grill screen

D

Dayle Frame

Well-known member
I know we talked this before but I can't find 'Sprite' specific discussion.

In impound yesterday, a couple of tech guys came up to me and pointed oput that my grill screen wasn't compliant. My screen is behind the grill and wire tied to the grill so it follows the contour of the grill. they said it had to be 2" behind the grill. I suggested that it needed to nbwe 2" behind the opening (which is what the GCR says).

As Sprites have a grill that set back from the 'opening', have any other Spridget drivers been called on this? I measured and it's 2" to the back aside of my grill from the leading edge of the opening.

Am I missing something?

Dayle
 
Code: 
9.1.5.6
h. Radiator Screens
1.	 Screens, block-off plates or tape that serve only to protect
or restrict air flow to the radiator(s) and/or oil cooler(s) are
unrestricted, but must be located a minimum of 2” behind
the radiator/cooler opening or behind the stock grill.

The way I'm reading that, EITHER
1) a minimum of 2” behind the radiator/cooler opening
OR
2) behind the stock grill

Seems like it's builder's choice too - meaning that if the stock grill is flush with the front, you can put the screen right behind it; closer than the 2" minimum.
 
I don't understand why they would give you a hard time. If you look at miata production grills compared to SM They have moved the front grill flat and forward. I am sure someone will find in the gcr were it sounds legal but looks like a big advantage over screen location
 
Hammill":9fesvy9w said:
...If you look at miata production grills compared to SM They have moved the front grill flat and forward. I am sure someone will find in the gcr were it sounds legal but looks like a big advantage over screen location
Click to expand...
I think what you're describing is the front air dam, which is allowed to be flush with the outline of the car, as viewed from above, and must have the grill opening. Some had the screen flush to the airdam/grill opening, but the recent rules 'clarification' made that illegal. My interpretation is that for a car without a 'stock grill' (such as the Miata, which just has an opening), you need to be 2" back from the stock opening, not the air dam. For cars that have a 'stock grill' (some piece of metal or plastic in the grill opening), your screen can be flush to the backside of it.
 
Hammill":3joxh5mr said:
If you look at miata production grills compared to SM They have moved the front grill flat and forward. I am sure someone will find in the gcr were it sounds legal but looks like a big advantage over screen location
Click to expand...

When the GCR PCS Bumper rules refer to intergrated bumpers, they can be replaced by "replica components". < Glossary = Identical.

Within the GCR PCS Air Dams rules there is no wording that allows one to remove the intergrated bumper OEM or replica components.

Which to my understanding, the rules mean you may add an air dam to the intergrated bumper, OEM or replica components & the grill will be in it's OEM location with the screen behind the grill.

Please respond with a rule specifying otherwise.

EDIT: Brian, do you know of a Miata that does not have a grill? From my OEM Miata observations all Miatas have a black plastic grill piece that fits rearward wihin the oval bumper opening.
 
Dayle Frame":3jbmfi8f said:
I know we talked this before but I can't find 'Sprite' specific discussion.
Dayle
Click to expand...

Dayle, this should be the thread your looking for.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12684

EDIT: I just re-read this ^ thread & maybe the thread your looking for is the one where Kevin Ruck posted several times & this thread is not the one.
 
David Dewhurst":1x0q4dti said:
EDIT: Brian, do you know of a Miata that does not have a grill? From my OEM Miata observations all Miatas have a black plastic grill piece that fits rearward wihin the oval bumper opening.
Click to expand...
While the part you're referring to is in fact, in the grill opening - it is simply not decorative, nor does it cover anything - the GCR standard definition of a Grille.
Code: 
Grille – The decorative covering for the grille opening.
The "Air Guide" as Mazda calls it, is wide open, with the exception of two vertical slats, from the front bumper through to the radiator.

In fact, rather than be decorative, or cover anything (which it clearly does not), that part functionally directs air into the radiator - making it either a radiator shroud, or an internal body panel - both of which are free.

I don't see how it's a grille. The GCR is clear on what a Grille is, and the part you're referring to fails both parts of the GCR definition.
 
blamkin86":r5lknrs8 said:
David Dewhurst":r5lknrs8 said:
EDIT: Brian, do you know of a Miata that does not have a grill? From my OEM Miata observations all Miatas have a black plastic grill piece that fits rearward wihin the oval bumper opening.
Click to expand...
While the part you're referring to is in fact, in the grill opening - it is simply not decorative, nor does it cover anything - the GCR standard definition of a Grille.
Click to expand...
+1, exactly. I would even go out on a limb and say that the wording of the screen rule which brings up "the radiator/cooler opening or behind the stock grill" had the Miata in mind for a car that did not have a "stock grill". Tortured interpretation?
 
blamkin86":ewetizvj said:
While the part you're referring to is in fact, in the grill opening - it is simply not decorative, nor does it cover anything - the GCR standard definition of a Grille.
Code: 
Grille – The decorative covering for the grille opening.

The "Air Guide" as Mazda calls it, is wide open, with the exception of two vertical slats, from the front bumper through to the radiator.

In fact, rather than be decorative, or cover anything (which it clearly does not), that part functionally directs air into the radiator - making it either a radiator shroud, or an internal body panel - both of which are free.

I don't see how it's a grille. The GCR is clear on what a Grille is, and the part you're referring to fails both parts of the GCR definition.
Click to expand...

When we look at the many different OEM grille (generic term) I would suggest that the manufactures give these grille many different names as does Mazda, they call it a "air guide".

Do we agree that the oval hole in the bumper cover is the grille opening?

The "air guide" attaches directly to the grille opening surface in the bumper cover.

A suggestion would be that the "air guide" is a finish piece (decorative) surrounding the oval opening in the bumper cover.

Another suggestion would be the vertical slats in the "air guide" do nothing as far as directing air. The air entering the grille opening (passing through the radiator at 40ish mph maximum) in the bumper cover with or without the "air guide" slats will will travel straight to the radiator with the Miata undertray functioning as the shroud.

Rule
Radiator Shroud:
Sealing the area between the radiator, it's shroud, any fan(s), and the stock grille opening is permitted.

If we agree that the body is licked by by the air stream, then the suggestion would be made that an "internal body panel" is not licked by the air stream. Since the "air guide" is licked by the air stream the suggestion would be that the "air guide" is a body part/panel & not an internal body panel. Being that the "air guide" is a body panel, it's not free.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbonvouloir/5176220866/

^ Legal or illegal? Forgetting about the gray tape, I'd call the black plastic "air guide" the grille & the deal is 100% legal.

It is America, free reading, free thoughts, free speech/typing & all within the SCCA rules. :wink:
 
David you may have a valid point about it being an external body panel... but a grill it is not (according to the SCCA/GCR, not either of us).
 
So I have a picture at the 3rd link of prod. Pics. Crx. Can I take from my leading edge of my bumper and go straight down?
 
Hammill":250ne62n said:
Can I take from my leading edge of my bumper and go straight down?
Click to expand...

9.1.5.9.9.

It must not protrude beyond the overall outline of the car as viewed from above, or extend aft of the forward most part of the front fender opening (cutout), and must not be mounted more than four inches above the horizontal centerline of the front hubs.

With car on level surface drop a plumb bob from the overall outline of the car as viewed from above. No touch plumb bob line please. :wink:
 
I have asked for this to be opened up before.
I hope that the front end is free inside of the plumb line rule, and the stock grille is in place,if it has one.
There is no reason to suspend the mesh2in. behind the grill IMHo,
Just screen the hole, install the grill over it.
The front end/airdamn section is way to wordy already. please fix it nice and simple.
 
Protech Racing":uksat0xr said:
I have asked for this to be opened up before.
I hope that the front end is free inside of the plumb line rule, and the stock grille is in place,if it has one.
There is no reason to suspend the mesh2in. behind the grill IMHo,
Just screen the hole, install the grill over it.
The front end/airdamn section is way to wordy already. please fix it nice and simple.
Click to expand...

If you go to the following page & write the CRB, all your wishes will come true. Or you may receive a reply "Thank You For Your Input". :wink: Click on these words in the first paragraph, "send a request to the Club Racing Board" & fill out the request form.

http://www.scca.com/clubracing/content.cfm?cid=44472
 
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