Front license plate screen
 

Well, I was thinking that opening up the area in front where the front license filler plate sits with a screened plate would allow more cool air through the STS intercooler and radiator. So I ordered one and just got it in today.

http://www.corvetteflorida.com/pics/..._screen_01.jpg

I dunno... Am I being WAY too picky thinking they could have cut that screen and mounted it better so the mesh was perpendicular to the ground? I don't know why stuff like this bugs me. I guess because it just shows a lack of attention to detail.

What do you all think? You can be brutally honest if you want to. I'm seeing so much shoddy workmanship lately, that maybe it's just me who is looking at everything too critically...... :shrug01:

I am anal when it comes to certain things so I can understand you being bugged by the direction of the screen pattern. But it still looks good and it seems to be a functional mod.

I have to agree with you Rich. I'd be sending that back. Is that the best they can do....I think you could make one yourself and make it turn out right. If that was my company I would be embarrassed to admit it was mine.

Just for comparison, here's what this plate looked like that I actually ordered:

http://www.corvetteflorida.com/pics/CF1262-2.jpg

The place that actually made this thing is located in Spring Hill, FL, (http://www.americanhydrocarbon.com/) so I sent them off an email to ask them about this. The pic on their own webpage

http://www.corvetteflorida.com/pics/CF1262-AH_01.jpg

Looks better, too, than what I actually got.

Notice that the mesh goes from left to right and top to bottom, not at all like what I got. So I'll see what they say about this. Probably will be something along the lines of "Gee, we've never had anyone else complain about this." :rolleyes:

Yeah, I'm picky about stuff like this, so don't pull some switcheroo on me thinking I won't notice. :thumbsdown:

BTW, I did a close-up crop of the screen I get and you can see that the mesh runs from corner to corner rather than top to bottom and left to right.

http://www.corvetteflorida.com/pics/..._screen_02.jpg

Hey rich, do you need to cut away part of the bumper to open it for air flow? On mine once you remove the front filler plate you have the holes for screwing on a tag. No air flow there.

Yes, I know. I've actually had the original panel off of the front bumper for several days now waiting for this screened one to come in.

http://www.corvetteflorida.com/pics/..._screen_03.jpg

So yeah, some cutting is in order. I guess I've gotten kind of blase about slicing and dicing on the car after all this crap. You don't know how tough it was for me to make my mind up to cut into the firewall way back when, when I needed the clearance for the fuel rail end on the driver's side. That certainly did break the ice for me.

I've got a side cutting drill bit for my Dremel that should do the job nicely. But there is a wiring harness directly in back of the area I need to cut away that will have to be relocated first. The harness runs across the bottom and attaches to those white snap in pieces you see in the center of the square indents. But of course I'm not cutting a thing till this gets resolved concerning the screen panel I received.

Once I cut it, I'm pretty sure I'll be taking out those mounts for a front license plate completely. I do hope that screen will be sturdy enough to take some sharp raps from bugs hitting it at high speed. And I hope there are no unintended consequences from doing this sort of thing. Seems like a good idea, but heck.....

I actually ordered the panel from a place called Pinnacle Corvette (http://www.pinnaclecorvette.com/C5_Z...4_p/cf1262.htm), and I sent them an email as well about this. Their response was that what I got was unacceptable and they are going to contact the manufacturer too to see what they want to do about fixing this problem for me. So at least they are on my side with this, and agree with me, and not giving me the bum's rush.

So we'll see how this pans out.

Well, I got an email response from American Hydrocarbon, and they sent me a return shipping label for the screen plate through Pinnacle Corvette. Interestingly enough it is not going back to them, but to another place called "Carbon Fiber Works" in Starke, FL. But in any event, it is on it's way back to whoever built the thing, I guess. :shrug01:

My return shipping address wasn't on the label, so no telling what sort of path and timeline the replacement part is going to have to take to get to me.

I guess I could have taken a shot at building one of these myself, as there is an interesting thread about this mod over on CorvetteForum -> http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...cover-mod.html. Even gives part numbers for the correct screening needed.

But I would have to buy another front license plate panel anyway, since one of the holes for the mounting screws is buggered up and I would have to fix that as well if I wanted to just cut up my original panel. But I'll wait and see what they do about this one first, I suppose. I made it pretty plain in my email what I expected concerning this panel, and even pointed them to the above mentioned thread on CorvetteForum. But it's not likely that American Hydrocarbon is unaware of that thread. If you read that thread yourself, you'll know why I say this.

I am taking care of this to get you the screen plate you want.

I took a three inch hole saw and just drilled three holes in my bumper.
I then removed it and painted the area with flat black.
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...0-3022_IMG.jpg
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...0-3023_IMG.jpg

Those 3 holes lurking in the background look cool. I wonder how they would look finished with door edge molding?