Grille Protects EcoBoost Turbo Intake
 ✖  |
Dan Thornburg didn’t like the big hole on front of his new Ford F-150 EcoBoost. To him, it looked like a perfect place for birds, stones or other materials to enter and damage the EcoBoost turbo cooling plates. Ford didn’t offer a protective grille for it, so Thornburg started making one. He calls it the Eco-Tector.
“I knew it couldn’t deter air flow at all,” says Thornburg. “If grille bars were too close together, they could plug up with slush in the winter. Too far apart and they wouldn’t keep out things that could damage the cooling plates.”
The 4 3/4-in. by 20 3/8-in. grille is fabricated from 5/16-in., 304 stainless steel. A single piece loops the edge with 4 horizontal bars across the center. Everything is TIG welded.
“The stainless steel is polished to a near-chrome finish,” says Thornburg. “It will stand up well to salt and other corrosives.”
The Eco-Tector installs easily using existing tabs on the F150 front grille. Thornburg uses U-nuts and stainless steel button heads to secure the grille.
He is working with a local Amish fabricator to make the grilles, and finalizing details with a master distributor. In the meantime, Thornburg is taking orders. He has priced the Eco-Tector at $119.
“Ford doesn’t advocate a protection, but my F150 just didn’t look right without it,” says Thornburg. “I recently stopped by my Ford dealer, and they showed me an EcoBoost damaged when a bird hit it. My grille would have stopped it.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Danny Thornburg, 9240 Jackson St., Mentor, Ohio 44060 (ph 440 255-4966; cell 440 487-5710).
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
Grille Protects EcoBoost Turbo Intake PICKUPS Accessories Dan Thornburg didn’t like the big hole on front of his new Ford F-150 EcoBoost To him it looked like a perfect place for birds stones or other materials to enter and damage the EcoBoost turbo cooling plates Ford didn’t offer a protective grille for it so Thornburg started making one He calls it the Eco-Tector “I knew it couldn’t deter air flow at all ” says Thornburg “If grille bars were too close together they could plug up with slush in the winter Too far apart and they wouldn’t keep out things that could damage the cooling plates ” The 4 3/4-in by 20 3/8-in grille is fabricated from 5/16-in 304 stainless steel A single piece loops the edge with 4 horizontal bars across the center Everything is TIG welded “The stainless steel is polished to a near-chrome finish ” says Thornburg “It will stand up well to salt and other corrosives ” The Eco-Tector installs easily using existing tabs on the F150 front grille Thornburg uses U-nuts and stainless steel button heads to secure the grille He is working with a local Amish fabricator to make the grilles and finalizing details with a master distributor In the meantime Thornburg is taking orders He has priced the Eco-Tector at $119 “Ford doesn’t advocate a protection but my F150 just didn’t look right without it ” says Thornburg “I recently stopped by my Ford dealer and they showed me an EcoBoost damaged when a bird hit it My grille would have stopped it ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Danny Thornburg 9240 Jackson St Mentor Ohio 44060 ph 440 255-4966; cell 440 487-5710
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click
here to register with your account number.
