Best way to Hide a FMIC

[emoguitarboy]

Hey,

I just recently got a 97 bumper, I am looking to getting a SSAC FMIC, I was wondering what the best way to hid a FMIC is. I've heard BBQ paint, I was thinking extremely fine mesh (like for a screen door) and cover that with the gutter guard mesh.

If I can't figure out how to hide it I'll proably just get a LAIC cause they're really easy to hide.

I want my car as sleeper as possible, nice but sleeper.

 

[just2asian]

what ever you do, do not paint it with bbq paint. when you see companies with their logo painted on they use a special type of paint. if you use regular paint it will ruin the way the intercooler cools. Fine mesh gril will work. or wrap it with screen, like stuff on a screen door.

 

[16gpoweredgsx]

You can take a look on MachV's website. They make a nice bolt in grill for the 2g cars, or you can go to Home Depot and make you own. But in my opinion if you want a nice sleeper I would buy the pre-made grill kit(looks much nicer).

 

[TheMadCheshire]

You can get it anodized black which makes it appear like its supposed to be there. Almost the same thing as painting only chemical and more expensive. There are several threads on painting intercoolers and IIRC the general concenses was that painting affects very little as long as you use a paint designed for it(i.e. bbq or radiator paint) and use the thinnest layer you can to get the color you want.

 

[emoguitarboy]

I guess my other option is make it as fast and ricey as I can... If someone sees a ricer that's fast that would be unexpected... ok bad joke

I'll try the screen mesh first then if its not what I want i could try painting it. I'll post pics (should be some time after christmas that I get it)

 

[Talesin]

I'd get it anodized black. It's really not that expensive (maybe $50), you retain your full cooling capacity (aside from getting hotter in the sun than shiny silver would), and no one notices that it's there.

 

[emoguitarboy]

I'd get it anodized black.

Ok reverting to N00b mode for a moment. Is anodized a process of spraying or a process similar to powder coating? A little explanation por favor.

Edit:
Found it: Anodizing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It appears to be a process where the metal is charged and then a dye is added... similar to how a lazer printer works.

EDIT2: Also found a DYI for this: Anodizing at Home - WARPIG

 

[GS-T_Newboost]

go with the grill its a wast of money to pay for a nice aluminun fmic and then just spray paint it black

 

[emoguitarboy]

Alright guys... i'm starting to take offense.

Truthfully, I was the smartest kid in special ed when I was in grade school... Because they couldn't diagnose Dyslexia & ADD they just threw me in there... Untill I go to oklahoma

Truthfully I don't want a nice shiney FMIC I want one that looks like its been 'd all over, the worse it looks the more like OEM.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Screw it! Just paint "Fluidyne" on it and people will think it's a radiator.

 

[Lonnie gandee]

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So i guess....oops.

 

[turbolover10]

I take it you just sprayed it with regular spray paint??

Hey It looks good

 

[DSMunknown]

Read through this thread for more info about painting an FMIC.

 

[emoguitarboy]

Seriously though who would think a car with an unpainted body kit a wing and ground effects is fast they'd just think rice... but I'd rather have my car look normal or beat up and fast as opposed to ### looking.

I think I'm going to anodize it black. I'm thinking about possibly cutting the 2 ovals above the opening, for radiator cooling.

 

[Supa Dexta]

There is nothing wrong at all with a fine layer of paint.. there will be no noticeable difference...

 

[thekellbeast]

Radiator paint or anodize, those are your best options. Other things will work though.

/thread

 

[LaN-]

my buddy just used normal black spray paint on his and has no issues cooling his 50 trim at 25 psi.

 

[Raph]

Heres a pic of a painted SSAC FMIC..noone saw it

 

[BoostedinSoFla]

Ok, so I have the hookup to get my FMIC anodized but not black. I just want it to look new again, so a little shiny. What should I do before taking it there? The pipes are pretty badly scratched along with some parts of the end tanks? Does anodizing mainly involve dipping the parts?

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[kawboy]

Heres a pic of a painted SSAC FMIC..noone saw it

That looks really nice

I'm thinking of painting mine now before I put it on.. haha

 

[turboglenn]

A word on paiting intercoolers. The paint acts as an insulation barrier making your FMIC less efficient thatn it should be and subtracting from it's ability to dissapate heat. An old trick from my motocross days was to strip all the paint off your radiators to help keep the motor cooler.. So what ever you put on it (preferbly flat black puff can) make sure it's as thin a coat as possible, and by no means should you ever powder coat one

 

[kawboy]

Yea why the hell were the old MX radiators like powdercoated?

 

[turboglenn]

Yea why the hell were the old MX radiators like powdercoated?

No clue, but it sure makes one hell of a difference to strip em down to aluminum again.

 

[always_broken]

I've arleady painted mine black. After reading this thread I'm gonna strip it using the paint remover in a can. That's cool right? Not to late to revert?

After that I'm gonna get the mesh fabric and wrap it around the core. Same thing...

 

[jaday]

Depending on how much HP you are wanting, you could always go with a supra SMIC...