Here are some sample pics. This was done over the weekend and took no more than 4 hours. I still need to go back and fix the trimming. So please don't flame if the trimming doesn't look perfect!

For those of you interested, GreyforestGST took many pics of the job itself and he's gonna put up a very simple VFAQ. Btw, a huge thanks to GreyforestGST for providing the template and tools.

Without further ado...

yeay here we go!

first thing you do is print this out to scale.

nice, i wanted to do that but i was going to get a CF hood so i didnt really see a poing in wasting my time just to get rid of the hood, anyone know if i could do the same thing on a CF hood OE style?

cut it out, and trace with sharpy the lines on your hood.

make two plunge holes with a power drill. then its time to bust out the tinsnips.

Great work! I want it but the 1G hood isn't braced nice & evenly like the 2G - I think that mod would make a helluva difference for every Turbo, & especially those of us "down South"

that looks pretty sweet, good job

it takes a good half hour or so to do each one. take your time, make sure to not cut by pulling up or pushing down with the snips; this will bend the hood.

after you get both holes cut out, get a die grinder or dremel and take off the big burs around the edges of your cuts. after you are satisfied with the results, its time to go to work with the trim.

put one end on both under a rib on the hood. you'll have to use a screwdriver to pry the ribs apart from the sheetmetal, then slip in the trim. do this around the entire gap, firmly pressing in your trim beneath the ribs.

at the very end, make sure to have a good 1/8" of trim extra, then force-fit both ends together to make a loop. this will make it stick realllly good.

during this entire time, dont fret about scratching up any parts around the holes on the bottom side. the top side should be immaculate; you shouldn't even be working on that side. do check every now and then though.

now cut your mesh.

this isnt too hard, just form fit it and have enough room on the sides to attach with the sheet metal screws we will use.

after you are satisfied with the shape of your mesh, go and paint it (or leave it bare aluminum, either way is fine).

now it is time to shoot the scratched up parts with some paint. you can take as much time on this part as you want, since its mostly for aesthetics. tony and i both opted for protection from rust, but its still the underside of your hood, so you dont have to worry that much about getting it absolutely perfect.

this is just repainting sheet metal, so take those steps accordingly. i just sanded a bit with some 300 grit, alcoholed off the grime, then shot some rattlecan black.

I better see a write up in the Tech Articles section about this

alot of people have been asking me about driving the car during adverse weather conditions. All I have to say is take everything you see w/ a grain of sand. I live in San Antonio and rain isn't too much of a concern down here.

Fwiw, I do belive even the new EVO's have an open grill on top of their hoods and you can see straight down into the engine bay. I don't see them having any problems. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Hey, not bad. Just wondering, but what kind of trim is that, and where di you pick it up? I'm needing something like that, only a little smaller for another project I'm doing over the holidays.

Thanks!

That isn't just asthetics... I checked it out at the DSM meet down here in SA, and it actually pumped out a good amount of hot air...

-Travis

Originally posted by airbrat
Here are some sample pics. This was done over the weekend and took no more than 4 hours. I still need to go back and fix the trimming. So please don't flame if the trimming doesn't look perfect!

For those of you interested, GreyforestGST took many pics of the job itself and he's gonna put up a very simple VFAQ. Btw, a huge thanks to GreyforestGST for providing the template and tools.

Without further ado...

Click to expand...

dood that looks ####ing sweet...
too bad i don't have my TSI anymore

Are you worried about the rubber melting from the heat off the heat shield? Other then that, it looks pretty sweet/unique.

nope, not a concern at all. greyforestgst did his mod well over 6 months ago and aside the trim warping a lil bit it has held up well.

stupid q, but were did you get the mesh from?

Originally posted by gixrman
stupid q, but were did you get the mesh from?

Click to expand...

lowes

i got like 2 square yards for $5

and the door trim is from carquest; its just the stuff you put on the edge of your door to keep you from scratching other cars when you swing it open carelessly in a parking lot. the package of that costs $3.

the original thread is here
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67265

Only thing I would worry about is rain, how's it do w/ water getting in there?

Like he siad they dont get much rain, wish i could do it but im pretty sure the rain could eventually start cracking things like the exhaust manifold the turbo housing, etc. from hot to cold water splashes. but hey good job.

water is a non issue. It would take a sudden massive drop in temperature to even crack a cast iron exhaust manifold. Even if it was 80 degrees outside and it dropped to 40 degrees it still won't be cold enough to make that hard metal flex.

If you think about it, even the new EVO's have exposed vents on their hoods.

Originally posted by KidintheTSi
Only thing I would worry about is rain, how's it do w/ water getting in there?

Click to expand...

exhaust manifold cover has some rust spots now

They are right about the rain, you would have to take a 5gal bucket and dump it on the vent to crack anything.

I know this because I put like 12 ice cubes on a cast iron stove before it cracked.. (sounded like a damn .22 going off )

Dude thats a sweet mod. I was thinking of doing that to my GST but i wasnt sure how to go about doing it. I guess now i know...Great work!

One thing about the rain, i thought about that as well, thats why i hesitated most about doing that mod cuz the elements are a biotch. I'm sure there is some kind of cover u can make from the cut outs if they are still in tact.

Originally posted by xxconvict

One thing about the rain, i thought about that as well, thats why i hesitated most about doing that mod cuz the elements are a biotch. I'm sure there is some kind of cover u can make from the cut outs if they are still in tact.

Click to expand...

How much rain do you suppose comes in through the radiator when you're next to a big rig's tire spray in a moderate storm? It's a non-issue. Still, it'd be simple to make an aluminum "gutter" under that hole, if you want to get all artsy about it.