I got and installed the cx racing intercooler kit last year. I was just wondering what would be some options to cover the bottom of the intercooler. I wanted to also put a skid plate on later on. Im not prepared to cut into the crash bar. I just want it to look mostly stock.

First off that car is a greaat color, I wanted one like that but settled on a darker blue.

For the IC yiu just need to do whatever it takes to move it up.Dont be afraid to remove the crashe beam or anything else. Its a 20 year old car its past that

If you are or know someone who is a welder and can weld aluminum, you can cut the IC and weld it back up. It will be smaller, so might not be as efficient as it was before.
Or paint the lower part black so it will be less visible.

Don't cut into and ruin the intercooler, honestly your best option is to remove the crash bar. Being 20 years old the crash bar isn't even up to the standards for a crash anymore.

The crash beam only helps with collisions less than 5mph. Anything over, and it is useless. It doesn't help a bit. Cut into it, remove it entirely, do what you gotta do.

I really don't believe that it doesn't help at all in a collision above 5mph, and I never have. Sounds like the whole forum needs to bug Mythbusters and put it to rest once and for all. I'd sure like to ditch both of mine and get the JMFab aluminum one!

I have the CX racing 3" x11" x 31" and all I had to do was trim the lip off the crash bar at the bottom. I did have to fab a new hood latch support so I could bring it up flush with the bottom of the bumper cover. You can cut it with a sawzall.

Yes I had a cx core to it hung down but a bit of cutting and working it sat flush, when I was done.

quad4tt said:

Im not prepared to cut into the crash bar. I just want it to look mostly stock.

Click to expand...

get a smaller intercooler..............


or cut into the crash bar

It can be done to look good using same core.

You might be right about the crash bar. Found a of a 1G 35 MPH crash head-on into wall. The bar probably won't help much there.
However, choosing between bar and no bar VS a light pole would be nice to have that bar. At least that way you won't loose the IC/radiator when you forget to set the parking brakes during your next grocery run.

Edit: can't figure out how to make the video into a text link instead of actual video.

If you forget to apply the parking brake and it runs into the light pole your intercooler is getting bent as well as your radiator support unless it's less than 5mph, then it may just stop itself. But in that case the intercooler isn't going to take much harm w/o the bumper anyway.

I actually replaced the bar already. my brother hit a tree. all thats left of the damage is on the cover itself. i tried to use a bit of heat. so i just put the license plate there to cover it. so it's a good idea that the bar is there or i'd have a totaled car maybe. i didn't notice the damage since a month later.

You can always do the Home Depot lip mod. That rubber lip on the bottom will cover the rest of the fmic.

Interesting crash test. The seat/shoulder belts kept the dummies in the car, but really snapped the heads. The driver`s head even hit the steering wheel. Seemed like it had a fairly good "crumple zone" though.

I`ve been driving without crash beams for 10 years or so in my `90 daily driver. It will make you a much more cautious driver knowing it`s not there. I did put a flasher on the third brake light so when the brakes are applied it will be more noticeable to the driver behind me.

Those crash beams won`t help much in a serious crash.

I couldn't find any of those good garage lips at home depot here in canada. I like the idea, I might have to ebay one.

Be careful with a fiberglass or carbon fiber lips because they will crack if you ever bottom out. If you can, find one that is made of either rubber or flexible plastic that bumpers are made of.
And speaking of bumpers, you might be able to find one with the shape you like and cut a strip out of it to make the lip. Edge quality won't matter much since top end won't be seen hardly ever and bottom end will scrape soon enough and level itself.