A chance discovery while trouble shooting a cooling problem lead Darel Latta down the road to better looking engine compartments.

Undercover Innovations is a relatively new company run by an enthusiast named Darel Latta out of Bakersfield, CA. Derel specializes in decorative core-support radiator closures, mostly for Camaros and Chevelles, but he also does early Mustangs, Impalas, Novas, and Firebirds. The photo shown here is a typical example of Derel’s work, in the form of a ’64 Chevelle.

The story behind Undercover Innovations is interesting. The idea for the decorative covering arose out of necessity, when Derel was trying to trouble-shoot a cooling problem on a big-block Camaro. Try as he might to solve the issue with all the standard tricks, the heating problem persisted. Then he noticed the large volume of air circumventing the radiator over the core support. That’s when he came up with the bright idea to close it off, forcing the air through the radiator. Not only did it solve his overheating problem, he immediately recognized the aesthetic possibilities. Thus Undercover Innovations was born (www.undercoverinnovations.com, 661-342-2249).

Success with radiator closures also prompted Derel to branch out into other cosmetic areas, such as lower close-outs, cowl hood gills, shift pattern plates, firewall covers, and diagonal core support bars (sometimes known as dog bones). Prices are very reasonable (the close-out shown here runs just $70). All pieces are created on Derel’s CNC milling table, so they’re super accurate in shape and nicely cut.