81-82 bumpers - cold air intakes!

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by PhilaTruck

N2Trux: Uncle, uncle. I'd like to know. Can you either PM me or post what you know about this?
-Todd

I'll send you a PM of the same information that I sent to gchemist....

[gchemist]

Cutting the radiator support is easy. The core has thin metal at the location. The problem is the wheel well. The metal is nearly twice as thick and not flat. Plus I rubbed a welded nut. The nut is what probably caught the hole saw to spin the drill.

PhilaTruck,
The kit has two hoses. I'm not sure if the hoses will reach down to the 3"-4" hose adaptor. The adaptors are going in the holes. If the hoses don't reach, then I'm off to an A/C place, HomeDepot or or online. This place looks good http://www.ducting.com/Bendaway_S.html

Options are expensive:
http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...42.html?ref=42

[79Silv4x4]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I'll send you a PM of the same information that I sent to gchemist....

Add me to that PM list, please!

[bigtruck81]

Originally Posted by 79Silv4x4

Add me to that PM list, please!

i'd like to be added as well. i have a soft spot for 81-82 bumpers, and 85-87 Silverado grilles.

[PhilaTruck]

Originally Posted by gchemist

This place looks good http://www.ducting.com/Bendaway_S.html

Options are expensive:
http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...42.html?ref=42

Gerardo: Thanks for the references. I've tried the aluminum solution. I want a material that doesn't have a memory. PVC is for me. Looks like I'm going to be contacting ducting.com

Thanks again-

-Todd

[bigblock79]

please add me to the list ken

[abebummy26]

PM Plz ty

[cliffsta]

I guess fear of water making its way up those tubes isn't terribly high? Or is the length sufficient to elliminate any suction of the carburetor / gravity keeps the water out?

Just kinda curious. Otherwise its a great project. I remember just putting the black factory hose from the air cleaner to the grille intake hole seemed to make the truck run better.

I miss my truck

[knightlife]

aww heck n2...just mass PM the board we all wanna know! especially meh..

[gchemist]

I'll post the experience of the system upon streeting testing it.
You gotta be moving to know if it works.

I normally will not drive the truck in bad weather. I had a hard enough time keeping traction with the 305. The ZZ4 will be much worse. However unidirection tires will be nice once I go up to 17" wheels. I don't expect water to get that high anyway. Even if plenty of moister gets up there, the K&N filter can be washed and reoiled. I'm really curious to know how well this modification will work. Either way, I know I'm the first to try it with a 91 grill and 81-82 bumper.

[cliffsta]

Awesome, I look forward to seeing how it works out, and to see / hear that ZZ4 in action

[Zoomad75]

I had a buddy do a similar setup on his 71 Nova. For a while it got driven in all four seasons. His hoses/ducts pulled air in from the bumper too, but he never had a problem sucking water in the rain. The water would have had to run 3ft uphill to get to the air cleaner. Even at highway speeds in the rain, the water still couldn't run uphill.

Snow? That was another problem entirely. One time in the snow I remember it packing full of the white stuff. He didn't drive it much in the snow as it was a handfull anyways. I don't think there is much snow to worry about in austin!

[cliffsta]

Well I just asked because I definately went with an short-ram style intake on the Accord versus the cold-air unit that goes down outside the engine bay, I just wasn't willing to risk hydrolock for maybe 1-2 more horsepower (versus the SRI). As much as it rains in La. and my car being a D.D. I couldn't do it. But since you say its not a D.D. then that's not a problem.

[gchemist]

Update!! I had the muffler shop cut the radiator support. Two ram air duct adaptors were tack welded. The bottom part will connect the ram air bumper to the adaptor. The engine bay side will connect up to the ram air box.

[Kaysenmc]

Glad to see it coming together, and about the water coming in being a problem. On my '70 olds rallye 350, it has factory ram air on the hood (rain can run back and down to the carb), I have never had a prob with it in a little rain. However I was told that if I were to ever drive in a very heavy rainfall it could cause a problem. Maybe, depending on your airbox, you could drill a couple of holes in the bottom side to let water escape (thats how mine is). Just a thought, Kaysen

[gchemist]

BADBOW is a garage queen. No driving in bad weather either. Traction on slick roads is a hazard!!
Any liquid would have to travel at least 2.5 feet up to reach the filter. Adaptor angles should keep a lot of stuff from reaching the box. I don't want to drill holes either. The water would drain right onto the RPM Air Gap valley!!!

[87Bob]

Originally Posted by gchemist

I started to clean and install an 81-82 bumper yesterday. I found some plastic air intake ducts at a performance shop here in Austin. Once the bumper is bolted, holes will be cut so the Ram Air Box connection is complete.

Have you seen the under bumper deflector with the cut outs for fog lights? It might make a neat way to achieve your goal with out cutting the bumper.

[Mickey_D]

Originally Posted by 87Bob

Have you seen the under bumper deflector with the cut outs for fog lights? It might make a neat way to achieve your goal with out cutting the bumper.

As posted earlier in the thread :

Originally Posted by bagged81

The '81 and '82 trucks had turn signals in the bumper. He wont be using them as signals though since his are in the grill.

[gchemist]

The 4X4 air dam won't work. I tried it once. The dam scraped every thing on the road. Air drag at highway speeds also increased. The increase was so much I could feel it. I removed the 4X4 air dam and installed a stock short version. Lowered trucks should not use the large air dam.

No need to cut holes. The 81-82 bumpers already have them. Visit the entire photo album for pictures.

[Kaysenmc]

BADBOW is a garage queen. No driving in bad weather either. Traction on slick roads is a hazard!!
Any liquid would have to travel at least 2.5 feet up to reach the filter. Adaptor angles should keep a lot of stuff from reaching the box. I don't want to drill holes either. The water would drain right onto the RPM Air Gap valley!!!

No worries then, great idea and it'll look good with the updated front end!

[gchemist]

I could not find my initial post on this conversion.
I snapped a few pictures this morning. Look closely at the bumper mounted.


Would it scare ya coming up on ya? What are those BIG intakes for anyway?

[PhilaTruck]

Looking good, Gerardo!

Hey, I checked out the vids in your siggy. That tranny shifts pretty well.

-Todd

[gchemist]

I had some motivation today!!
The bumper air intakes are connected. Cold air now enters the engine bay. The aluminum duct is not going to work. I need to find some black rubber hoses to complete the install.

[gchemist]

Update: The intakes flow a lot of air!! The air box is not installed. I've been driving around town with just the intake connections. The engine has 180 thermostat. Engine runs about 172-175. With the ram air bumper intake connections, the temps read 152 at highway speeds. The air flow into the engine comparment is HUGE!! Now I'm really curious to install the air box. I just need hoses. I have not found a 4.5 hose to make the final connections.