Goldwing's 818 Street, The Phoenix

[Goldwing]

I’m definitely looking for ideas. Especially where to tie in. I worked on the front yesterday. Put a couple plumb verticals in the front triangle forward if the radiator. Then cut a rectangle of box tube steel to tie into the verticals. Might use it to stabilize the front corners while I’m at it or support fog lamps if I decide to install them.

On the rear I was planning to tie into the horizontal rear tube at the rear. I have a trunk kit and a muffler exiting the right rear, so I’ll have to get pretty creative tying in the top of the bumper and reaching the right rear wheel track.

[Goldwing]

This was the legal front bumper arrangement I came up with for Ohio. Needs to be 4.5”+ tall and below 22” off the ground and extend across the wheel track (wheel center lines). The second part won’t be an issue, lol. I welded in some matching thick wall tubing verticals, then a simple rectangle and a bracket. The pic was when it was just tacked together. Since I stuck with small tubing up front, I used 1/8” wall tubing. If a 2x6 can pass in Ohio, this shouldn’t be a concern at inspection and work well with the crumple zone angle iron design. I think I’ll anchor the outside corners to this as well to stiffen the fiberglass bumper cover up as well.

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[Bob_n_Cincy]

This was the legal front bumper arrangement I came up with for Ohio. Needs to be 4.5”+ tall and below 22” off the ground and extend across the wheel track (wheel center lines). The second part won’t be an issue, lol. I welded in some matching thick wall tubing verticals, then a simple rectangle and a bracket. The pic was when it was just tacked together. Since I stuck with small tubing up front, I used 1/8” wall tubing. If a 2x6 can pass in Ohio, this shouldn’t be a concern at inspection and work well with the crumple zone angle iron design. I think I’ll anchor the outside corners to this as well to stiffen the fiberglass bumper cover up as well.

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Rich, I tied my Ohio bars back to the main frame.
I don't think the bolt on portion of frame as a crumple zone. At one time I was thinking of filling the radiator area with Nascar crush foam. Below is what I ended up width.
Bob
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[Goldwing]

I like your setup out front a lot more than what I came up with. Unfortunately, I’m low on available time and energy to do the reworking required to do something similar. I’d have to move two heat exchangers (radiator and AWIC) and still try and find room for my planned AC condenser. I had thoughts of foam at one point too, I forgot about those plans in my absence. I had thoughts of tying in an extra triangular brace to the front bumper ends, but wanted to see how a few more things fit together before welding that in. My wife is getting impatient with my garage time, so I’m sprinting forward for now.

I started planning the rear bumper today. Came up with a plan, but didn’t get as far as mocking it up just yet. I could not find a way to run anything straight across, so I’m trying to follow the contour of the rear bumper shell. I ran a solid 3/4” steel dowel through the transmission tail horizontal, and fitting 1/8” wall 1” tubing over that to tie in at the bottom. A bolt through each to keep the dowel from sliding out. From there a riser to the rectangular bumper that will straddle the gear selector and follow the contour with two bends. I have a big ol’ muffler in the way on the passenger side to snake past. I think I got it past, but didn’t finish mocking up to verify. Fingers crossed. The top of the bumper will have a brace running below the trunk at the seams to mounting plates that will tie in at the shock tower brace lower mount. Because I installed a VF48 turbo, I need to modify the shock tower brace to detour around the turbo waste gate actuator. This turbo’s actuator is clocked more to the center and has a taller waste gate post to clear an exhaust turbo to downpipe flange. It was pointed out that modifying the shock tower brace could cause problems for dynamic loading on the street or track. While I will move forward with that modification taking inspiration from bolt in tow hitch designs, I’ll run an extra straight bar between the upper bumper mounting plates to more than make up for any loss of stiffness of the shock tower brace. I hope to brace the ends of the bumper back to the bracing but couldn’t visualize all that just yet. Too many things up in the air. I’ll mount the trunk to the upper bumper brace running below it, so I don’t have to screw it to the engine cover. I can still screw the rear lip of the trunk to the rear bumper shell. I’ll post pics once mocked up or complete. I also noticed I’ll have to notch out the center trunk tray where my zero decibel motorsports AWIC brace interferes. Of course it does, lol. Like moving the remote mount brake reservoir twice already, and soon a third time when I install FFR’s new single wiper kit, lol. Why I waited to finish front bumper bracing. Legal for now, working on safer.

Looking at how long that got, a picture truly is worth a thousand words, lol.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Here is a pic of my rear bumper.
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let me know if you need a hand.
Bob

[Goldwing]

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Here I go and plan things that don’t let me copy your designs again, lol. My trunk kit would interfere with that. My phone or the site is acting up tonight. Third attempt to respond. I’ll tie in the same way up top. I’ll either add bracing to reinforce the bends or add a solid bar behind the upper bar to tackle any weakness introduced by the bends. Maybe an extra hoop up higher, but these bars sit at what seems an average bumper height for cars.. Tacked together a start:

[Bob_n_Cincy]

115849115849115850115850

Here I go and plan things that don’t let me copy your designs again, lol. My trunk kit would interfere with that. My phone or the site is acting up tonight. Third attempt to respond. I’ll tie in the same way up top. I’ll either add bracing to reinforce the bends or add a solid bar behind the upper bar to tackle any weakness introduced by the bends. Maybe an extra hoop up higher, but these bars sit at what seems an average bumper height for cars.. Tacked together a start:

looks good. When I did mine I had a rear radiator. I like your solution better.
Bob

[Goldwing]

I had the welder out to assemble the rear bumper and modify the shock tower brace to clear the VF48 turbo I installed. I’ll add bracing further towards the bumper ends once the car is closer to completion. I’m getting fatigued with adjusting stuff because I didn’t foresee it interfering with another component further down the build. I know I’m not the only one to move the remote brake reservoir...more than once, lol. I added tabs to the upper bumper brace to attach the trunk tray. I didn’t want to bolt the trunk to the engine cover. That just sounds like a pain for access.

Separately, after installing a VF48 ‘08 STI turbo, I ran into the interference issue with the waste gate hitting the shock tower brace. I rerouted the main 1” bar along the 3/4” angle brace, mitering a piece to rejoin. When I add bracing to both bumpers, I think I’ll add an extra plate between the bars to spread the forces out a bit more. My goodness was this a mission creep experience. Hmm, let’s install the AWIC I bought 4 years ago. Oh, well while all this stuff is disassembled, let’s put that turbo in and clean the parts shelf off a bit more. Crap! It interferes with the shock brace! Now on to modify the trunk tray so it doesn’t interfere with the beautiful AWIC brace it sadly covers. Maybe I should just install a plexiglass window in the trunk tray where I trim it so we can still see it! Think it would melt?
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[Kurk818]

Here is my rear bumper/intercooler support. It is removable (Intercooler will be moved to side scoops at some point as the rear is not a good place for it)

http://i.imgur.com/YvN3Fgql.jpg (https://imgur.com/YvN3Fgq)
http://i.imgur.com/014r5nXl.jpg (https://imgur.com/014r5nX)
http://i.imgur.com/jAbX9fll.jpg (https://imgur.com/jAbX9fl)

and the turbo clearance notch.

http://i.imgur.com/W7XADVbl.jpg?1 (https://imgur.com/W7XADVb)

[Goldwing]

Intercooler location is a tough one in this car. I almost went to the sides as well. I went AWIC instead. That bumper is multitasking nicely! Attachment points kept me guessing. I loathe scraping off the powder coating.

[Goldwing]

Cut the trunk tray to make clearance for the AWIC bracket. Boxed in the notch, I’ll add fiberglass cloth to reinforce after easing the corners a bit so the cloth can wrap the corners and fillet the inside corners. Hoping to get the the hood hinge epoxied down that same day. 116240

The shock tower mod allowed for the turbo shield as well. Lowered 3/4”, cut a wing out for the waste gate, and expanded the dimple to clear the bar. I had figured it was a no go, surprised it fits. That’s why all the tubes are covered in silicone or heat shield tubing. Trying to manage the heat with a turbo blanket. Now both. 116241

[Goldwing]

The headlight fitment and the adjacent seam is officially a PITA, lol. Spent way too much time massaging these. I’m still not happy with the gap along the lower part of the headlight, but too fatigued on the spot to fuss any more.116242

[Frank818]

It is a PITA! It was with the old nose and the new version nose also the same, a PITA. Once you get it right, you don't want to remove it in case you can't put it back exactly the same way!
I was not happy about gaps for a looong time, eventually I found a way to minimize them but had to accept the left overs. And now I don't see those gaps anymore cuz I don't touch at all the front end, just in case I mess something up. loll

[Kurk818]

POR 15 is on point for matching the existing powdercoating. Its self leveling properties are good for brush on applications as well.

[Frank818]

POR 15 is on point for matching the existing powdercoating. Its self leveling properties are good for brush on applications as well.

True. It matches almost perfectly, so close you have to pay attention to see it's different.

[Kurk818]

I had a similar issue with the gap along the bumper and the headlight. White colored door edging fixed that nicely.

https://i.imgur.com/r8GQtVrl.jpg

[DSR-3]

POR 15 is on point for matching the existing powdercoating.
*And it's a hell of a lot more durable!

[Goldwing]

Great ideas! Thanks! Does the white POR15 handle UV exposure better? I had that classified in my head as UV sensitive. Maybe I have that wrong? I guess vinyl wrapped or painted would take care of that. I’ve been letting my head search for trim ideas. The door trim is a great one.

[Hobby Racer]

POR-15 is not UV stable. It needs a topcoat or something to shield it from direct sunlight.

[grabera7]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XKTVXJK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_QF7RDbPZAFXQH

This white POR15 is labeled as UV resistant.

[Hobby Racer]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XKTVXJK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_QF7RDbPZAFXQH

This white POR15 is labeled as UV resistant.

That's their 2K urethane top coat. You still need the POR-15 RUST PREVENTIVE COATING under the top coat. However, you do not have to use POR's top coat. Any UV resistant top coat will work.

[Goldwing]

Closed the ends of the trunk off, then fiberglassed each side of the panels to seal them. Looks like I’ll need to add a lip to get a good seal along the top. It sits an in inch plus low as it bolts to my bumper brackets. The extra space will be nice.
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Also finished up the engine air intake snorkel. It bolts to the frame and uses bulb seal where the Cobb shorty intake plugs in to allow for engine movement.
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Finally, excited to start fitting doors to see how the windshield, doors, hood, and front quarter panels all come together. Exciting, but short lived as it tells me what needs trimmed and what can be modified to allow cabin heat lines to pass through and such so it’ll all be apart next week, lol.
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[Goldwing]

Well, the build has been sitting idle again for some time. Had a nice run of health that dried up as Covid was spooling up. I spent most of 2020 on my back struggling to get on my feet. I’m toying with selling the project or bringing in help to get me across the finish line. The garage has been tied up for a very long time now. I travelled to Duke medical center and got a csf leak diagnosis with treatment to help plug the leak. So, after almost 10 years of headaches, dizziness, and blurry vision I finally have an explanation for everything. A surgeon described the symptoms being caused by brain sagging and pulling on optic and ear/balance center nerves, while also being starved of oxygen. The treatment has helped a few symptoms which is encouraging, but no miracle fixes yet. It looks like more trips to Duke will be in my future. The glasses I’ve been wearing for 7 years now worsen my vision, so I got to put those down. I hadn’t posted in a while, so just stopping by to say, “Hi!”

[AZPete]

Great to see you back, Rich, but I'm sorry you've been through so much. Your continued progess towards recovery and ability to return to your 818 are in my thoughts.

[Ajzride]

I don’t live close enough to come over on a regular basis, but I could come up with a week of vacation and move you along. Maybe if enough of us can rotate through we could get you on the road.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I don’t live close enough to come over on a regular basis, but I could come up with a week of vacation and move you along. Maybe if enough of us can rotate through we could get you on the road.
count me in.

[aquillen]

I could run over sometime too. Glad to !

[Goldwing]

Thank you guys. These offers mean a lot. I’ll focus on trying to unbury things in the garage, which will be slow as I have lifting restrictions to protect the csf leak patches. Once accessible, I’ll reassess what needs done to get me road worthy. Then look at the logistics of how to proceed?

For a street legal sprint, there shouldn’t be a whole lot to do. Deciding what to bypass for now might mostly come down to how difficult it will be to re-access some areas. When I put my tools down last, I was split between dealing with the trunk tray to body junction (I had a large gap) and starting the interior. I had two blowers to fashion brackets and install to run the legal defrost. Then the radio and air control stack and rest of interior. Massaging body panel fitment up to the windshield frame and fitting doors. If we at least pre run door light switch wires, we can skip some things to save time now and leave some of those picky things for healthier days maybe? All those fit and finish things take up tons of time. Just thinking out loud. I think the mechanicals are mostly done. I had installed a Vf48 (not properly tuned, with a Cobb stage 2 as a place holder) with frame modification to allow it. Bumper cages in place, though I remember aiming for a little more bracing at each end for better safety. Legally sound I would think if a 2x6 satisfies requirements. Water intercooler in place and running I’m pretty sure. I went down shortly after putting that in. Exterior Lighting in place and working I believe. As I was chewing on the interior planning, I was starting to eye the splash panels. Again, just thinking out loud so you have an idea where I’m at.

Being able to drive it would be a dream, even if a few things were skipped to get me across the legal finish line. A project car is never fully complete anyway, right?

[Ajzride]

Planning will be critical to make sure every one is productive and efficient when they show up. Make a list of everything that has to be done, and then put it into groups of things that make sense. Try to group all your activities into 2-3 day buckets of what can be done. If you are not sure, just post the whole list and you'll get plenty of advice. Once you get your list made, we can help you put together a parts/tool list that goes with each task to ensure you have everything on hand when needed.

[Jetfuel]

Got tools... tent and sleeping bag and will travel

Let’s do this

Jet