Has anyone made their own 1/4 tunnel plate? I have mine up in the air for some winter work. My tunnel plate is off the car and I'm looking at this and think I could make a 1/4" one no problem.

Has anyone made one them self's? After I fabricate the plate then put a layer of heat resistant fabric on each side to cut down on heat making it's way into the car.

What do you think of my plan?

Has anyone made their own 1/4 tunnel plate? I have mine up in the air for some winter work. My tunnel plate is off the car and I'm looking at this and think I could make a 1/4" one no problem.

Has anyone made one them self's? After I fabricate the plate then put a layer of heat resistant fabric on each side to cut down on heat making it's way into the car.

What do you think of my plan?


Go ahead and make it then post pictures. Others may want to do the same thing as you're doing.

Has anyone made their own 1/4 tunnel plate? I have mine up in the air for some winter work. My tunnel plate is off the car and I'm looking at this and think I could make a 1/4" one no problem.

Has anyone made one them self's? After I fabricate the plate then put a layer of heat resistant fabric on each side to cut down on heat making it's way into the car.

What do you think of my plan?

Well, you are talking about some 5 feet of metal that needs to be precision cut to a specific curved shape and then have 40 holes drilled into it. Unless you have access to automated machinery (plasma, laser or waterjet cutter) AND you time is worth nothing, you will be spending a lot more money trying to fabricate one that what you can buy one for...
Case in point... You can buy one that is already ceramic coated to cut heat transmission down for $130 on Ebay:

http://i13.ebayimg.com/08/i/001/04/7b/b13b_12.JPG

For illustrative purposes, a 1x6 foot sheeet of 6061 Aluminum from McMaster-Carr costs $73. Add the ground shipping into that, and you'd have to find a way to machine, drill and coat the sheet for under 20 bucks to make this an economically justifiable project..

I will also add that most of the heat coming into the car is coming from where the exhaust manifold / headers and catalytic converter run next to the transmission tunnel, and a coated plate will do nothing to alleviate that. Ceramic coated headers are a better bet there.

I saw an OEM one leaning up against a wall in a shop some time back. I asked the mechanic and he said I could have it. so I sprayed it with the ceramic engine rattle can paint and now have a double OEM sandwich tunnelplate. for say $5 the car was apart anyway like yours

dont take it from me, i believe the C5 is exactly the same size

Once I get done building my friends motor and get it installed in his car, which hopefully will happen next weekend. I will do a before and after temp test using a thermo couple on a stock tunnel plate and a elite eng. 1/4" thick with heat resistance material added. I believe power labs may be right about ceramic coating the headers and cat pipe making more of a difference though, we will see.
I would not even bother trying to make one yourself. I have seen even a local shop to me sell them for around $150.00, you would have to coat it yourself since that is part of the cost savings.

I saw an OEM one leaning up against a wall in a shop some time back. I asked the mechanic and he said I could have it. so I sprayed it with the ceramic engine rattle can paint and now have a double OEM sandwich tunnelplate. for say $5 the car was apart anyway like yours

dont take it from me, i believe the C5 is exactly the same size

Do you get any vibration? I assume you had to use longer bolts or did the stock ones work?

I saw an OEM one leaning up against a wall in a shop some time back. I asked the mechanic and he said I could have it. so I sprayed it with the ceramic engine rattle can paint and now have a double OEM sandwich tunnelplate. for say $5 the car was apart anyway like yours

dont take it from me, i believe the C5 is exactly the same size

Hey well that worked out good then :thumbsup:

Is the stock cat converter the major source of the heat? Will aftermarket hi flow cats be cooler due to their size being much smaller?

Is the stock cat converter the major source of the heat? Will aftermarket hi flow cats be cooler due to their size being much smaller?

The headers are the major source of heat, followed closely by the cats. All cats run very hot; high flow cats should run just as hot but may radiate a little bit less heat due to their smaller size.

Do you get any vibration? I assume you had to use longer bolts or did the stock ones work?

absolutely no vibration, stock bolts too

absolutely no vibration, stock bolts too

Then you definitely scored on that build:cheers:

I saw an OEM one leaning up against a wall in a shop some time back. I asked the mechanic and he said I could have it. so I sprayed it with the ceramic engine rattle can paint and now have a double OEM sandwich tunnelplate. for say $5 the car was apart anyway like yours

dont take it from me, i believe the C5 is exactly the same size

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Good tip