If you use heavy gauge steel, you probably don't need the brace - I always over-engineer everything (if a 2x4 will do, I use a 4x4).

 

i don't think we have anything at my work. I'll have to check. what would you suggest?

 

That doesnt make alot of sense - the mac doesnt effect your a/f any more or less than a k&n or anything else - its just air - the bend doenst matter the maf reads the air that passes thru it.... now cutting the pipe before it goes down into the fender is dumb bc it then becomes a hot air intake... all after market mods are going to change the dynamics a little bit - if your car was running lean it was problly doing that before you did the mac - its no the colder free'er flowing air that is screwing up your a/f...

 

Ok, but no matter what, my car will always be one step ahead of urs!!!
COBRA = GT Eater!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think polished stainless steel sheeting would be best. The lighter it is, the more it will show warping - and the easier it will be to cut, bend and drill. I think I used 18 gauge (this was about 3 years ago - my memory is full of holes) left over from a hvac job. I regretted it not being polished.

Using diamond plate sounds cool. Assuming its aluminum, it would probably still be possible to bend it to the shape needed... Though I think a heavy gauge would tend to crack instead of bend.

I'd avoid the idea of welding a piece up unless you've got the equipment and are a good finish welder (I'm not - my weld work is best hidden under the car).

 

ok buddy, im glad that your supercharged 4v cobra can beat an n/a 2v gt.. that sure says a lot for your cobra. you have no idea whats in store for my car and you sure as hell will not be one step ahead of it.

bragging that a supercharged cobra can beat an n/a gt is pathetic. this thread had nothing to do with you, you came on here proving that you were an idiot, then bragged that even though you were an idiot your car could beat mine... get the fug out of here.

 

i have a lot of experience with diamond plate, making things for past cars and friends cars. no professional experience but i am confident that i can make the parts i need. also, my soon to be father in law (not really soon, but someday) is an expert welder and already told me that anytime i need help welding he can help me. and yes it will be aluminum diamond plate. thanks for your help btw.

 

You're welcome for any small aid I might have been.

Heck, your idea of using diamond plate has started me thinking of some other applications. Where do you buy the stuff and how much does it cost? I just might dust off my work bench and go make aluminum dust my own self...

 

i couldnt tell you how much it costs, i usually get it from a friend of mine. i know he made diamond plate floor mats once for somebody and he said the metal cost him like $40 or $50. but that was at least a year ago so i dont know for sure. theres a local shop that sells it also.

 

I just installed my MT CAI and i did exactly wat you did floppy and it was a hell of a lot easier than gettin under the car and going through the fenderwell. All i need now is a bigger filter and a brace to hold it up alil bit.

 

You have no idea what your talking about.....

Heat soak is only something that happens while your sitting in traffic or just le it idle for awhile. Then the heatsoak is only affecting the engine for a few seconds after you get the car moving. When the car is moving all the air coming under the car and through the grill will blow the heat away. If you have a heatshield then the air will ALWAYS be coming from the fenderwell.

The reason the car gets louder when you make it a short ram is because its finally getting the right A/F ratio. It richens the mixture and makes more power which in turn makes the car louder. So you actually think that simply hot air will make a car sound louder???? why??? It doesnt and thats dumb.

I have had the MAC CAI properly set up, converted to a short ram, and then I went to a K&N FIPK. The car runs 100 times better now than when I had that GAY MAC CAI with the bend still on it. The Bend sucks and anything that allows you to get rid of it is OK in my book.

 

I have taken my stock 02 cavalier, and all i did was open the intake box. That made it a lot louder and a good deal slower. Sound does not equal power. Thats all i am saying about the sound. I am not saying hot air makes a car louder. The fact that the open filter is now located in the hood compartment, is what will make it louder. THATS IT

 

MFJ,
If you have a engine that is too lean as in the case of a mass air flow sensor being thrown off, and you fix it to where it runs richer(not lean anymore). The car will be louder.

My question to you is since you know so much and you really know what your talking about, Whats going to be louder? WRONG. It has nothing to do with a open air box.

 

Hey Floppy look familiar...lol...I havent started her up yet did it in the middle of the night with my saw-zaw (getting pretty good with it)...Also curious about that heat shield your making very interested to see how yours comes out I have some ideas but I want to see how your diamond plate comes out.


Oh yeah you werent joking about not having much room.....stuck a 9 inch K&N filter and I dont need a brace thats for d*** sure...lol

 

lol, looks good man. yeah i dont need a brace either. just figured i'd put a heat shield on. i still havent gotten a chance to make the thing yet though. as soon as i do ill post pictures.

 

I think this is a good chance to do an experiment. My brother is supercharging his 2v GT with a kenne bell very soon (its shipping), and has just installed his gauges (boost and A/F ratio) and he just set up the A/F to work, so i will ask him how he is running right now with his MAC CAI system... it was on his car when he bought it used with 4k miles on it... (sad story, prior owners wife died, no reason to use it anymore =/ kid going to college, seems like BS but it was true)
So, i will show him this thread, and maybe he will want to take on this project, and see what the results are. That is, if the guage is accurate enough to pick that up...
And now for a question from me. What is the best 'RAI' on the market to get? which would you guys recomend, or would you recomend i buy a cheap ebay intake and modify it to a ram air? (thsi is for my new GT, not my old 6cyl with an ebay intake already on it)

 

in my opinion, just buy the k&n filter for the stock airbox and remove the silencer, thats all you really need. the only reason i have the mac cai is because it was on my car when i bought it. they're really not worth the money in terms of performance. if you like the way they look and want to spend the money then any ram air intake would be good, jlt makes a good cold air intake or ram air intake or just buy the k&n fipk.