New front grill and hood vents

[dipolley]

Why GM keeps putting parts on a car that could be functional but aren't I have no idea. But we decided they should be. So we pulled the front grill off and the hood vents.

First the front grill was opened up to allow more air flow into the air intake. Then the formerly "chrome" piece was removed, sanded, and the Saturn logo filled. The hood vents were removed and made functional and sent to paint. A black base then black with cherry red pearl was applied. See the pic below, let me know what you think. The project if far from over, but any suggestions or comments, as always, are greatly appreciated. Next will be the bottom chome pieces, then possibly, the A frame.

[BSRL]

I like the functionality of the hood vents. Looks good. My only concern would be the intake getting water in it. Do you have a CAI or the stock air intake?

[Helios]

Originally Posted by BSRL

I like the functionality of the hood vents. Looks good. My only concern would be the intake getting water in it. Do you have a CAI or the stock air intake?

exactly! i was only gonna punch a drain hole in mine so that water had a way out besides my shammy.

[doc-o-pharm]

Paint job looks great. Are you gonna put the mesh back in below the center bar? IMO, that would make for a more completed look. Look forward to seeing what you do with the bottom portion. I've been wanting to get rid of the chrome down there for a long while now.

[dipolley]

I just got the parts back from paint this morning. What you see is not permanently mounted. I will be putting some kind of mesh in the front grill and the vents to catch debris. I have a stock air intake and have been running with no front grill for at least a month now with very little degregation to the air filter. I check it weekly at my shop and it still looks decent after 18K miles.

I think the bottom portion is going to have the same thing doen that the top did to the chrome. But it costs money. And I am running low on the car fund. Thank god I work in an automotive shop. LOL

This is a work in progress.

[SteveSky67]

Very Nice, thanks for sharing!

[BSRL]

Originally Posted by dipolley

I just got the parts back from paint this morning. What you see is not permanently mounted. I will be putting some kind of mesh in the front grill and the vents to catch debris. I have a stock air intake and have been running with no front grill for at least a month now with very little degregation to the air filter. I check it weekly at my shop and it still looks decent after 18K miles.

I think the bottom portion is going to have the same thing doen that the top did to the chrome. But it costs money. And I am running low on the car fund. Thank god I work in an automotive shop. LOL

This is a work in progress.

Since you have the stock air box I think the water getting in there is not an issue. You gonna open up the side vents too?

[kudelt07]

Are there two pieces underneath the front chrome bar, or did you have to cut that open? Looks awesome, but the way.

[dipolley]

Originally Posted by kudelt07

Are there two pieces underneath the front chrome bar, or did you have to cut that open? Looks awesome, but the way.

Actually there are 3. The front faux grill that is a solid pice of plastic. Then there are 2 pieces that serve to hold up the top of the front valance. I cut the bottom out of the faux grill then cut an opening on the bumper support just in front of the air box inlet. I'll have to upload the pics of the front end taken apart to and post them here.

BTW that alone I am attributing to a slight but noticable increase in HP and MPG plug a smoother and louder exhaust. The air just seems to flow like it should.

[kennysabarese]

interesting approach. i really love the painted plastic peices! but without the saturn logo there, it's kinda strange. i would have done the same red black metal paint to the silver part of the logo and changed the red in the logo to black or another color to complement the car.

now to the grille. i think it looks really strange to leave the top part of the faux grill there but open on the bottom. you should just get some type of mesh and have all the front mesh parts match... there or see the kits that are out there.

i'd also do that same red/black thing to your door handles, and the foglight "chrome" also maybe even the windshield paint and the grey strip behind the seats. that would be pretty sweet looking

[SkyBaby]

Very nice... I would love to see a Sky with that color... Great Job. SkyBaby

[Homer]

nice color.... you should paint the windshield surround and all the other grey trim the same color.

[Lithium Lotus]

Paint the whole car that color

[SKY888]

good job bro!

just in case you have CAI, beware of the water coming in.

[kennysabarese]

how would a CAI be any worse than the stock airbox for water?

[Helios]

Originally Posted by kennysabarese

how would a CAI be any worse than the stock airbox for water?

On a CAI the filter is exposed to the elements rather than the stock airbox where the filter is enclosed. If the filter were to get wet, it would severely impact the flow of air through the filter. If the filter were to be extremely wet it would eventually allow water down the intake, into the throttle body, and directly into the engine. That my friend is bad news...

[kennysabarese]

Originally Posted by Helios

On a CAI the filter is exposed to the elements rather than the stock airbox where the filter is enclosed. If the filter were to get wet, it would severely impact the flow of air through the filter. If the filter were to be extremely wet it would eventually allow water down the intake, into the throttle body, and directly into the engine. That my friend is bad news...

yeah but the stock intake is just an open hole. if you just open the grill the water can fly right into the stock intake hole. i mean i could see the sound killing chambers maybe stopping some water but it's going to get sucked right to the stock air filter....

there's TONS of RAM air cars out there... I have a cowl intake on my Chevelle and i never had a problem with water in the rain.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by kennysabarese

yeah but the stock intake is just an open hole. if you just open the grill the water can fly right into the stock intake hole. i mean i could see the sound killing chambers maybe stopping some water but it's going to get sucked right to the stock air filter....

there's TONS of RAM air cars out there... I have a cowl intake on my Chevelle and i never had a problem with water in the rain.

The Stock intake is a lot smaller hole about 1.5" diameter your not going to suck up much water with that and if it does it will fall into the bottom of the airbox and drain out.

I put a pair of Injen Hydroshield socks over my dual Cai. the water never gets a chance to get sucked up.

You would need a pretty significant amount of water in the intake to do any dammage to a hot engine.

[smokinu]

You more than likely will not have to worry about getting any water in the CAI stock or aftermarket. Unlike the CAI available for our cars (i'd call it a HAI=hot air intake) I had a true CAI on my 02 z28 and never had any issues with water being sucked in (rains every day in hawaii). I actually had an air scoop than ran under the front bumber of the car so it was pretty much right near the ground. If you also use a K&N filter and you lubricate it properlly during cleaning it will also assist in reflecting any droplets of water you might catch going into the CAI.

[bun1t]

Is there a reason you painted them a different color? It kinda looks like you hit the junkyard and got the wrong color parts.