Wire-mesh inner fenderwells?

[Gary Perkinson]

Hey, everyone:
 
 As I get ready to drop the 302 into my Pinto's teeny-weeny engine bay, a little lightbulb has gone on over my head. If I cut the inner fenderwells out (which is legal in CGALT), and then replace them with flexible steel or aluminum mesh material (in other words, with the stuff they use to make window screens), it seems like I might be able to kill three birds with one stone:
 
 1. I can shape the mesh fenderwells to accommodate headers (which is very difficult with the regular inner fenders in place);
 
 2. I can take advantage of the cool air coming in around the wheels and up into the engine; and
 
 3. I can keep the salt out.
 
 Anyone ever tried this?
 
 Gary  

[Glen]

I would think the window screen is way to thin for what you have planned. There is a lot of turbulance in the wheel well area and I doubt if it would stop much salt sprey or dust from getting into the engine compartment. It would be difficult to mount without some kind of doubler. Any flexing would cause tearing around the holes for mounting screws. Just my thoughts
 Glen

[4janey2]

Sometimes the salt is wet and will go right through your screen. However you could use the screen as a form and lay up fiberglass on both sides to make the screen rigid and keep out the wet salt.

[Ken Walkey]

You must consider the weight of wet salt. You could have as much as 50-100lbs. collected in the well area at the end of a run. With a  non supported "mesh, window screen, etc." type well, I'm afraid would not do the job.

[Gary Perkinson]

Thanks, guys. I like the fiberglass idea--it might give me the best of both worlds....
 
 Gary

[jimmy six]

Take the time to make the "tire side" as smooth as possible. Spray them with "Pam" or some other release agent. Helps with cleanup. Wrap the headers with a protective insulation and if possible attach metal heat deflectors to the fiberglass panels....Good Luck

[John Burk]

Does salt build up in the wheel wells at 250 mph like it does at 50 mph ?

[Glen]

Depends on how wet it is.

[jimmy six]

not on a lakester or a roadster

[Bob Drury]

Gary, the first year I ran at Bonneville was 1998, and the salt was pretty wet.  After towing 750 miles back to Vancouver, Washington, I started cleaning things up.  To my utter astonishment, when I crawled under my tow vehicle, the entire rear end housing had a 3" solid layer, or crust, of you guessed it, NaCl.  I still can/t believe how much salt can glue itself to a nut or a bolt, let alone a inner fender panel.  I was in tech one year when they wouldn't let a brand new streamliner run because of inadequate tire to inner fenderwell clearance for this very reason.

[JackD]

Next time pay more attention to the storms and drive out of your way to some rain.
 Even after you thinkit is clean.
 I am certain that Locktite is colored salt juice.

[Glen]

Thats why it's called wendover loctite. It works well.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

On the way home last year -- after being on the Salt for the Bub's event, which was very wet, and for two other events. one of which was wet -- we drove through rain, snow, sleet, and slush.  A couple of weeks after returning, having driven the truck a few hundred more miles in inclement weather ---
 
 I went under the truck to do an oil change I had to chisel my way through the salt to the drain plug!
 
 Best solution I've found for getting rid of the salt?  Measure your vehicle's height, plug air inlets and exhaust, and park for two or three days in a fast-running creek about a foot deeper than the rig is tall.  And hope the Department of Natural Resources doesn't ticket you for polluting.

[Glen]

After going to the salt some 40 times over the years one finds out how much work it is to clean up the vehicles, all including trailers. On my truck I pressure wash it before I leave. I also spray it with SALT-X with a Hudson spreyer. I put on a lot of the mix. I then use a mixture of oil and thinner to spray all of the suspension parts, another good coating. When I get home I rinse with a garden hose to get off most of the salt, usually takes two or three applications for best results. I then pressure wash again and re-apply Salt-X to the whole undercarrage. There is usually some paint touch up as well. It's time consumming but worth the effort.

[4janey2]

I first raced in Production class in 1985 and I didn't clean the car when I got home (I just didn't think). It sat outside for two years when I went through a divorce. When I came back to the car to race, the salt had taken its toll. It was easier to scrap the car and start over.
 Now when I return, the car comes apart and gets a thorough cleaning. The push truck gets replaced every 2 to 3 years, so I don't clean it as well. I have never used Salt X how is it? I would use diesel oil to spray on but it becomes a magnet for dirt especially at El Mirage.