One of Undercover Innovations cover panels.

When planning to build a car with a high-performance engine under the hood, there are a lot of important things to consider. For instance, will you use a big-block or a small-block. Regardless of what engine you choose, when you are looking at all of the performance improvements you could add, sometimes we forget that it’s just as important to cool an engine as it is to power it.

With an engine that pushes the limits of performance, just a radiator and a cooling fan might not be enough. Take it from Derel Latta, owner of Undercover Innovations, sometimes you just need to refine one of the more basic aspects of your cooling system – airflow.

Here is the heat-generating big-block in Derel Latta’s 1969 Camaro.

“So, you’ve built your dream car,” Derel begins by creating a scenario that we all know so well. “When you drive it for the first time, the temperature seems to be creeping a little higher than you really like, so you head for the garage to figure out what’s going on. We’ve all been there.” Derel knows from experience, as his 1969 Camaro had cooling problems resulting from poor airflow at the radiator.

To identify that the problem is airflow, you first need to make sure that your cooling system is functioning properly. Check the coolant level, cooling fans, and make sure the coolant is actually flowing freely through your radiator. You can check coolant flow by warming up the engine in your car at idle, and feeling the water return (upper radiator hose) for warmth. If the engine is hot and the hose is still cool, you know there is a flow problem. If everything is working as it should, what’s the next step?

If your engine is still overheating, it could be caused by something that Derel calls wasted air. “Our older cars were more loosely-built than new ones, so there’s a lot of unused air entering your engine compartment.” Air can flow through the smallest holes, and even an improperly-sealed cowl-induction hood can disrupt air flow. “All of that extra wasted air is fighting with your cooling fans and trying to push air the wrong way through your radiator.” Derel continued, “If the top of your core support doesn’t seal against the hood, you have a leak there. Air is lazy, it’ll take the easiest route possible.” According to Derel, the best way to fix an air-flow issue is by making sure that things that should be sealed, are.

Make sure that any gasket material or weatherstripping is supple and makes good contact wherever it should. Also, keep your hood adjusted and well aligned so that it fits snug. Not only a performance tip, Derel points out that making sure things are well sealed will help keep your engine compartment clean.

Derel also says, “If you look at the design of more modern cars, you’ll see that all of the area in front of the core support is closed,” Derel detailed. “This helps to direct air through the radiator.”

1964 Chevy before.

“The biggest hole to seal, and the most visible, is right on top of your core support,” Derel explained. “We have made an easy-to-install panel that fits right in there without any drilling, so you won’t mess up your car.” Using one of these panels to help direct the airflow under your hood sounds simple, and it could save your engine from overheating in the long run.

1964 Chevy after.