09 Sep FMU’s 3rd-Gen Viper Directional Intake Assist
We’re on a roll this week. First, the 3rd-generation Dodge Viper heat shield, and now a directional intake assist!
While looking at the Viper, we realized that the airflow to the intakes could be improved with a low-cost, easy-to-install solution. The hood has two “snouts” under the sheet metal that are supposed to route air from behind the bumper to the intake filters. The only problem with that is this — there’s no way to push airflow directly to those snouts as the air enters the bumper. It gets jumbled up behind the bumper first, potentially limiting the airflow over the filters. So we set about figuring out how to point the air directly towards the filter, while at the same time not limiting airflow over the oil cooler and radiator. After a bit of time postulating, we made this:
This directional intake assist rests on either side of the Viper’s oil cooler and points the air rushing through the bumper up and into the snouts, and therefore directly into the filters. Comprised entirely of aluminum, the two directional fins and cross-member bolt to each other, and then to the Viper itself, for a quick and easy way to ensure air is getting exactly where it needs to go without any additional turbulence. Installation takes ten minutes (or five if you can use a ratchet quickly) and doesn’t pull too much air away from the radiator, so there’s no worry about rising coolant temperatures (especially if you put a heat shield on the passenger-side valve cover, wink wink). And on top of good functionality, it’s not half bad to look at, either.
We’ll be looking to sell both the heat shield and directional intake assist in conjunction with a phenolic spacer for the throttle body, for what will essentially be a track-oriented cooling package. Any questions? E-mail us!
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