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Evil Penguin Wagon

I haven't found any really performance curves listed for automotive aftermarket charge air coolers, so I don't really have any way to judge how well this will work in my application. I suppose I could try to rig up some sort of test stand with a propane heater, air flow meters, etc, but I think I am going to just be lazy and install it. At least it is made in USA. It is a tube & fin type, rather than the (more common)??? bar type, but I don't really have any data to really judge the real performance of either version.



I am not thrilled about it, but the front bumper is probably going to get some extra holes added..

 
Can you not flip it upside down and stuff the bottom of the core up further?

I was just thinking this. I think you will fit it perfectly in there. Its what I ended up doing.

Nice build and very inspiring! Thanks for sharing with us.
 
Once the intercooler is painted flat black I think it will be ok. I am not sure how it will look with the inner lights replaced with wire mesh... I'm afraid it is going to look sort of ghetto.

I also need to beat the dented edge of the hood back up so it doesn't mess up the grill. Bodywork is absolutely impossible for me to do well, so the results will probably be fairly hideous...

 
You could always do what they do on drag cars and paint up a solid cover to look like a light. From a distance they often look pretty realistic.
 
You could always do what they do on drag cars and paint up a solid cover to look like a light. From a distance they often look pretty realistic.
They make stickers. Places like Summit and Jegs sell them.

B3863BF7-A474-4111-B9DD-1930784FB40C_zps1au4j1on.jpg
 
So after paying $200 for the intercooler? I cut it up. :(

But despite my poor welding ability and dirty casting end tanks, it appears that it will work out ok. I need to decide on how to mount it next.





 
Lifted up as high as I can without hitting the hood latch (actually it touched, so I bent the safety latch up a bit?)


and my welding isn't getting any better, but it should be good enough? I am still not sure why every time I weld ⅛" aluminum I end up with a ?" weld bead? :doh:



I should have the bottom mounts done tomorrow.
 
A few weeks ago at LKQ I found these for the radiator on a 97 Dodge Dakota, they are pretty soft and should work pretty good.


I cut a short piece of 1x2x1/8 rect. tubing and ripped it the long way then added some holes.



Because I raised the intercooler up so much I needed a riser for the bottom mounts. This is what I came up with.




This will allow a few inches of weld on the tank, rather than on the thin strip of metal on the bottom of the intercooler.


The tanks taper at the bottom, so I had to bend the ?" aluminum rod a bit to match the angle of the tank, but after a bunch of frustration with the dirty casting and the large gap between the rod & the tank I ended up with this:



 
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You sure do go out of your way to make things fit! I just throw it in there the best I can lol. Great engineering my friend.
 
Probably a 2-3 week delay in any car progress?

I got sick of sweating my ass off in the garage and decided to do something about it?

This is bigger than I need for my 3.5 car garage, but we bought a house on a big enough lot for me to have a bit extra added on this winter, so in the end I will have my 5.5 car garage and still have room for a bit of grass and maybe a pool for the boss next year.

I don't do A/C for a living, so this should be interesting?

 
Probably a 2-3 week delay in any car progress?

I got sick of sweating my ass off in the garage and decided to do something about it?

This is bigger than I need for my 3.5 car garage, but we bought a house on a big enough lot for me to have a bit extra added on this winter, so in the end I will have my 5.5 car garage and still have room for a bit of grass and maybe a pool for the boss next year.

I don't do A/C for a living, so this should be interesting?

I just moved back to St. Louis from Everett, WA, and the new house has a 4 car garage constructed from CMU block, with a framed 2nd floor. And no AC...
I ran some wiring for new LED fixtures last weekend. It was about 90 degrees with 85% humidity. I decided I need AC.
I was thinking of getting a mini-split, like you mentioned you had in your previous garage, but how much did that unit in your picture set you back?
Good luck with this installation!
 
...I was thinking of getting a mini-split, like you mentioned you had in your previous garage, but how much did that unit in your picture set you back?
Good luck with this installation!

The mini splits are a much easier installation, even a beginner can get it done in 8-10 hours and all you need is a vacuum pump. A 18000 btu unit is plenty for a garage if it has insulated walls & ceiling. I am only doing a full size A/C system because I wanted to learn how to do it. The mini split doesn't even require any silver solder/brazing, they have a common 45 degree flare connections.

 
The mini splits are a much easier installation, even a beginner can get it done in 8-10 hours and all you need is a vacuum pump. A 18000 btu unit is plenty for a garage if it has insulated walls & ceiling. I am only doing a full size A/C system because I wanted to learn how to do it. The mini split doesn't even require any silver solder/brazing, they have a common 45 degree flare connections.


Wow! That is way less than I figured.
Thanks.
Steve
 
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