Hi,

 

I made this at the weekend, if anyone has any questions, or interested in seeing more - let me know. :biggrin:

 

 

It started life like this - just a seed of an idea...

 

nice work Andy:thumbup:

I love the innovation and imagination in your work Andy, top job, im looking forwrd to the next update:bow::bow:

OK - window is out - took 40mins - it's 4mm glass, not 5mm.

 

I managed to save the piece of trim vital to the project - that being the curved piece at the door edge - and it's in reasonably good shape for the re-install of the acrylic.

 

 

The long top piece is not so good, but I believe I have enough of it to recreate a pretty good copy from readily available window sealer's, along maybe with some liquid rubber and/or a little bumper repair mastic.

 

For anyone contemplating this job for whatever reason - I just used a small steak knife, some wooden wedges and about 10 sharpie's. And I simply placed the blade between the glass and the chassis and kept scoring the mastic until I was through, and kept going all down the door edge, and then along the top curved portion. The corners required more patience and power to separate the mastic - this is where the steak knife was pretty essential. lol When I had completed the above, I was able to wedge the window as far out as the top bodywork would allow me. Then it was a case of getting inside the car and again running the blade along the glass/chassis join to separate the mastic. Once the two bottom 'corners' were free - I cut off the three base clips with the sharpie and gently eased the glass out. Job done. I don't think this is possible without damaging some of the rubber to the point of no-return so bear that in mind before you start.

 

 

Right - waiting for the 4mm acrylic and the fuel filler neck to arrive so that I can move on to the next stage.

 

I want to try and recess the neck slightly into the 'glass' - so current plan is to make a 6mm copy of the original window in acrylic and correctly heat shape it so it is a carbon copy of the original glass. then cut a 5" hole in the 6mm where the filler neck is going, I will then mount the filler neck into the 4mm acrylic and place it in the oven at about 100 degrees. I then hope to remove the 4mm place it over the (baking foil covered) 6mm and allow it to flex to the correct shape whilst hopefully being able to manipulate the fuel filler neck into the right position through the 5" hole in the former.

 

I have had a quick practice with 6mm and I think it will work ok. May take a few efforts but...

 

Will post when I have something.

 

Thanks for your help to date chaps. :clap:

Finally managed to get the look I have been seeking for the various vent areas in the engine bay that I have fabricated in Aluminium.

 

I have now completed the tooling to make these raised mesh inserts in 30mm, 45mm and 60mm. This detail is on the fuel rail cover - not polished yet. There are 3 more in the panel above the rad.

 

 

 

 

Let me know your thoughts... Not too shabby methinks :clap:

Thin kyou're just showing off now!!! lol

Superb stuff as always Andy.

This has been kicking around my workshop/studio too long - I have now completed it and short of adding the led circles for under the two vents it's ready to fit. I will just be using velcro to attach this to the two rail brackets.

 

Rather moody shots...:alien:

 

 

 

 

And it goes here:

 

:wub:

 

Oh and wifey made a cheescake and insisted I show it off as well...

 

 

Sorry! x:devil:

I dont know which is nicer the engine or cheescake:drool: nice work as always mate

I dont know which is nicer the engine or cheescake:drool: nice work as always mate

 

Thanks Gary - cake seems to be disappearing so must be good

Loving this thread and I can't believe the imagination and thought that has gone in to this nevermind the man hours!

 

Many of us imagine or know how we want a car to look and kudos to you for actually doing it!

 

Keep up the good work fella!

Well I have been crazy busy with work (good thing), and any spare time I have had I have been dedicating to mastering a few carbon fiber techniques that I will need as I move on to complete my engine skins and some internal pieces. All high visibility.

 

This included seaming/joining carbon twill a little like this \\\|///

 

I have started work on carbon-ating the slam panel (OLD PICTURES) - this piece that goes across the top of the rad, secures the rad/cowl and helps force air into the engine bay/rad: This piece will also possibly help re-locate the [non-standard] headlights.

 

 

It's quite a complicated piece and I decided to do it in three sections - each section with a centre join down the middle with the carbon twill pattern being directional towards the outside of the car in all cases. So life got more complicated for sure - but only one person to blame duh!!!

 

So three pieces/3 joins - here are the three sections:

 

 

1:/ is the 42mm strip/lip that sits over the chrome cowl.

2:/ is the face of that lip that sits on the face of the rad at the top.

3:/ is the rest of the slam panel.

 

I have completed 1:/ and 2:/ and await some final fit mods to other related parts before I finish it completely.

 

I have kinda created my own pre-preg (well look and feel anyway) by using 3mm coremat as the template for the carbon part, placing the coremat on some foil on a flat surface, laying down some resin (poly) and applying a piece of CF to it. Whilst in the green stage I simply cut the carbon (sharp scissors) out to the shape of the coremat template and then to final fit.

 

I had already completed the first part 1/: as above in the same way as follows:

 

So coremat cut to shape and wetted out:

 

Carbon applied and pressed flat:

 

15 mins later:

Test fit (the part is dry in this picture but still flexible and workable):

 

By applying minimal resin to the coremat - the carbon piece stays flexible and really does look and feel like pre-preg - but of course it's not.

 

So one side done, same on the other - overlap the joint and cut along the desired line. Clean up the off-cuts and we are ready to make this permanent!

I brushed on a coat of surfboard resin to the part and the rear of the coremat and lined everything up.

 

 

Hard to see here - but I have two joints of opposing twill pattern nicely lined up here:

 

 

 

20mins later the surfboard resin had done it's job - now time for a flood coat:

 

 

Cont...

...

 

 

 

 

Left that for 15 mins then added another coat - now left for a couple of days so that I can flat and buff.

 

Obviously one could not use the above method generally, but if you have a difficult shape to CF into where you want tight angles and sharp corners, particularly as above... I could have done it in one piece, but the corners would not have been so defined and with the centre join - it would have been very difficult to get right I feel.

 

More to follow soon.

 

Let me know your thoughts. ;-)

Is there anything you cant do Andy, good work mate another great fabrication keep it up.

Is there anything you cant do Andy, good work mate another great fabrication keep it up.

 

Yeah lots - having real problems getting up enough positive mental attitude to jump out of a plane with my daughter this year as promised [for example]!!! lol :w00t:

 

Thanks Gary - appreciated.

Im really looking forward to seeing it all finished, some nice ideas and work gone into it so far, keep up the good work.

I have gota say hats of to you matey. This is some serious work and it looks spot on. Give yourself a pat on the back from me! Look forward to seeing this finished :thumbup:

Just thought I would share how I mounted/re-located my dual MAFs in custom 76mm inlet piping..

 

Take your MAF and place on 10"CHOPSAW - cut here... and here...

 

(Observe take the usual safety precautions goggles/gloves etc.)

 

 

Then chop twice across the length... - I used an angle grinder...

 

 

You now have a unit that you can mount anywhere in your 3"/76mm piping just by drilling a 20mm hole like in this piece of scrap:

 

 

I have fixed them with sealing mastic - removal for cleaning would be via a cheese wire and then re-stick with mastic afterwards.

 

 

 

 

I plan on placing the particle gates elswhere in the line nearer the filter end..

..They are easily removable from the MAF enclosure.

 

 

I know some folks have discussed mounting MAFs nearer the TB's - this allows you to mount them pretth much anywhere and is a lot cheeper than buying these and introduing 2 more joins into the system!

 

 

You could even mount them in a silicon pipe/connector piece :punk::clap:

 

Your thoughts/abuse/comments appreciated as ever...

Just thought I would share how I mounted/re-located my dual MAFs in custom 76mm inlet piping..

 

Take your MAF and place on 10"CHOPSAW - cut here... and here...

 

.......pictures

You could even mount them in a silicon pipe/connector piece :punk::clap:

 

Your thoughts/abuse/comments appreciated as ever...

 

 

awesome, would it be beneficial to mount these after a atmospheric dump valve, that way the engine get the air metered correctly? id assume so, but would be interesting to see if it would have any adverse affects on the engine running.

that's serious talent

Certainly is. Well done!!! :bow: :bow:

 

Any updated pics of your bay?

Hey any just wondering how you are getting on with your build. I have seen a thread on another site of your build and i must say the new front you have done so far it lookslike its going to be amazing. proper supercar look :drool:

 

Any more pics i can see your last update was the 22/7/12 :cool3:

Got a link to the other forum mate?

no not for me to show but it looks like its going to be epic.

 

Depending on his final finish and how the rest of the car is going to look could be the best front ive seen on a zed :cool3:

http://www.300zxclub.com/showthread.php?t=179393 Its the US site, you might need to register to view

love it when people get all DIY!