GT/CS Front Chin Splitter
#1
GT/CS Front Chin Splitter
Been shopping around for different front splitters to give the front end of my stang a more aggressive look. The only one I can really find is the GT500 front splitter and $200 for a piece of plastic is not my type of deal. Instead I decided to use a little ingenuity to build my own.
Started with the GT/CS front end, since that's what the car is. I took a piece of metal and placed it across a piece of plywood for rigidity. Then I set that on top of a jack and placed it up under my front fascia. I got a 6ft length of plotter paper and placed it on top of the metal then jacked it up to meet the bottom of my front fascia. I took a sharpie and traced the contour onto the paper.
After I had the trace done I scanned it in with a colortrac scanner that can scan a max of 24" width and unlimited length. I scanned it in then rotated it so it to straighten out the scan. I used a program called Emachineshop (my fav little secret on the internet) and used tracing mode to trace out the contour into CAD. Then I measure the fascia and scaled the CAD drawing. Now that I had that, I imported it into Google Sketchup and modeled a very rough lower lip of the front fascia to model my splitter around. I decided to go with a splitter that raises in the middle just like the GT/CS bumper. Below is a rough 3d representation of what I designed:
In the next coming weeks I will be doing the final tweaking, then prototyping and fitting. The black is the front fascia, the white is the splitter.
It's 2" offset but I may bring it back to 1.5"
Started with the GT/CS front end, since that's what the car is. I took a piece of metal and placed it across a piece of plywood for rigidity. Then I set that on top of a jack and placed it up under my front fascia. I got a 6ft length of plotter paper and placed it on top of the metal then jacked it up to meet the bottom of my front fascia. I took a sharpie and traced the contour onto the paper.
After I had the trace done I scanned it in with a colortrac scanner that can scan a max of 24" width and unlimited length. I scanned it in then rotated it so it to straighten out the scan. I used a program called Emachineshop (my fav little secret on the internet) and used tracing mode to trace out the contour into CAD. Then I measure the fascia and scaled the CAD drawing. Now that I had that, I imported it into Google Sketchup and modeled a very rough lower lip of the front fascia to model my splitter around. I decided to go with a splitter that raises in the middle just like the GT/CS bumper. Below is a rough 3d representation of what I designed:
In the next coming weeks I will be doing the final tweaking, then prototyping and fitting. The black is the front fascia, the white is the splitter.
It's 2" offset but I may bring it back to 1.5"
#4
Agent49
Ninja Edit:
Made P3 and put the front wheels on to drop it so it would be somewhat level so I could get a good look at it. I like the contour on P3 better than P2.
P3:
Gonna look for some good points to maybe have a tab or two come off the back for extra support. Not sure where yet.
Also, I was thinking of adding a second, lower, lip where it goes up in the middle. Kinda like below:
Also thinking about putting some metal on the back end to bend up as a lip in front of the tire like the GT500 chin splitter.
Like this:
Ninja Edit:
Made P3 and put the front wheels on to drop it so it would be somewhat level so I could get a good look at it. I like the contour on P3 better than P2.
P3:
Gonna look for some good points to maybe have a tab or two come off the back for extra support. Not sure where yet.
Also, I was thinking of adding a second, lower, lip where it goes up in the middle. Kinda like below:
Also thinking about putting some metal on the back end to bend up as a lip in front of the tire like the GT500 chin splitter.
Like this:
Last edited by gmoran1469; 06-18-2014 at 06:01 PM.
#5
Thanks for the info on the Agent47 air ducts looked them up and plan on ordering me some although there a little pricey at 180.00 buck got to have them. What's your plans for your splitter color Choice or you going to leave it steel.
#6
I am thinking the side lips and some supports mounting to the bottom of the radiator will stiffen this piece up. Should also increase airflow over the radiator and engine as it should stop air from going down like the original plastic piece there.
Last edited by gmoran1469; 06-23-2014 at 02:21 PM.
#7
Made the bottom lip thingy I was talking bout.
Thinking I will have to either make clips to mount this piece or paint it, weld it, and then paint over the welds. No way can I get paint inside the gap once its on there... I am leaning towards some small angle clips with low profile screws that bolt from the top.
Thinking I will have to either make clips to mount this piece or paint it, weld it, and then paint over the welds. No way can I get paint inside the gap once its on there... I am leaning towards some small angle clips with low profile screws that bolt from the top.
#8
Doneski. Now I need to take it all off and paint it. 90% sure I am going with matte black.
Tested up to 130 mph with no noise that anything was wobbling or loose.
I made a bracket that sits a few inches from the back and about 1/4 of the way in on each side. It mounts to the bottom of the radiator for extra support across the length to keep it from bowing down. There is one on the left and right side of the radiator.
BTW if you were wondering what an armadillo can do to a condenser at 85 mph, see above for reference. Almost can't tell the bottom part of the radiator where I mounted the clips was bent almost at a 90 toward the back of the car. Put off bending it back straight for fear of busting a channel till now.
Tested up to 130 mph with no noise that anything was wobbling or loose.
I made a bracket that sits a few inches from the back and about 1/4 of the way in on each side. It mounts to the bottom of the radiator for extra support across the length to keep it from bowing down. There is one on the left and right side of the radiator.
BTW if you were wondering what an armadillo can do to a condenser at 85 mph, see above for reference. Almost can't tell the bottom part of the radiator where I mounted the clips was bent almost at a 90 toward the back of the car. Put off bending it back straight for fear of busting a channel till now.
Last edited by gmoran1469; 06-20-2014 at 09:17 PM.
#10
Nice. Would this be something you'd consider making/selling in the future? I defiantly wouldn't mind having a similar looking front splitter that is if the cost wasn't more than the ones off AM. Plus they only make one ok looking "chin spoiler" for the V6 bumper:/