Members Al F. Posted August 13, 2010 Members Share Posted August 13, 2010 Guys no reason to get all up in arms. The radiator deflector rule was added to help cars cool. Use it to push air up into the radiator. If you're extending the factory piece or bolting on a piece from another car or making your own thats fine. Feel free to drop that to 2" off the ground. However, as soon as you go much beyond the width of the radiator and start curving towards the tires you are no longer pushing air into the radiator and now pushing air around the car as opposed to under it. Dont go there, or be 4" off the ground. I have no problem with editing the pertinent rules, but even without that logic has to come into play here guys. That picture Matt posted is pretty good: the center piece with the four bolts is clearly about the width of the radiator and intended to push air up into it. That can be 2" off the ground. It is flanked by pieces of black plastic that curve ourwards towards the tires. Those need to stay 4" off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboShortBus Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 FWIW, I deal with building codes and OSHA requirements for a living, so I am familiar with reading and interpreting various types of rules, guidelines, gray areas, related BS, etc. Yes, it's painful at times. I would like to suggest this addition to an existing rule be added to the current rule book (or as a mid-year technical bulletin to be included in the 2011 rules), as noted in bold: 7.5.5 No body component with the exception of the radiator air deflector shall be lower than 4†measured vertically from the ground. Radiator air deflectors shall be no lower than 2 inches measured vertically from the ground. Radiator air deflectors shall be mounted to be perpendicular to the level ground surface and even with the front face or leading edge of the radiator core, and shall extend no wider than the width of the radiator core. Non-OEM and fabricated radiator air deflectors may be used, as long as they meet these dimensional criteria; materials are not limited. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al F. Posted August 14, 2010 Members Share Posted August 14, 2010 Thanks for the suggested wording Mark. We'll add it to the list for the silly season and work it a bit. I'd hate to get too limiting: most OE air deflectors are neither perfectly vertical, nor exactly at the leading edge of the radiator, nor exactly the width of the radiator...but without getting the measuring tape and digital level that is the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboShortBus Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Good point, Al. It could be reworded to say that the OEM deflector shall be used in the OEM location, and fabricated or non-OEM deflectors shall conform to the crap I typed above. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHISSTC Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 I can't see what Adam posted since my computer is identifying the Texas AI/CMC forum as containing malicious code. As far as the other pictures go... Rich and Matt clearly have air deflectors. Dan's piece has all intentions of being a radiator air deflector, but morphs into more of an air dam near the edges that extend past the radiator core support and curve behind the little lower extensions of the factory bumper cover. OEM, aftermarket, or a Home Depot mod; vertical, canted forward, or angled back, I don't think it matters how a radiator air deflector is constructed or attached as long as it doesn't violate the 2" limit. I'm not very comfortable with ultra specific design or appearance criteria other than if it looks like it moves air around the car it's an airdam, and if looks like it scoops air up into the radiator, it's an air deflector...with a little flexibility allowed for differences in implementation. From there my response got a little long winded, so I'm forwarding my suggestions to my Rocky Mountain Regional CMC Director and the National CMC Director for further consideration and incorporation into the rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nape1548534725 Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 Before you guys get too worked up and write more rules. Just know a stock 3rd gen Firebird radiator air deflector curves around the front end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboShortBus Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 In that case, I suppose that this would apply: It could be reworded to say that the OEM deflector shall be used in the OEM location, and fabricated or non-OEM deflectors shall conform to the crap I typed above. Mark Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchntx1548534714 Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 How about ... Get air through the radiator any way can. But, if you do so with the intent of moving air around the car, you'll be busted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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