Radiator

Hey, where does everybody put the radiator with a water-cooled conversion?

If you look at the battery in this picture, the radiator is on the opposite side and has some plastic partially laying on it.

Here's another shot of the mounting on my Tubaru

On our watercooled Spyder (VW not Subaru) it is in the nose.

The first speedster radiator was placed on the rear shelf in the engine compartment. http://homepage.mac.com/l.richards/.Pictures/DSCN0308.JPG

I will be placing my radiator (speedster) in the nose, vented through a Spyder style oil cooler grill.

Carey

Mine sits in the front in,cut out spare wheel/battery bay,golf radiator fits in perfectly.

Neat pictures, thanks all. I like the rear location more, leaves room for the spare up front. I've been thinking about using a rotary engine but they run very hot. Does the rear radiator location cool efficiently?

On the way to Knotts, I crossed the Mojave, 75mph, pulling a grade and air on. Temps remained in the normal range. Yes, it works.

Hey John, what size is the rad? was it donated from another vehicle?

I don't know the exact size. It is not a donated radiator. It is a high-performance double pass unit that I understand was selected for this application. It seems to get a lot of performance from its diminutive size.

I just posted my final review.
I drove about 430 miles in 95 - 100 degree heat. I was cruising at 75 - 80 miles an hour. For about 45 minutes twice I was in bumper to bumper traffic. It was hot as hell and close to 100 degrees at that time of day, and the temp gauge was engine temp held steady. I did not come close to overheating.
The only thing that overheated was me in the bumper to bumper traffic with a nice red nose even though I had 50, yes, 50 sun block on!

Great: I hope SAW starts on mine now that yours is done. Has Steve O gotten his yet?

no

Geez Louise: When...............?

Any day now, Any day!
Steve you should be getting yours pretty darn soon I imagine. Steve will want to make sure it has all the bugs worked out. I bet you have your car within two weeks done, complete, finito zipped up, ready to fly!
What is current status?

It is being test driven, but needs to have final blessing before Steve starts putting my interior in it. He hopes to have all that done yet this weekend and then do some more test driving with everything done but the overrider tubes. Overrider tubes to arrive by next wednesday and then he needs to install them and the bumpers and fog lights which are going to be attached to the overrider tubes. Car should be well test driven before and after final interior and everything done by next friday. I'm still hoping to have it that following weekend.

Here is a picture of the clamps I found for the overrider bars to attach the fog lights.

If I don't get the car before going in to surgery and I die then I will be haunting the car. I'm just kidding, I'm not going to die.

Brian,
You stated that you were thinking about a rotary but they run hot?
mine sits comfortably in the 165-170 area using a large radiator and electric fan with a dakota digital thermostat. No issues so far. True, I have not gone more than 20 miles but I am in Houston Texas area and the temps are 95+. I like the rotary.

Michael

The exhaust system on a rotary can get hot enough to set the glass body on fire. Seen it happen during any IMSA race in the pits while the car was sitting. The fix was to never having it sit while hot without opening the "hood" which was the whole back of the car open.
ed

Honestly, mine shows no signs of getting THAT hot. Its got lots of room between the body and exhaust. Besides, I have seen some race cars (honda etc) that exhaust also glow red hot when running...I have serious doubts that a streetable rotary would have that issue unless you do some serious wrenching and run alcohol....

Ricola used two Mini rads with his Alfa Romao Flat four powered Speedster in the back, check out this site www.ricola.co.uk