STI Intercooler Custom Shroud - Part 1

If you've got a carbon fiber hood for your WRX or WRX STI, chances are there's no ducting to properly feed air to the top-mounted intercooler (TMIC) diminishing it's effectiveness and effectively cutting performance.  Either that, or you've just gone and switched to a front-mount intercooler and the scoop is purely decorative at this point.  When I added my ViS Racing carbon fiber hood to my 2016 WRX STI, the first thing I knew I'd need to do was build something to channel air properly from the intake to the intercooler.  It's been about a year now since I got the hood and my temporary solution (a hacked-up piece of the OEM shroud) is just that: temporary.  Now that I've got some time, some ideas, and a deadline... it's time to get crackin!

That deadline, by the way, is this car's longest trip to-date.  I'm headed from my home in the Midwest to New Hampshire to watch the New England Forest Rally.  Since I don't feel comfortable driving 3,000 miles (round trip) with a temporary fix, that means this needs to be complete before I head out.

Most Subaru fans are familiar with the Subaru "Launch Control" YouTube Series.  In the very first season, they take a trip to Bucky Lasek's home and check out his STI.  He solved the same issue I'm tackling with a custom-built intercooler shroud, and I'm using that idea as the basis for this build with one extra element.  The shroud will be aluminium and covered in a heat-resistant powder coating.  The edges will be lined with a foam / rubber edge to complete the seal when the hood comes down to meet it.  However, the entire unit will be built around a protective mesh guard to keep rocks and bugs from dinging up the delicate intercooler fins.  For ease of installation and removal, the shroud will bolt to the outer edges of the stock STI intercooler.

Currently I'm mocking up pieces of cardboard to find clearances and build up a model that can be measured for dimensions to build the actual piece.  Part of the fiberglass frame on the ViS hood comes down right over the rear section of the STI intercooler, so getting the ducting to work around that has been a little tricky.  Also, the STI intercoole leans slightly to the passenger side (even unmodified STIs have this) so making sure each side has proper clearance is important.  The cardboard templates are done and I've made the cuts a little bit lower to account for engine movement.  A rubber seal around the edge of the shroud should keep any contact to a minimum and help create a good seal. when the hood is closed.  Once that's all sorted, it'll get measured and built!  More progress to come later!