| Author |
Message |
Scott A. B. Collins (Scott)
Junior Member
Username: Scott
Post Number: 121
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 7:37 pm: | |
My rear paint bubbled over the right rear fender--repaired under warranty. After putting on the challenge grill the fenders feel like they don't get as hot. I have a Pozzi Blue Modena, and I have mine painted body color--I think it looks great. |
Brian Kennedy (Kennedy)
Junior Member
Username: Kennedy
Post Number: 201
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 6:18 pm: | |
I, like you Jay, prefer the look of the body color panel vs. the Challenge Grill. I agree with Mark that a great compromise is to paint the challenge grille body color... I've seen that done in silver, yellow, and red... all looked great.
The swap is very easy... basically two dozen nuts to be removed... the only tricky thing is taking care not to scratch your bumper as the challenge grille is like a cheese grater. Put paper all along the bumper to protect it and then slide the paper out after you have all the nuts on. An hour of labor, perhaps.
As to the question of "Is it cooler?" Yes, maybe 10-15 degrees. As to the question "Do I need it?" Only if you will track the car. If not, don't bother with it. If you will be tracking the car, it might be a necessity... the engine gets very VERY hot. (Track the car implies running 25 minutes straight with the RPMs between 5500 and 8500, full throttle as much as possible.)
P.S. I had the standard panel and ended up getting a Challenge Grille... I track it regularly and it was (and still is) getting too hot... but its less too hot now.
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martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
Member
Username: Mw360
Post Number: 812
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 5:23 pm: | |
Took my body guy less than an hr to switch.There is significantly less heat emanating from the engine compartment onto the rear bumper.And imo especially with a red car it is aesthetically pleasing. |
Robert (Rjklein4470)
Junior Member
Username: Rjklein4470
Post Number: 240
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 4:09 pm: | |
I installed the challenge grill, and I noticed not so much of a temp difference at the gauge, but the rear fenders stayed cool with the cahallenge grill, and the grill itself got hot. So I was getting better venting in the engine bay. I would think that this would also keep the airbox at a cooler temp. I did it bacause of the paint. The rear fenders would get hot, and that can not be good for the paint.
Rob |
Nick (Nick_wood)
Junior Member
Username: Nick_wood
Post Number: 66
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 3:14 pm: | |
I ordered my car without the grill. Unless you intend to do serious track work why do it, unless you prefer the look. Part of my decision was it is actually cheaper to install a challenge grill later than the other way around... |
noel smith (Noel)
Junior Member
Username: Noel
Post Number: 63
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 2:20 pm: | |
has anyone with a 360 noticed an actual difference in the engine temp with the challenge installed? i.e....w/o challenge grill it runs at temp X, w/challenge the car runs at Y? i will be tracking my car and just would like to know if anyone out there has any first hand experience with this. |
Dennis (Bighead)
New member
Username: Bighead
Post Number: 29
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 2:14 pm: | |
Dunno about the difficulty in changing on the 360, but it's pretty easy on the 355.
As for functionality, if you're not going to track the car, and if you don't live in Texas or Florida, don't worry about the heat.
As Paul suggested, you may want to have the challenge grill painted body color, if you want the best of both worlds.
The most economic way to do it may be to order the car with the Challenge grill, then buy a standard grill from some guy who installed the Challenge grill afterward.
vty,
--Dennis |
Paul Bianco (Paulie_b)
New member
Username: Paulie_b
Post Number: 25
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 1:03 pm: | |
The engine compartment on the 360 gets VERY hot. The extra ventilation does help. My car had the original grill that I later replaced with a challenge grill. It may take you 1-2 hours to change it out yourself. Functionally, the challenge grill is the way to go. |
MarkM (Zan)
New member
Username: Zan
Post Number: 9
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 12:45 pm: | |
Order with the challange grill, when the car arrives have it painted body color. Looks the same from a distance with additional ventilation |
Jay P. Ross (Eilig)
Junior Member
Username: Eilig
Post Number: 102
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 12:35 pm: | |
Sooner or later my name will make it's way to the top of the list, and I'll have to figure this out -- whether or not I should get the rear challenge grill.
I really prefer the look of a 360 Coupe WITHOUT the challenge grill (just personal preference). But everyone keeps telling me that the additional engine compartment ventillation from the challenge grill really makes it a "must."
So what I am thinking about doing is ordering the car WITHOUT the challenge grill, and getting the painted shell, and then ordering a challenge grill separately, so I can put it on later if I prefer...
My question is: How difficult is it to swap rear grills? I imagine it must require some work with the tail light assemblies, but what else?
Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks. |