Attached images can also be embedded in your post body.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
i didnt have one cause i never drove in the rain
Why would you even cut out below the engine grill on a water cooled car? Not like you need the air for cooling. On some Speedster a center mount carb hits the rain shield.
@barncobob posted:i didnt have one cause i never drove in the rain
gee thats swell
On my speedster its simply a matter of the openings being a wet trim part of the mold, so they really aren't cut out as much as they aren't ever made, so to have them sealed up would take making inserts and grafting them in, etc... On the coupe they are sealed in the mold, because its a trunk and not an engine lid... so there you can leave them sealed up, or cut them out if desired.
@chines1, thanks Carey, so really it isn't worth worrying about?
On my IM I do not have it cut out as I have a subie 
The rain tray in a Speedster keeps water off the ignition system. However, most stock rain trays restrict the amount of air being sucked into the engine compartment. This air is used to cool the engine and supply air to the carbs. This restriction in air flow starts to happen around 70 mph or above 3000 rpm. This is not good and can cause overheating. Hence, many Speedsters will have modifications to the rain tray or a 4" hole drilled in the firewall in front of the fan intake.
Spyders are a mid engine car and the engine is way up in front of the hood grills. Those grills have no rain tray because there's no ignition system below to require it. Additionally, the engine compartment on a Spyder is not sealed up like a Speedster. Plenty of air comes in from nearly everywhere under the clamshell. This is regardless if your Spyder is air or water cooled.
Good Questions Mr. Workmule ! The above is only my opinion. Variations may added by others. By the way, I'm waiting for a Spyder too...............Bruce
@aircooled , Thank you. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.