be Oct. 23rd if nothing breaks before then.
