Air Scoop or Air Dam

Anyone ever put an air dam or scoop under their van to aid air flow to the radiator?
Anyone have any pictures?

I just dropped the front of the stock pan down about 4 or 5 inches to form a scoop.

I was wondering this too for a Chevy? would it improve the performance of the louvers? I just ordered a pusher fan for mine now that I'm finding out it runs a little warm in the hotter weather...it would be easy make a sheet metal bottom scoop or use some sort of a hood scoop??

All that is needed is a little 12" wide wind baffle to direct the air up to the front of the radiator.
Thunder you have a great idea about taking the pan and extending the front down about 3 to 4".
So everyone knows, the bottom pan is a reverse scoop.
Any other ideas?

I have a scoop on my 1967 A100 that my Grandpa made. I will get pictures up in a few hours.

I think the big problem is when stopped or driving slow when an air scoop would not help. The key is to get the hot air away from the engine and keep it from being sucked into the radiator.

I'm installing a 16" Flex-a-lite pusher van this weekend I just got from Summit Racing!

The engine starts to run hot at 60 to 65 mph.
Soon as I slow down to 50 / 55 mph she cools off.
I'm thinking that at speeds over 60 mph that the radiator fan does not get enough air
to suck thru the radiator.
That's why I'm thinking of an air scoop.
Gotta remember I'm running a 2 spd Taurus fan & shroud with a good tested 140 amp alternator. Flushed coolant system 50/50.

If it stays cool at the low speeds the fan is doing it's job. High speed you are up against air damming. Either from the doghouse or possibly the fan and shroud . a free flow of air should let it run cool enough without a fan at higher speeds.

Jim,
You running a V8 ? Sounds like it to me.

Hey Digz...that's my point, I don't think I have a free flow of air.
That' why I'm thinking a scoop.

And Donn, yes I'm running my new 289 V8...what a difference.

Big difference. The dog house set up was not made for a V8's heat. Not enough room for the air to exit. I cut a hole in the wall directly behind the engine and installed a puller fan to help clear out the hot air. Also have another fan in front of the radiator. I had to get rid of the thermostat and replaced it with a metal donut type piece that racers use. It is basically a big washer with a hole in the center that allows the water to flow better. There is some argument if these work or not but it worked for me. I'm running at 180 now.

Donn

Yes, I'm running a 289

can you find out about the washer thermostat..part # etc.

Here is what I found on the internet...for a pic

I think that someone pointed out that you may have an air FLOW issue at speed, not an air volume issue.  A scoop would add more volume, and if you indeed have a flow issue, volume will make no change to the temp, because its just getting backed up, so to speak.  

If you have a closed fan shroud, this may be effing up your flow at higher speeds.  Take off the shroud and test out the theory on the highway. But also watch it in traffic.. it may cause the reverse problem.

Hey FCC

You might be right about the backed up air problem.
Maybe that is why FORD made the belly pan as a down force foil to suck air out of the doghouse.

Still nobody with a scoop?

I thought the belly pan is a scoop, via the grill. It directs air to the rad, doesn't it?  Dropping the front down, as mentioned above, will scoop a higher volume of air.

For a real sporty build, an air dam with a center knock out as an air path for an add on a coup would be cool.

What is the condition of your radiator?  Mine was heating up at highway speeds and fine around town.  It ended up being a water flow issue with the old radiator. Tried air ram on belly pan to see if it was air flow issue but didn't help.  Dropped in an FSR and good to go. I am running a 180 stat and installed a more accurate temp gauge as well.  I run 190 at idle and she drops to 160 at cruising speed.

A larger or smaller pulley on the water pump can increase or decrease the water flow.!!!

I was having the same heat problem at speed. When I swapped to the 302, I widened the dog box to get more flow around the engine, no help. I have a new 3 row radiator. I found a jeep radiator that is 16"x35". I mounted it at an angle below the front roll pan and plumbed it from the main rad to the second rad and back to the engine. The second rad is in place of the belly pan. It came with two fans on it, but I havent hooked them up yet. With a taurus 2 speed fan on the main rad, running on high, the truck now stays at about 180-185 all the time even with outside temps in the 90"s

that rad/ fan system is known to be one of the best , and i'm thinkig with the fans running correctly on the top rad you can remove the lower one at the belly pan . But a old saying if it aint broke don't fix it aplys