Now that I have finished the tunnel through the metal bumper of my Supra (part 1), it is time to figure out how to work on the fascia.

I loosely installed the bumper fascia, cut a piece of left over sheet steel to make a template with a rectangular hole that was 4 1/8 inch wide by 2 /18 inch tall with rounded corners.  I  taped this template on the bumper centered around the pilot hole I drilled to begin this project, and then used a hacksaw blade and cut through the fascia using the front template and the tunnel as guides. 

At this point I wasn't sure how to line the hole so that I could get a smooth tunnel that I could paint to factory color.  I tried lining it with different rubber or plastic materials, but nothing seemed to work.  After a few trials, I decided to go with glass reinforced body putty.  I removed the bumper fascia and cut the foam inside back about 1/8 inch all the way around.  The foam inside had a tendency to slide back and forth and, while it will probably not move while bolted to the car, I used adhesive to keep it from moving while I worked on it. 

I then reinstalled the fascia again and filled the area between the metal tunnel and the metal template with body putty and let it cure.  During this time, I made a sanding block from a piece of 2x2 wood.  I rounded two of the corners to the curve I wanted inside the opening and wrapped it in sand paper.  After repeated sanding with finer and finer grades of paper, repeated filling, and some finishing putty to take care of any air bubbles, I painted the hole to match the bumper.  It looks good and I will duplicate this on my good car soon.

1- This modification is not too hard for someone that has access to some power (air or electric) tools,  a lot of patience, and doesn't mind starting something that will be noticeable to all if is isn't done right.  There was some trial and error to get a material that would look stock inside of the bumper fascia.  I wanted a smooth, unnoticeably different transition from the fascia front to the tunnel.  With enough work and patience, the body putty proved to be the answer.

2- It could have been more difficult if the compressor or other items were bad, but working on parts that are right on the front is easy.

1- Don't want water being pulled into the engine.  This hole is lower than the air box and I have made an escape route for any water that may get pulled in, but I am still a little concerned.  Of course it is higher than the cool air in duct that attaches under the front end, and I haven't heard any problems with that one, so...

2- This will considerable patience with sanding and painting, any errors will be easily noticed.

3- Finding a spray paint to match my factory color wasn't too easy.

4- Also, this isn't something that can be easily or cheaply returned to original if it's messed up.

Getting the coldest air possible into the engine is always a good thing.  This will bring in air that has to be colder than from inside the engine bay.  I suspect that this will be a worthwhile modification, even given its labor and cost.

The system is still R12 which is much more expensive.

I thought about upgrading to R134A (briefly), but I have found it to not be as cold.  Plus I have been told that the R134A is more corrosive and the seals fail quicker.