Hindsight's build thread

[Bob_n_Cincy]

My alignment issue is picture in the circle. The points of the fender (circled) stick up a little high and the headlights are causing it.
53472

Hindsight,
I put my fenders an Bumper together before installing the headlights.
The front of my bumper had a tab on it the I tucked under the bumper.
Bob

53493 53494 53495

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the additional info guys.

Bob, I used a lot of your tips from the youtube video - thank you.

[Hindsight]

I was able to wrap up the headlights, front bumper, and fenders. I just need to install Mechie's hood hinges and the mini quick latches on the back of the hood and the front end will be mostly done.

I am relatively happy with out the lights, and fender alignment turned out in the long run. I do want to adjust the left fender tip 1-2mm so it exactly matches the other side but that's just me being picky. For the headlights, they really need to be pulled FORWARD to lessen the gap between them and the fender. The FFR supplied bracket won't do. In addition, I didn't want a bolt sticking through the bumper so I did what some others did and added a bonding stud to the inside of the bumper and made my own bracket to support the bottom of the headlight assembly. To pull the headlight forward, I added a second bonding stud on each side that allows me to adjust that. It worked well, though one side popped off because I put too much stress on it without first laying some glass cloth over it to add strength. Guess I will be doing that extra step tomorrow.

I have installed and removed the fenders, bumper, and hood probably 25 times in the course of fitting everything together. Kind of over it!

http://i.imgur.com/uHDgl5vh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YidC8D6h.jpg

[RM1SepEx]

I just came to the realization that I needed you headlight brackets... yesterday ;)

[Hindsight]

All the ZeroDB vents are at the powder coater getting gloss blacked. The tail lights and reverse lights have been installed in the rear bumper. The reverse lights don't center in their bucket because the base of the bucket isn't flat - they lean inward. Going to have to put some sort of a shim spacer on one side to make them center up I guess. I also repaired the bond-stud for the headlight bracket and added fiberglass overlay to support.

Trying to decide how I want to secure the lower rear screen to the bumper. I would like attachment to be hidden but I don't think I want the permanence of glue. On the other hand, I don't know why I'd ever need to take the screen off.

[Mechie3]

If you didn't powdercoat the trim ring yet, drill and press in some flush mount pem studs. Use the pem studs and the ring to clamp the screen to the back.

[Hindsight]

They are already at the coater :( But thank you for the suggestion.

[RM1SepEx]

I found that clear silicone holds the grills extremely well. I used vinyl trim around the edge and no trim ring

[Hindsight]

Thanks Dan. What about removing it, if the time ever comes?

[RM1SepEx]

heat gun and putty knife, the silicone will peel right off

[Hindsight]

Nice, did not know that. Thanks for the tip!!

[RM1SepEx]

Looks cleaner with no screws etc...

54037

[Scargo]

I found that clear silicone holds the grills extremely well. I used vinyl trim around the edge and no trim ring
I recommend this as well. I've used it on my race car. Just get a high quality, 100% silicone adhesive.

[Hindsight]

Anyone have any issues with their door striker plate brackets not being at the right angle to properly conform to the side sail? I'm talking about the thick L-shaped bracket that bolts the side sail to the frame where the door striker bolts to. On mine, if I hold the bracket up to the side sail to where it's sitting flat on the sail, it sits at a sideways angle on the frame. It's not like it's just spaced out and needs a spacer, it's at an angle. I had this same issue with the way my right side-sail hits the frame perch in the rear... it rests on the perch at an angle which is really hard on the fiberglass when you tighten that bolt down enough to get the sail to stay.

Since this striker bracket is a thick piece that the door is bolting to, it needs to be well-tightened and doing that is going to wreck the fiberglass on the side sail. The only thing I could thick to do to fix it would be to make a new bracket that has the proper angle built into it but I can't be the only person with this issue.

http://i.imgur.com/7zqzcgeh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2CsPkBFh.jpg

[STiPWRD]

I had the same issue with my striker brackets but I chose to "fix" it at the door sil fiberglass-to-bracket interface. I lightly bolted the striker bracket to the frame and rotated it until the top part hit the back of the fiberglass. Then noted the gap from the bottom of the bracket to fiberglass (to make it flush) and bent the bottom of the bracket using a vise towards the fiberglass. It took a few attempts to bend and check fit but eventually I fixed the gaps and the striker bolted in nicely.

[Hindsight]

Yeah, I was afraid of that. That bracket is thick and will be tough to bend but aside from welding up a new one out of two pieces of steel and trying to get new holes drilled in it correctly, I think it's probably the best option. Thanks for the input!

[STiPWRD]

My bracket had already been powder coated so I didn't want to mess that up so I used some shop rags to clamp it in the vise. The bracket also has slotted holes where it presses to the fiberglass so it's not that hard to put a bend in that area with a vise and some channel locks on the bracket.

[mikeb75]

Had similar problem. Fully tightening the drivers side bracket pushed out the fiberglass of the side panel and really messed up the entire alignment of that side & door. We just recently went back and re-aligned the entire drivers side and this time the bracket seemed to fit better, I don't know what changed.

I'd recommend loosely attaching the side panel and making sure the bracket and door striker fits well and your rear engine cover sits nicely before completely attaching the side panel.

[billjr212]

I had the same problem as well. On the passenger side, I was able to heat up the bracket with a torch and re bend enough to get good fitment. On the driver side, no luck. Ended up bolting it tightly to the body, then once everything was lined up, I welded it to the frame. Lost my adjustability, but figured the body was already in place and lined up, so it didn't matter anymore.

[Mechie3]

Ditto. I have two pairs of brackets too. Both were the same. Bolted it up and my doors wouldn't open anymore. Took them off for now and haven't gone back yet.

[Hindsight]

Thanks guys. I'll get out the torch and vice.

[Hindsight]

Hood hinges are powder coated and installed. I used West System Epoxy to bond some 1x2" balsa wood strips to the hood, and then epoxied bonding studs to that, then covered the whole thing in about 8 layers of fiberglass. I SURE do hope this holds at 140+ mph.... makes me very nervous not having any kind of mechanical fastener on the front of the hood. I'll use quick-latch pins in the rear but there isn't much force back there.

I have the next four days off and will be using all that time to work on the 818. I'm hoping to have the body fully mounted, including the doors, and also hoping to begin work on the center console and installing the stereo system.

http://i.imgur.com/rNeyB85h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/BR1AGaPh.jpg

[Aero STI]

I have quick latches in the back and two epoxy studs up front. No fiberglass work, just epoxy. They've been holding strong for many miles. I think there is a low amount of lift on the front edge of the hood.

[Hindsight]

Awesome thanks Andrew. I will sleep a lot better now.

[Frank818]

Does everyone with Craig's hood hinges require to do that mod to fit them or can they well directly on the hood?

[Hindsight]

Frank, you can bond Craigs brackets directly to the hood, or bond studs directly to the hood, or stand the studs off like I did. Using studs gives you the most adjustability. I stood mine off because the hinge wouldnt reach my hood at the full closed position. It doesnt really matter but I wanted full travel on the hinge.

[Hindsight]

Got the hood bolted on, adjusted, set gaps, etc. I'm waiting to install the quik-latches on the rear of the hood until after the doors are in place.

I tried moving on to the engine cover but I goofed. I cut the returns down on it to get it to sit down to where it matched the contour of the side sails. I did that, and it worked and looked great, however, when I put the door skin in place, I realized that the deck-lid no longer lined up with the top of the door skin. Lame. Fortunately I cut the returns down with an air saw and still had the cut-off fiberglass pieces. I glued them back on and reinforced it with some glass on the under-side. I guess I will just have to live with the engine cover looking high at the front, and will then taper the returns down toward the rear so at least it looks good back there.

Also finalized the rear bumper skin mounts and put a coat of paint on the door frames. I ordered my 818 with the powder coat options but the door frames showed up bare. Not a huge deal since they won't be visible but I don't want them to rust.

Tomorrow I'm going to install both doors and then move on to the engine cover and trunk lid. I would like to figure out a hinge for the engine cover but I can't use the one Mike sells because my boost hoses are in the way. I may try to fabricate something myself, but stuff like that is what has kept this build going for almost two years now. It's just that I will probably take it to a lot of car shows and having the engine cover completely removed and on the ground is like asking for trouble.

http://i.imgur.com/d7YhE4zh.jpg

[AZPete]

Regarding a hinge for the front engine cover, I made one before Mike Everson came out with his. This hinge works well so maybe this photo will be helpful to you.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb180/AZPeteCobra/frtengcoverhinge.jpg (http://s210.photobucket.com/user/AZPeteCobra/media/frtengcoverhinge.jpg.html)

BTW, the door frames are not included in the FFR powder coating so yours are normal.

[Hindsight]

Pete, that is extremely helpful thank you! Your solution solves the two issues I have had which are having the hinge more toward the center of the car (which won't work for me), and also my wondering about the hinge pivot point. I think Mike's pivot point is higher, up in the engine cover bumps a bit - I was worried that the pivot point needed to be there in order for cover to clear certain things when opened but your pivot point is just below the normal level of the cover so that's great. I appreciate the detailed pic. I will probably fabricate something exactly like it. Using the pin mount bracket as a base is a fantastic idea.

[Hindsight]

Well, the passenger side door is about half way installed. Probably spent six or seven hours on it today getting it to this point. Had to adjust the windshield for clearance, and cut most of the return off the back side of the fender too. Part of what took me so long is that I can't get the door to shut with dragging on the side sail just a tiny bit at one spot. I'm really particular about those kinds of things. Tomorrow I will see if I can adjust the hinges a bit to get the clearance I'm after. Then move on to the door panel and then do it all over again on the driver door. It's a lot of putting stuff together and taking it back apart again.

Anyone else have an issue with a dragging door? I used Wayne's method of having a cardboard spacer all along the area between the side sail and the door. And the gaps do look pretty good, but it's a but close a few inches below the striker and when shutting, it drags a little. The latch is centered on the striker. I can move the frame up maybe 1/16 to 1/8" and still have the latch aligned to the striker so for now, that is my plan unless someone else has a better idea.

[Hindsight]

On to the door panel today. I have the padded door panels. They fit very, very poorly. For everything else in the kit, I've just dealt with it and tried to hack/slash/modify stuff until it fits but this is really bad and is a finish part that will be highly visible. The panels are too tall for the door skin. I've heated them and bent the tops down a little bit, as per the manual, but that's more intended to get the angle of the overlap right, not to make up for a panel that's about 3/4" inch too tall. Anyone else with padded or unpadded panels have this same issue?

Bottom is tight against the skin
http://i.imgur.com/KUdlDX1h.jpg

But......

http://i.imgur.com/dxScpwXh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Li4ms4Ph.jpg

[AZPete]

I'm glad my pic of the engine cover hinge is helpful. I used clevis pins thinking they would be easy to remove when I wanted to remove the engine cover. But actually it's a lot easier to undo the large carriage bolts through the pin mounts when I want full access to the engine.

I can't help with your door panels because I'm still waiting for my hard top retro-fit kit with new door innards. I'm watching and learning.

[07FIREBLADE]

Thank you for posting about your door panels. I've had the same issues and Im still waiting for FFR to replace them. Its been a few months now...

[Hindsight]

Oddly, the driver side door panel fits "ok", enough that I will use it. However, on that side, the door latch didnt fit on the frame due to the same clearance issue a couple others had. I had to grind down the edge of the latch quite a bit to make it fit.

[metros]

STiPWR and I both had the same 'dragging' in the same location on the fiberglass door skin. I used a folded piece of cardboard to create the gap at the back edge of the door/side sail, which ended up being slightly thicker than the normal 1/8 paint stick that I've been using to gap everything. However, no matter how much I gapped that location I still had a very slight drag that you're describing. I ended up thinning that section of the fiberglass door skin through sanding it down. It now fits just about perfectly without dragging. I think once body work happens I'll end up thinning the side sail where it drags just a touch as well to provide some additional clearance for primer/paint/clear and a buffer to not drag fresh paint.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Metros! Makes me feel better than I am not alone, or that I did something wrong. I like your ideas and will give them a shot... sanding it down a bit. Adjusting the hinges did help a little as well.

I got the driver's door mostly finished. It's on the car and working with the door panel in it. I used a couple of Wayne's tricks: Drilling and tapping a #10 screw into the hinges to make the door stop where you want it to and making a standoff platform that the door handle can bolt to. I did my standoff a little differently than Wayne because I don't have a metal brake. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how the driver door turned out. I still need to do some adjusting on the door panel to get the top overlap to lay down properly. A few other things to do like trim the door for windshield clearance, etc, and then I will finish up the front end by adding the quik latches.

There is less room than I thought for speakers in the panel. Much of it is covered and that big recess takes up a lot of room. I think I'm going to have to mount my speakers in the recess using a 1" or 1.5" standoff spacer.

My version of the door handle standoff:
http://i.imgur.com/mf38HK0h.jpg (http://imgur.com/mf38HK0)

This must be to help you grip the handle better
http://i.imgur.com/Nkt4pQFh.jpg (http://imgur.com/Nkt4pQF)

Door installed
http://i.imgur.com/OhqUmQQh.jpg (http://imgur.com/OhqUmQQ)

http://i.imgur.com/djkf2DIh.jpg

[07FIREBLADE]

I'm having the same issue as you with the new redesigned door panels. It's not as severe as yours but my passenger side is also cut wrong. The bottom is almost .75" shorter than the top and the aluminum shows through.

[Hindsight]

Well, like you, I will have to call Factory Five and wait for them to ship me a new one - for the passenger side. So strange that one of them is fine and the other messed up. Oh well.... passenger side will just go unfinished for a while I guess.

[07FIREBLADE]

I like your standoffs what's the length or were they all different?

[Hindsight]

The plate is 1/8" aluminum. You want a total of 1.25" of standoff so I cut the tube standoffs to 1.125". Used rivetnuts. The vertical bar in the door frame is smaller diameter so needs to be about 3/16" longer or so. I forgot that while cutting the standoffs so I just added 3x 1/4" washers under that one.

The standoff tube is from McMaster. I bought a 4' long section of aluminum tubing. It has 1/8" wall thickness with an ID just over 1/4". Been cutting it to length for things here and there instead of using stacked washers for a more professional look.

[metros]

Looks like we spent the day doing very similar work. I have 1 completely done and forgot to install my side mirrors before buttoning the door up. I'm using apr style that will be mounted to the skin.

Any ideas on that door pull? I'm trying to decide how to make it work with the rest of the interior, looks wise.

[Hindsight]

Aha, so it wasnt just me in the garage this weekend.

I am using similar carbon fiber mirrors and also forgot to mount them. I got them out tonight and will probably mount them tomorrow.

As for the pull, I may just leave mine off. You could have it anodized black..... or have it powder coated. The reason I would leave mine out is because that spot is about the only good place for a speaker but I may change my mind.

[Hindsight]

The three day garage weekend is coming to an end.

Today I installed the odometer reset eProm which went well. Then I put the cluster in the dash and set the dash in the car to help check position of doors. All is well so far.

Since my driver's side door panel was ok, I finished off the driver's side door. I wanted to secure the top part of the panel but didn't want to run screws down through the top so I had an idea. I used some epoxy to bond some 1/16" x 1 aluminum angle to the top of the door skin, recessed in about 1/8" in case I ever decide to cut the top of the door panels down the road and NOT have them overlap the top of the door skins. The I put the door panel in place and drilled through the side and installed some black automotive trim screws with integrated washer. I think it looks pretty good if I don't say so myself.

I was able to adjust out the door dragging by loosening the hinges, then jamming a wooden shim in the area of the door that caused the dragging, then re-tighten the hinge bolts. Worked great. Zero drag now. Just a nice solid click of the latch engaging.

Both doors are in now and the windshield has been adjusted to it's final position. Time to call the windshield guys in.

I also installed my carbon fiber side-view mirrors.

http://i.imgur.com/SznWrCah.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EUuXrL3h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/F3DjBVyh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3EcJSW8h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZNV7gjNh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/z5XlG5Hh.jpg

[metros]

Love the aluminum angle idea. That really cleans up the appearance of the door skins and I'll bet makes it feel really solid. I wish you were a week ahead in that regard as I would've absolutely copied that solution.

I think the mirrors are the same as the ones I got. But they do look nice with the 818.

[Hindsight]

The FFR manual states: "For the 2002-03 Subaru splice in the high beam light plug provided. For 2004-07 Subaru, the high beam connector and bulb are factory Subaru."

Is this just completely wrong? Because my 2007 has a single connector per headlight assembly that controls low beams, high beams, and turn signals. I was planning on cutting the OEM connector off and splicing in the multiple FFR provided connectors to hook up to the Toyota Camry bulbs.

[AZPete]

I just cut off the donor connector and put on weatherpack connectors to the headlights, DRL, blinkers. 2006 WRX donor.

I saw that you asked in another thread about a gap between the top of the rear bumper section and the rear engine cover. I had the same problem and attached a wire from the middle of the bumper to the frame above the tranny. I actually used coat-hanger wire and added a small turnbuckle so I could adjust the tension until the bumper was where I like it. After a few months the fiberglass learned and the gap stayed small so the wire has been off for a year.

[Hindsight]

Interesting thanks Pete. I could see that trick working working to close the gap in the middle of the bumper, but what about toward the sides where it mounts to the side sail? I would think the side sails would resist.

[AZPete]

Can't help you where the bumper meets the side sail. On mine the rear corners of the rear engine cover were too tight against the side sails but by bringing the center of the bumper forward - straightening it - the rear corner gaps improved.

Edit: I just went back and looked at Mike's pics so now I see the gap all along the back between the hard top and the bumper. That's not fixed with a wire, for sure. I'm curious to see if my hard top will b e the same and, if so, how we can solve it.

[Hindsight]

Ah ok thanks for the clarification. I was scratching my head there! I'll probably just build up the deck lid on mine.

[07FIREBLADE]

I did the same for the aluminum angle for the doors. It's definitely needed if you have the coupe. Having to cut out the door for the window that area is so flimsy. And ffr has a ****ty aluminum trim piece to help stabilize that area but it's useless.

[Hindsight]

Lots of trimming and modifying for sure. Some of it is expected but some of it really needs to be upgraded by FFR IMHO.

Got my windshield installed today. It fit "ok" in the frame, but not perfectly even and the top of the frame is tight in the middle, while there is a bit of a gap at the top on the sides. It isn't very noticeable so no huge deal. I had to do the 2x4 wedge trick that others had to in order to restore some bow into the frame. Also, my donor 2007 WRX auto-dimming mirror didn't fit the bracket FFR provides with the windshield so I had to get a non-dimming kind new from the dealer for $50......

Starting to look more and more like a car every day. I am out of town next weekend so this weekend I'm hoping to add the front hood pins and install the engine cover and trunk, thus completing the body panel fitments. I can't wait. After that, I really only need to add wipers, horns, hook up the lights, and build an emissions exhaust and I can go get license plates for it.

http://i.imgur.com/ziIKQ8gh.jpg

[Scargo]

Congrats on all the hard work and progress. I'll bet you feel like a horse with the bit in it's teeth. The barn is in sight and you can't wait to get there.

[Hindsight]

Yes exactly, that's part of why I've been posting 10x a day around here lately haha.

[Hindsight]

I got ahold of FFR about the passenger side door panel (the padded variety) and they told me they are having them re-worked to make them longer (front to back) and shorter (top to bottom). They said it will be about three weeks. FYI for anyone else with the same issue.

I'm out of town next weekend but am here all this weekend and plan to spend it in the garage trying to complete the basic body fitting tasks I have remaining which are: Adjusting gaps in the hood (having a really tough time trying to achieve perfection), adding quik-latches to the back of the hood, adding the engine cover and creating a hinge for it and custom front pin-less attachment system, and adding the trunk with latches.

My hood gaps are pretty close now, but possibly a little too tight in some areas. It's making the hood a little harder to open and close than I'd like. The gap is also wider than I want next to the right headlight so I will try to modify the hood pin bracket there (that I'm only using to pull the fender down with since I am using hinges instead of pins).

[Hindsight]

I've adjusted the hood, fender, and bumpers as well as they are going to be adjusted. To get the fender gaps I wanted, I had to push the hood back a bit so it isn't even with the front of the bumper anymore, but from the pics I have seen, most people are doing that too. Before I paint or wrap it, I will use some body filler to build the front of the hood up even with the bumper for a more OEM look. Blue tape has been removed from the headlights..... it can see! I installed the quik-latch hood pins on the rear of the hood which required a small fabricated mount for them to ride on.

Pulled the car outside to sweep up the garage, and to admire how far it has come and how close it is to being street legal.

Glad I got this stuff tonight so I can start into the weekending working on the rear covers. Hopefully I will finish them and then have time to wire up all the lights.

http://i.imgur.com/wVUluaLh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/h4IcPfHh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/atmhMmyh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FndNZi1h.jpg

[metros]

Do you have Craig's hood hinge? If so, how did you go about locating the hinge to hood bonding point to allow it to operate without interference?

[Bob_n_Cincy]

http://i.imgur.com/wVUluaLh.jpg


Looking Great Hindsight.
Get that thing registered so you can start working the bugs out of it. (The Fun Stuff)
Bob

[Hindsight]

Thanks Bob!

Metros, I do. To locate it, I assembled the hinge with all its bolts in the middle of the slots. I then centered it to the radiator frame. Then with the front end jacked up and hood closed and properly positioned, I reached in and swung the hinge up until it touched the hood. While holding it there, i traced the holes with a sharpie. Then I removed the hood and glued bonding studs in over the marks. When re installing, I removed the part of mechies hinges that bolt to the bonding studs, bolted those to the hood, set the hood in place, then bolted the brackets to the hinge arms and adjusted as needed.

[Aero STI]

The car looks awesome, Jeff. You'll be racking up miles in no time.

[Tamra]

Looking awesome!!

[Hindsight]

Thanks guys, and gal. I can't wait to take it on it's first real drive.

Today I fit the engine cover and borrowed Wayne's new method of attaching the front of the engine cover using an aluminum piece off the frame. I will use a nylon thumb screw with a shoulder to attach the engine cover to this bracket, but it fits great and works well. I did have to twist the bracket and bend it a bit to get it to follow the contour of the hood. Also had to shim it out various amounts on each side.

I then borrowed AZPete's awesome engine cover hinge idea, and I left off on that step because I need to let the epoxy for the bonding studs cure overnight. Tomorrow I'm hoping to have the engine cover completely finished and then move on to fitting the trunk. I think I should be able to do all that, plus possibly starting on some of the vent openings throughout the body.

Front engine cover bracket showing bends:
http://i.imgur.com/seeXL0Xh.jpg

Engine cover bracket installed:
http://i.imgur.com/6tjLPQxh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QLX2zc8h.jpg

Bonding studs for engine cover hinge:
http://i.imgur.com/wCMESmVh.jpg

Hinge base plate:
http://i.imgur.com/wtTeq55h.jpg

[jcpresto]

Looks awesome!! I'm excited to get my C in the same place. I've only taken it down the road at 25 as my tuner sent my speed density tune with 3500 rpm redline and no boost to ensure its all ok. It goes next Monday for dyno tune. Love your setup you've done! I have to say...Wayne is awesome and had been a huge huge help for me and all my parts, bugs, and setup questions!

[Frank818]

That's really nice work!!

What hinges are you using for the humps lid?

[Hindsight]

Thanks Frank and jcpresto.

Frank, I made custom hinges for the hump lid. I copied AZPete's setup which he was kind enough to detail in a photo on page 20 of my build thread. Take a look... very simple. Just need some 2" and 3/4" steel angle and some bolts and washers. Some bonding studs too or you can just bond the brackets directly to the engine cover.

Today was another good day. I finished up the engine cover hinge fabrication, adjusted it out, and it works great. It comes a little close to hitting the trunk lid as it opens but I think it will be ok. I also cut down the returns on the trunk lid and bolted it to the trunk hinges. I still have the big gap between the bumper and back edge of the trunk lid but that's ok - I will extend it with fiberglass later. I orderd 1/4" quick-release push pins from McMaster for the hinge pivot points. Should make it easy to remove the engine cover when needed. I also need to fabricate some sort of strut to keep the engine cover open, especially while at car-shows. Also need to add quik-latches to the back of the trunk cover but am waiting for quik-latch buckets to come in in order to do that.

Unfortunately, it will be two weeks before I can work on it again but I feel I've reached a good stopping point, with all the body panels mounted. I think one or two more weekends of work will get me to where I can go down to the county tag office and get my license plate (wire up lights, build second exhaust with cat, floor pans, dash).

http://i.imgur.com/9IjbRl6h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/zmiTdDCh.jpg

[Aero STI]

That's an awesome shot with the front and rear opened up. I like your vent cutting. Can you get a closeup of that?

[metros]

Copied your engine cover bracket today. Simple but perfect to have one less visible latch on the car.

[mikeb75]

super aggressive front vent cut. (Right click...save as... what I need to do to my hood).

[Hindsight]

Copied your engine cover bracket today. Simple but perfect to have one less visible latch on the car.

Awesome, glad it worked out for you!


That's an awesome shot with the front and rear opened up. I like your vent cutting. Can you get a closeup of that?

super aggressive front vent cut. (Right click...save as... what I need to do to my hood).

Thanks guys. It's the size required for Mechie's medium size hood louvers. I got the louvers back from the powder coater yesterday, in gloss black, and I need to glue them in place now.

Here are the close-up pics you asked for:
http://i.imgur.com/NGuHyJch.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/R80dWUph.jpg

[Hindsight]

So FFR sent me a wrong terminal pin for the reverse lights. There are supposed to be 6 pin terminals that you install into the connector and they got 5 right but one wrong. I can call them and have them send me one but am curious if someone knows some sort of common part number where I might get one locally like at Autozone or something. FFR shorted me both of the connectors for the high-beams as well but I have discovered Autozone carries those..... was wondering if maybe I could get a connector for the reverse lights there too. I would just need to know the part number or what vehicle that connector is normally used for (the reverse light bulb socket). Maybe I could then get a complete connector and rob a terminal from it.

[Hindsight]

Nevermind. The tail light bulb socket connector is German.... guess the lights are Hella so that makes some sense. I dug through my bin of spare VW wires and connectors and found a three pin connector that plugged right into it so I robbed the terminal with wire out of one of the sockets. Works perfectly. Between that and the 9005 bulb connectors from Autozone, I should have all the wiring components I need to wrap up the lighting. Then on to the wiper. I think my center-mounted remote master cylinder reservoir is going to cause me some issues with the single wiper. I am NOT moving the reservoir since the wipers are only there for inspection, so I will have to get creative.

[Hindsight]

Whew - all lights done and everything is working well. I will need to rough-aim the headlights at night on a level surface but that can be done later. Not really sure there is much of any adjustability in the headlight aim due to the way they are mounted but I guess I can try tilting the headlight housing forward and backward a bit. It does shift a little that way if I want but not that much so I'm hoping the alignment is very close as-is.

One thing I noticed is that the turn signals flash very fast, as if a bulb were missing. I didn't find anything about that here on this forum, but googling other forums resulted in similar posts from people who installed LED bulbs for their turn signals. People talked about a resistor but most people agreed that a different relay should be used. This has to be a common problem since the FFR rear turn signals are relays..... what are you using to combat the rapid flash issue?

[07FIREBLADE]

Did you not install the turn signal flasher that came with the kit? Fixes the problem every time

[Hindsight]

Oh, did not know one came with the kit. If it did, I either lost it or didn't receive it. I just ordered one from Amazon so hopefully that will work.

Lights done, horns in, now on to the wipers.

[RM1SepEx]

My FFR one died, the Amazon one works fine

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the input Dan - hopefully the Amazon one works and lasts a while.

Ok, wipers are basically done. I just have to weld one more mounting bracket on the passenger side. When trying to raise the rear of the hood up enough to clear the wipers, the quik-latches are no longer in the right position. Going to have to muck around with that too I guess.

I am so close to being street legal now. Just need to weld up another exhaust with a cat (should only take 4 hours or so), then bolt the seats and harnesses back in and install the floor panel. Then I can get my inspection.

http://i.imgur.com/8cKNxGHh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wBGrgHth.jpg

[metros]

Looks like your knocking things off the to do list left and right. That progress has got to feel good!

[Frank818]

Nice wiper! Your angle is the same as mine when I tested it. Next time I fit it will be in a year. lolll
Countdown to street legality? :)

[RM1SepEx]

Hood clearance will be an issue. Relocate the reservoir and move the pivot point as close to the windshield as possible. It needs to be mounted so the shaft is perpendicular to the windshield so the height of the arm doesn't change relative to the hood and windshield. I also had to buy the longer FFR wiper arm and use a cool rain x wiper blade to keep as low as possible.

[Hindsight]

Thanks guys. Dan, great idea on the RainX low profile blade. I may try that. Not willing to relocate resevoir or move wiper since it is only on here so I can pass inspection. No top, will not be driving in rain ever.

[Hindsight]

WHEW - what a weekend. I think I drank a quart of water per hour and sweat 95% of it out. Was in the high 90's all weekend.

I believe I have everything done that I need to for inspection. This is a major milestone for me and I was so excited I decided to go ahead and drive it to Home Depot to pick up some fasteners I was running low on. I jumped the gun a little since I don't have a plate yet but honestly, with the way the system is setup in GA, I'm going to have to drive it without a plate to get the emissions tested anyway. The drive was great, though a bit hot and as others have noted, smells a bit of exhaust. I think both of those things are just going to be something I have to get used to. Does anyone who does NOT have a cat, not have an issue with exhaust smell in the cabin? I still haven't even installed the engine cover hump block-off panel so everything is wide open, but I'm wondering if, even after everything is sealed up, if I will still smell exhaust?

If I understand the process correctly, I just need to have an inspector come out to the house and give it the inspection. Then I go to the dept of revenue with the inspection form and all the other forms and they issue me a new vin plate and give me a document that I take to the county tag office. I then install the vin plate, go get emissions tested, then go to the tag office and supposedly after collecting 7% sales tax on the kit, will give me a license plate and tag. Title will come in the mail a few weeks later. I already have insurance so that's taken care of.

Here are some pics showing what I did for the wipers. I ended up bolting some angle aluminum on top of the rear hood pin mounts I had previously fabricated and welded on. That allowed me to move the location of the posts for the quik-latches to where they needed to be (up and forward) to clear the wipers. I will remove that stuff once inspection is over. I also, at the suggestion of Dan, got a RainX wiper which is lower profile, and also at the suggestion of others, added a hood center support. The wiper does run over the windshield frame on the driver's side just a little bit but it should be good enough for inspection.

This thing is SO fun to drive. I can't wait to be able to take it out more often.

http://i.imgur.com/QEuXRrrh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rdEuM64h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aF9uwr7h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kSmxZBTh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/y97i6o6h.jpg

[Hindsight]

Safety inspection should be happening this week, possibly as soon as Wednesday. Would be so cool if I could have a license plate in hand by the long weekend.

[Tamra]

Best of luck! Car looks great.

Ours smells of exhaust on the inside - with and without a cat- but I assumed it was due to the high center exit.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Best of luck! Car looks great.

Ours smells of exhaust on the inside - with and without a cat- but I assumed it was due to the high center exit.

Tamra,
My engine compartment is higher pressure the cockpit. So the cockpit should be sealed tight. Even where the coolant hoses come in under the dead pedals. Also around any wires, shift cables and others.
The guys building coupes need to be really careful.

Bob

[Hindsight]

Thanks Tamra and Bob. Good info.

Bob, after sealing all that stuff off, are you no longer getting exhaust odor in the car?

I actually don't mind the odor at all, but I am finding that if I inhale even a small amount of it (like a few whiffs over the course of a few minutes), I get a bad headache later in the day that lasts until the end of the following day. Not sure if I'm just really sensitive to it or what but I really, really need to do something about this or it will make the car very difficult to enjoy.

[Frank818]

Man, how do people did live with catless cars prior to 1971? lolll I too need to know.

I sure hope while driving the smell doesn't backflip into the cockpit, otherwise it would mean the aero isn't that good cuz air would flow back from the far rear end and into the cockpit while driving?

[Hindsight]

Frank, yes I am pretty sure that is exactly whats happening. I feel like there has to be a solution - since plenty of other small convertibles don't have this same issue.... Miata, Elise, etc.

[Frank818]

Do the Mia's, Eli's and whatnot run without a cat too?
I can't believe when driving (forward) exhaust air flows back into the cockpit, god. :( Imagine, at 60mph that means the fumes need to travel faster... backwards! Pls the fact they are pushed with pressure by the exhaust and they would be so powerful to back they would overcome that push and speed. Hopefully my high center exit won't be a problem! Where's yours again? At the very bottom right?

[Hindsight]

Well Tamra just mentioned that she and Andrew get exhaust smell with and without a cat. I'm very glad she mentioned it because it saved me a lot of time trying to add in a cat to rule that variable out.

My exhaust exit is just to the right of the diffuser indentation, and it points downward and slightly rearward. There is no cutout in the bumper for it. I'm wondering if a side exit wouldn't be best at remedying this issue... if it flows out the side, perhaps it will have less chance to mix with the turbulent air swirling behind the car?

Hoping others will chime in who have no exhaust smell in the cabin so we can see how theirs is setup.

[Aero STI]

Mine smells of exhaust pretty much all the time. Running e85 makes it a little less noxious. The passenger area is a low pressure area and fills with road debris and all kinds of other stuff. I basically can't drive without sunglasses or some other eye protection. Sealing everything up helps, the rear diffuser helps, but there seems to be an inherent aerodynamic design flaw leading to exhaust smell and dirtiness.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the input Andrew. Good to know. Maybe I will get used to the fumes and not get headaches? I sure hope so. But you did give me yet another excuse to go E85 once I upgrade the turbo ;)

Spent the last two evenings welding up a "test pipe" for emissions testing, which I will need to do after the safety inspection is complete in order to get my tag. The test pipe has a cat on it. I'm curious to see how it will sound compared to my other setup. I still need to weld on a support bracket for it and install the rear o2 sensor before I can fire it up to test.

Still waiting on the inspector to set a date to come out and do the inspection, and still hoping that will happen this week. May take Friday off to give myself a four day weekend of mostly garage time.

http://i.imgur.com/Rkv4pAoh.jpg

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Thanks Tamra and Bob. Good info.
Bob, after sealing all that stuff off, are you no longer getting exhaust odor in the car?

I have had no issue with exhaust smell. Mike drove 30 mile round trip to high school many days last year. No exhaust smell. We seal up the cockpit to keep out engine bay heat.

If your smelling exhaust fumes. You need to fix it right away.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas.

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center/Carbon-Monoxide-Questions-and-Answers-/

Bob

[fastfox]

Yeah I know, first post here, but IRT the exhaust fumes in the cabin, try extending the exhaust tip an inch or two longer out the back and see if that helps... I know that can be a real issue in cars and especially trucks that have the exhaust pointed straight out the back rather than to the side.

Liking the build, looking forward to starting one of my own (hopefully next spring). Planning to do a coupe as a summer daily driver.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the input Bob and fastfox. I may give my exhaust an extra turn so it comes out the side instead.... will see if that helps.

[Frank818]

Little more details http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?12534-MRG-MotorSports-818S-Build&p=242173&viewfull=1#post242173

[Hindsight]

Thanks Frank, I saw that last night. I just finished a new emissions testing exhaust (pic on previous page) and it has a rear exit beyond the bumper. If that works to cut down the exhaust fumes, I may re-work my other system. I will post updates.

[Hindsight]

I wrapped up the emissions exhaust with the rear exit today and took it for a spin around the block. First thing I noticed was that the cat REALLY cut down the odor of the exhaust in general (when standing outside the car directly behind the tail pipe). No huge surprise there. But during idle and during the very short drive, I didn't small any exhaust in the cabin anymore. I will need to drive it for a few more miles and in varying conditions to be sure that the new exhaust exit point fixes the issue, but if it does, it means my old turn-down style tip was probably the culprit. Even though it has some reward rake to it, I'm sure as the exhaust hit the ground, it would spread out and some of it would rise up into the engine compartment, filling it with exhaust. From there, as others have noted, it will seep into the cabin even as the car is in motion.

So that means I need to re-do my previous exhaust system so it exits through the back of the bumper. Shame because I like having symmetry.... center tip, dual tips or no tips! My oil cooler is in the way of a dual setup so unfortunately, I'm just going to have to go with a single tail pipe.

[Hindsight]

Going to spend the three day weekend entirely in the garage.

Decided ultimately I will do a transverse single 3" inlet, dual outlet muffler over the top of the transmission with dual 2.5" pipes exiting out on each side of the bumper. My oil cooler is in the way of this now so I'll have to figure something out there. Will probably tackle that in a month or two. This weekend will focus on interior and adding Craig's louvers which are now back from the powder coater. Also will try adding balsa and fiberglass to reinforce the hood, engine cover, and trunk.

Anyone else spending time in the garage this weekend?

[Mechie3]

I have a two day race Saturday, Sunday, but Monday will be garage time all the time! With my wife and daughter gone all week most nights have been garage night from 7pm to 12pm. Definitely needed some caffeine at work. haha!

[STiPWRD]

Decided ultimately I will do a transverse single 3" inlet, dual outlet muffler over the top of the transmission with dual 2.5" pipes exiting out on each side of the bumper.
Sounds like a good plan, I think you'll love it
55595
Here's a more recent pic from we were doing some brewing
55596

[Hindsight]

Cool Craig, I have been working in the garage during weekday evenings as well. I can't work until as late as midnight (getting old) but even working 6-9 really chisels away at the task list. Good luck at your race.

Thanks Slava - what you did there is exactly what I am planning on. Thanks for posting a pic. I was planning on having the muffler flipped though, so the inlet is forward of the right side outlet. Did you put it to the rear to give yourself more room for tubing bends between the turbo and the muffler? Also, I might not be able to route my tips where you have yours due to my remote oil cooler obstructing the left side, so I may opt to cut holes in the bumper just outside the existing vent opening. The oil cooler and oil cooler lines I have really get in the way. Do you like the sound of your setup? I like the sound of my 3" single muffler though it is a tad loud.

[STiPWRD]

It took me a bit of mock up to figure out the exhaust routing. I basically started out by resting the muffler on a few pieces of wood above the trans and going from there. My requirements were to have smooth transitions, no sharp curves for best flow, and equal pipe lengths coming out of the muffler. I also had to fab a hanger that attaches to the back of the trans. It sounds great and is a bit load but certainly not as load as with a straight pipe.

One thing I discovered afterwards is that the 3" exhaust pipe on the passenger side ended up kinda close to the rear tail lights so I wrapped it with DEI titanium wrap and may also but a heat shield there later on. I tried to keep the muffler reasonably far from the AWIC so just be mindful not to put it too close to the fiberglass.

More details here:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?13462-NoVa-818-Build&p=215344&viewfull=1#post215344

[Hindsight]

Awesome, very helpful, thank you Slava. I like your mount with the dual hangars. Might have to copy that!

[Hindsight]

Added a fire extinguisher mounted just in front of the passenger seat. Has quick release bracket.

http://i.imgur.com/6vGeihvh.jpg

[Hindsight]

Spent way too much time staring at the back of my car last night. I think I came up with another exhaust idea. This will allow for dual 3" tips (right next to each other) right behind the transmission, centered in the lower rear vent.

Pardon the crude MS Paint drawing. There is actually room for this. It would be tight, but it will fit.

http://i.imgur.com/NrtYZ5yh.png

[AZPete]

Like the Boig system that exits below the trans? I haven't bought this yet, but I'm circling.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?20453-Boig-Motorsports-New-Exhaust-and-Cooling-Systems-for-the-818

[Hindsight]

Yes, very similar, only it would exit behind the trans instead of below. The issue with the under-trans tips is that it prevents you from using the diffuser. I also worry about ground clearance and there isn't enough room there for a muffler. I have measured everything and with the setup I drew above, you could fit a 12" or 15" long oval/rectangular muffler (I have a 12" on my previous setup and it will fit fine).

The only issue with the new idea I came up with is that the tips themselves would be very short... maybe 2 to 2.5 " long max and you couldn't do anything fancy due to the short length. You could polish the stainless steel but that's it. No room for an add-on tip. Just two 3" pipes coming to an end. Or if you wanted, you could just do a single, centered 3" pipe etc.

[07FIREBLADE]

Just where I put my fire extinguisher too. I just flipped it around because of my mount. I can reach it very quickly once the harness is released.

[Hindsight]

Another hot day in the garage.

I trimmed down the side sails where they rise above the frame and added the little aluminum kick panels as well. I covered them in carbon fiber vinyl wrap. Turned out pretty nice I think.

I mounted Mechie's large trunk and hood louvers. I decided against a permanent mount because when painting or wrapping the car, I wanted to be able to remove them. So I used #8 bonding studs. First I drilled some mounting holes into the louvers, then layed the louvers in place and moved them until happy with the position. I made a mark through the holes onto the body panels, then removed the louvers. I cut down some of the base plate on the mounting studs so they would fit, then glued them to the body panels over the marks using epoxy thickened with cabosil.

I also got started on reinforcing some of the body panels. I started with the engine cover by adding a 1x2 balsa plank with some slits cut into it so it can flex. Got that idea from another forum member. The epoxy is curing overnight. Tomorrow I'll fill in the slits with thickened epoxy and cover it with some glass cloth. When I do it on the hood, I see no other way to hold the balsa in place than to run screws into it from the top of the hood. I can't glue the balsa in place with the hood off the car and upside down because the hood won't have the proper curve. So holes it is. I guess I will try to fill the holes with some white gel coat, then sand and buff.

http://i.imgur.com/KfpoQb7h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/U06LaOdh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EarEXbOh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EJ7HLKMh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZhxnUHZh.jpg

[07FIREBLADE]

How much of a lip is there left on your hood? Im currently trimming mine down and was thinking of doing the same thing to mount my louvers too. Also I thinking I'm definetly going to copy you one the balsa wood for reinforcement in key areas. Espeically the hood and your method of screwing them in and filling holes later. Any idea of what thickness you plan on using for the hood? Same size as the rear engine cover?

[Hindsight]

On the vents, i cut the hood flush. There is no lip left at all except for on the front. The front of the hood has a littlevramp up which raises the return there about 1/4" or so; I left that much there or it would turn into a gap.

Yeah, I just bought a bunch of 1x2x48" balsa planks. Will use them all for stiffening panels. I feel they are just the right size but we shall see how they work. I will post pics of where I layed them. Coukd use body filler for the screw holes but since I probably won't paint or wrap the car until winter, gel coat will keep it looking presentable.

[07FIREBLADE]

Got it. Let us know how it turns out with the stiffening I'm really looking into doing it right at this point before I start priming and painting. Im only looking to do the hood since I have the hardtop already.

[metros]

Vents look great! Very cleanly installed!

[Frank818]

Anyone else spending time in the garage this weekend?

3 days me too, although not the same as yours. :) And it paid off on the body for me!

[Frank818]

On the louvers, look really nice, did you get those fasteners with them or you bought them separately?

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Frank, I bought the bonding studs from McMaster - they don't come with the louvers.

[Hindsight]

I spent some time today on the balsa engine cover brace. Tomorrow it will be ready for it's layer of fiberglass cloth and then should be done. I need to do one for the trunk lid too, but I'm not sure if it will work. The trunk likes to sag in the front-middle edge as you open it via the hinge. That causes it to rub against the engine cover as you open, and in some cases, it will bind. It needs stiffness on the leading edge but the vent lovers go all the way up to the leading edge, and there are also those little cutouts for the engine cover humps to recess back into the trunk. Those two things prevent you from adding a strip across the front side. I may add some braces diagonally, routed around the louvers, and if that doesn't stiffen it up enough, I may try bridging them with some angle aluminum (below the louvers).

I got the belly pans all installed and also made some brake duct "deletes". Tomorrow I start work on the center console, switches, and gauges.

http://i.imgur.com/UrWuncnh.jpg

[Hindsight]

Three sweltering days in a row. Today was just as hot but much, much more humid. Did the best I could but after a few hours I just needed to sit down in some conditioned air.

Today I added the second and final coat of fiberglass to the engine cover reinforcement. It seems to be holding it's bow very well so far. I just need to trim off the flash once it's fully cured.

I spent most of my garage time working on the console. Wasn't happy with FFRs and I couldn't use their tunnel cover or shift cover anyway since my shifter and e-brake are completely different. I used cardboard to make templates until I got the fit that I wanted. I am going to have to make, or have made a custom shift boot and e-brake boot. My momo racing seat side bolts rub the center tunnel frame and overhang it a bit on each side which is going to make covering the center tunnel sides between the seats nearly impossible. I may just leave it open since no one will see down there and I don't plan on eating any french fries in this car. I transfered just one panel to aluminum and cut it out today. That's about it. Had to order some more aluminum sheet on eBay and it won't get here for probably 7 days but for now, with just the face of the console made, I can start cutting and mounting my gauges and controls to it, as well as adjusting the wiring harness as needed. I will put four gauges into the FFR dash, and the other two in the console.

Hoping the safety inspector shows up this week so I can get this thing on the road.

http://i.imgur.com/lvJKMxGh.jpg

[Hindsight]

The balsa rear brace turned out really nicely. I still need to sand off the fiberglass flashing, but the rigidity is very good, the cover no longer dips in the middle when laying flat, and especially when being opened on the rearward hinge. I need to do this to the trunk and hood next. I do have some issues with the glass cloth not sticking to the balsa on the sides and near corners - it lifts off because it wants to remain flat. A properly setup shop, I believe, would use vacuum bags for this. Not sure if anyone on here who is good with fiberglass has any tips on avoiding lifting glass cloth without vacuum bagging?

Found a really nice local custom auto upholstery shop that will make me a custom eBrake and Shifter boot for a reasonable price.

I want to use the FFR-provided aluminum door panel inlays, but on the padded door panels, they don't fit... too big. I can't remember if I mentioned that before or not, but I will need to cut them down with a jig saw I guess. I'm thinking about making some inlays for the dash that look similar and fit into the dash center recess.


http://i.imgur.com/h4gALtPh.jpg

[Frank818]

I must have been missing something. How did you bond the black hinge brackets? Epoxy or glass from FFR or fiber+glass from FFR?

[Hindsight]

Hey Frank, the hinge brackets are bolted to bonding studs. I got 1/4" bonding studs from McMaster, glued them to engine cover with epoxy, then laid several layers of glass cloth over that and wet it out with resin. Then the brackets bolt to them. It allows me to adjust the placement and height of the brackets as needed.

Very excited: Just got a call from the inspector and he will be here tomorrow morning from 9-9:30.

[Harley818]

good luck with the inspection.....

[Frank818]

Epoxy and resin. The resin comes in those 3-4 cans FFR provided with the kit?

2h countdown!!!!! :)

[RHITME03]

For the Balsa braces, have you thought about using VHB tape to hold the curve and glassing over it? Another option would be to use some mounting studs, drill the bow, and glass over... When finished, remove the nut/washer, and trim the protruding stud.

[Hindsight]

Thx for the well wishes guys.
Rhitme03: Chad actually suggested the same thing but I want a strong adhesive bond for the wood. Bonding stud idea is pretty good! I may try that.

So, I passed the inspection no problem. The rest of the process on getting a vin plate, title, and license plate are not extremely clear and the dept of revenue tells me something different every time I go or call. I ended up having to just mail my paperwork in. They told me in 4-6 weeks I'd get something in the mail. That could mean a title and vin.... not sure. So it looks like I still have a while to wait before being street legal. I am so ready to be just driving this thing.

[Blwalker105]

The best way to solve your glass lifting problem would be to sand down those fairly square corners into a much more rounded profile and within about 3/8"-1/2" of your structure, then use a cabosil-thickened epoxy mixture (peanut butter consistency) to create a fillet down onto your structure and glass over it. I have an old credit card with 4 different corner radii that I use to get the desired fillet. As an alternative, wait till your epoxy starts to pop and most of the tackiness goes away, then use a heat gun to get it malleable again. Keep working it down with a disposable paint brush as you remove the heat and it will harden very quickly and keep it's shape much more easily.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the tip blwalker! At the suggestion of another forum member, I am also going to try using a lighter fabric. I will give your suggestions a try as well.

[Blwalker105]

A lighter fabric will definitely help. Go to uscomposites.com and take a look at style 7725; it's what I used a lot during my plane's build. It can make some TIGHT bends.

[UnhipPopano]

If you are going to remove what you did and take another attempt, there are a couple more things you can do to get a better result. First, wood likes to absorb the resin so apply some plane resin [resin with no hardener] to the wood a day before. When more resin is applied with hardener, the first layer will set up with it. Also, you should not need such a thick piece to stiffen it up. You reach a point in using a thicker center where you are just adding weight and not strength and rigidity.

Also, with polyester you need to deal with the wax thing, so working this type of mod with epoxy resin is easier, but you need to be careful not to get it on the gel coat.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Bwalker - I actually did end up ordering that exact 7725 from uscomposites. Should be here on Monday.

UnhipPopano - I don't plan on removing what I added on the engine cover. I just need to sand off any glass cloth that didn't stick to the balsa - there isn't much, just a few spots. I like your idea about coating the wood the day before... thanks for that tip! So you think 1" is too thick? The balsa I'm using is 1" x 2". I'm attaching the 2" side to the fiberglass part so the height is 1". And yes, I am using epoxy resin for everything.... West System.

[UnhipPopano]

Deck Hatches on boats use 3/8 inch plywood and you can step on them. In strength of Materials Lab, a group covered a 2 by 2 in fiberglass and put in in a beam tester. It failed in sheer of the wood rather than tension-compression of the fiberglass. We repeated the lab, but did a better job on the fiberglass. For us, we were able to take the fiberglass to its failure point in tension. We soaked the beam for a day as I described, and had no trouble with air bubbles and fiberglass delamination.

A 1 by 2 should be fine for what you are doing and you can also go thinner. They sell foam sheets for fiberglass cores that are thinner than the 1 inch. As you can cut them to size, you can reinforce hood type panels leaving areas open for the vents and hinges. How to deal with the hold down pins and hinges would be off topic, but the foam would make those easier to reinforce.

[UnhipPopano]

One question I have about reinforcing the rear hatch, why is the aluminum for the humps not attached?

[Hindsight]

I do have a solution for hold-down pins and hinges - pics are a couple pages back in the thread. It is working really well for now though I must admit I got the idea from several others. I think AZPete for the DIY hinges and Wayne for the hidden thumb-screw mount of the engine cover instead of more hood pins.

The aluminum for the jumps isn't attached simply because I haven't gotten to it yet. It is on the punch list, but I just got them back from the powder coater recently and I wanted to wait to install them until the engine cover hump vents (from Mechie) are installed. Those are still at the powder coater. The hump aluminum rivets to the frame and not the engine cover so it will add some stiffness to the engine cover while it's down but not up.

You think I could get away with switching from 1x2 balsa strips to 1/2" x 2"? Or possibly polyurethane foam of the same size? I haven't worked with foam much and don't have a hot wire so I'd have to cut it with a utility knife or table saw.

[UnhipPopano]

Yes, a thinner strip would work. Consider the effect of attaching the aluminum to the hump cover. It may make the cover ridged enough that the strip is not needed.

[AZPete]

I'm watching this thread carefully because I'd like to stiffen my hood also. I'm planning to get the hood positioned with the new fenders, then remove the fenders and clamp balsa /epoxy to the edges of the hood. The hood should retain its curve because it would be held by ZBD hinge at the front and latches (or pins) at the rear. Once the balsa/epoxy is set on the edges, I'll remove the hood which should retain its curve, so I can add balsa/epoxy in the middle of the hood, then re-install with fenders. At least, that's my plan. With your recent experience, do you think it might work?

Also, under the rear edge of the engine cover I just mounted a 1-inch steel angle from side to side with threaded studs. I thought the engine cover was straight, with no bow, but now I've removed the engine cover to mount the hard top so I can't photo it.

[Hindsight]

Hey Pete - I do believe your proposed method should work great - I had never thought of removing the fenders to get access. The only issue is you will want to add some cross braces too. The only way you could do that with clamps is by removing the windshield (or if you haven't installed it yet).

Regarding the rear engine cover: I don't know for sure that it's supposed to be curved but looking at the trunk cover, and looking at the way the edges contact the side sails, it seems to be that it should be curved. Not a lot, but some. It also helps add some engine clearance.

I ordered some polyurethane foam from Aircraft Spruce, 1/2" thickness. I'm going to do the hood and trunk lid with it. I'll post pics.

[AZPete]

Oops, I hadn't thought about the side-to-side curve of the hood and I really don't want to remove the entire hard top/windshield. So, you are right and I'll rethink it. Thanks.

[Hindsight]

I'll make sure to document the entire process with pics, including the gel coat hole fill-in and polishing out.

[Hindsight]

Center console is coming along - slowly. I am waiting for some more aluminum to come in so I can make the sides for it and finish it off. I'm going to have custom leather boots made for the e-brake and shifter made. The seat bolsters intruding into the center tunnel area has made this a bit more complicated.

http://i.imgur.com/RYKZU0hh.jpg

[Frank818]

This console looks a lot more "installable" than the FFR one. :)

[Hindsight]

I've decided to give foam a try on the hood, instead of balsa. Foam is more flexible when installing. I have purchased some 1/2" thick polyurethane foam from Aircraft Spruce, and will also try some pink 3/4" foam board insulation from HD or Lowes (both are epoxy safe). I THINK the foam is flexible enough (unlike balsa) that I can cut some small 1"x1" squares of VHB tape (a couple folks mentioned VHB tape previously), and attach them every couple of feet on the back side of the foam strips I cut (which will be 2" wide). I can then spread epoxy thickened with cabosil on the back side of the foam, ensuring I don't get any on the tape and leave the tape a little room around the edges, then push it onto the hood and press from underneath while the hood is mounted. Hopefully that will hold well enough while the epoxy cures.

Going to be a few weeks before I get to that though because I want to finish the center console, switches, and gauges first.

[Frank818]

Pix of that foam?

[Hindsight]

This is the pink stuff from the hardware store: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-FOAMULAR-3-4-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-R-4-Tongue-and-Groove-Insulating-Sheathing-37L/100320340

This is the stuff I ordered from Aircraft Spruce: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/urethanefoam.php

I found out today that the stuff from Aircraft Spruce has a 25psi compression and the pink stuff is 15psi. I think the loads will be low enough that either should be more than adequate.

[BC Huselton]

Suggest you check out Fiberglast.com and their DiviniCell products. This stuff is great for adding structure. BTW, when I tried the Pink insulation the resin ate right through it. You can use the pink foam for making shapes if you cover it with foil tape and release wax.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the suggestion. The pink foam won't melt when using epoxy but will when using polyester resin. I only use epoxy. However, that said, I found out from another forum member that the pink insulation foam just isn't stiff enough to provide enough structure. He suggested PVC foam. I took a look at the DiviniCell and it is the same thing he suggested. Thanks again for the input!

Oh yeah - which density do you like? 3lb, 4lb, 5lb, etc.

[BC Huselton]

What you select depends on the structural regiditiy you want. as an Example, I used 3lb to reinforce the hood to prevent it from being "limp!" Cut 2" holes every 3" centers and laid Fiberglass Chopped mat over it making sure the glass and resin dropped down into the space to bond with the hood's current surface.

I used 4lb to reshape the rear bumper to create a space for the tail shaft of my 6 speed. The FFR Rear bumper is approximately 1" too short for the 6 speed. This also took the "Limp" our of the rear bumper, without the addition of much weight. Fiberglast has great instructional videos as well.

[Hindsight]

Suggest you check out Fiberglast.com and their DiviniCell products. This stuff is great for adding structure. BTW, when I tried the Pink insulation the resin ate right through it. You can use the pink foam for making shapes if you cover it with foil tape and release wax.

So I ordered and received the DiviniCell as suggested and it is DEFINITELY the right stuff. Super hard, light, and flexes enough to be easy to work with. Much better than balsa or the other foams I have wasted money on. Thank you BC Huselton and also MikeInAtlanta for the tip.

[Frank818]

I'm taking notes, here!

Pix once you can, pix! :)

[Hindsight]

I'll post pictures for sure Frank. We'll see which route is better - VHB tape or temporary bolts to hold the foam in place while the initial thickened epoxy cures. I need to finish my console and do a few other things like retrofitting projectors (safety issue), and adding a cover panel for the ECUs so they don't get wet, before adding bracing so it could be a while before I get to it.

In other news, it's been over two weeks since I submit my application for title and vin to the state. I called them this morning to get an update and they said they have no record of my application, but probably wouldn't until they begin processing it at around four weeks after I dropped it off and it could take another two weeks for me to receive the title and vin after that, so that is a full month and a half. It is really killing me to be watching summer go by with a perfectly driveable car just sitting in the garage. I guess, two weeks down, four more to go, hopefully.

[Hindsight]

Finished the front portion of the center console. Dual zone air intake temp gauge and AFR gauge in there. Emergency flasher on the top left. I still need to add the sides to it, and then add the top tunnel cover which is cut-out now but needs a hole cut into it and a cell-phone cubby added in. Have additional gauges that will get mounted into the dash.

http://i.imgur.com/EPVcN2yh.jpg

[Frank818]

Ok, now THAT's awesome! What a console! Just don't mistakenly switch the fuel rocker switch.

You seem to have the same IC temps gauge. Ebay?

[Hindsight]

Thanks Frank. The fuel switch is actually not going to be wired in - I'm still using the factory variable voltage fuel pump controller for now. When I upgrade the turbo, pump, and injectors to run E85 at some point, I will need to hard-wire the fuel pump and will use this switch to control a relay. Or maybe I will get too nervous and put it somewhere else more hidden and hard to accidentally hit! The diag switch replaces the "green test connector" that Subie guys have to keep connecting and disconnecting when flashing their ECU. Much easier to have a switch vs fiddling with connectors up under the dash. That's not a problem you need to solve though :P

Yeah, I got the IC gauge on eBay. Works fine so far. I think it's the same one ProSport sells, but cheaper than their version. It was fun watching it during dyno tuning.

[Hindsight]

Well, I signed up for a 3-day long HPDE event at Road Atlanta at the end of August. I REALLY wanted to shake the car out on the street first to help ensure any track time I purchased would not end up being a waste of money, but who knows how long it's going to take for me to get my title and vin and the event is pretty unique so I'm going to give it a shot. I'll probably do the uhaul truck/trailer rental.... again.

This means I need to shift my focus a bit on my to-do list. I only have one or two weekends where I will be free between now and the event so need to make the best use of them. Modifying the upper control arms, doing another alignment, and making some exhaust changes move to the top of the list.

[mikeb75]

Can't wait to hear your report on the track session! Very nice job on the dash also.

[Frank818]

Have a nice track session man!

About the IC gauge, you got it black or painted it? Mine came light grey, was the only color. I will paint it but still.

[Hindsight]

Thanks MikeB.... the pressure to succeed is building lol.

Frank, mine came light grey as well so I carefully masked it and spray painted it gloss black. Turned out ok I think.

[mikeb75]

Thanks MikeB.... the pressure to succeed is building lol.

Sure, but the only measure of success should be having fun!

[Hindsight]

Thanks Mike, I agree. I am planning on recording the racing with a gopro so I should have some footage to share if everything works out well. I will also take a lot of pics of the event because it looks pretty cool. Time attack, HPDE, car show, music, drifting, etc. Drifting isn't really my thing but it can be an ok distraction between other events.

Had a busy weekend so didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked but I removed the dash to update the wiring for the gauges and switches so everything was in the proper place. I also added the block-off plate that seals the frame to the windshield frame. Even with that blockoff plate in place, there are huge gaps on either side of it that will allow hot air from behind the radiator to enter the cabin. Oh well. To get extra stability for the dash, I added three small 1" square pieces of double sided tape to the bottom of the dash where it rests on the fiberglass windshield frame (one on left, right, and center). This really stiffens the dash up and gives it extra strength for putting a helmet on top. I only have the two bottom mounts from FFR and even with just those two + tape, its very strong and stable.

I need to finish off the center console by adding sides to it, and wrapping up the tunnel cover but that should be quick. Then I will update the exhaust so my tip comes around the bottom of the bumper where the indent is for the diffuser (I'm not running a diffuser now) and then points slightly up and toward the right (like an FD RX7 exhaust kind of). Then re-do the alignment for the track. I am on super sticky street compound tires (Dunlup Z2 star specs) and am going to shoot for 3.5 to 4 degree caster, 1/16" front toe in, 2 degrees negative camber front and rear, and 3/16" rear toe in. Need to remove the springs and jack the wheel/tire up and down to ensure I have no rubbing.

I will be trailering the 818 to the race on a u-haul flatbed car trailer. I'm nervous about getting it on the trailer. I was able to do it before, but that was before the body was on. I jack the front of the trailer up as high as I can but it's still bottomed out when going from ramp to bed.

Will post a pic of the console when all the pieces are done - hopefully this weekend.

[RetroRacing]

We have some slotted blocks that we insert between the top of the spring and the spring perch when the car is jacked up and in full droop, should raise the car about an inch to help get it into the trailer. Worked for us and we have an extended front splitter.

[Hindsight]

Wow, great idea. I never would have thought of that.

I just went out and checked and on mine, my springs are still under some compression (small, but some) when the suspension is at full droop. This is with the S shock and spring setup so the S springs must be longer than the R or something.

[Scargo]

For my STi, with a low front splitter, I have ramp extensions I made from 2X10's. On one end is a plywood box that the stock ramp feet sit on, that raises it about six inches. I have a Featherlite trailer but the principle is the same for a rental (which I used to do). The box captures the ramp end so nothing can skid or move. The additional ten feet works for me once I jack up the front of the trailer like you mentioned.
Good luck with the racing. I'm a ways off with my R. I hope to be testing in the spring.

[Hindsight]

Thx Glyn. Do you have a pic of the 2x10? What supports them mid-span?

[metros]

All that hard work about to pay off!

How much track experience do you have pre-818?

[Hindsight]

Did a number of HPDE days back around 2000 with the Cascade Sports Car Club at PIR. Been a while but I am sure things are the same.

[metros]

What were you driving then? Curious how big of a difference it will be. Trying to live vicariously through you.

[Hindsight]

1983 Rabbit GTI with an engine swap out of a 1990 Corrado. I had suspension an big brakes. ~160hp and 2150lbs. The 818 is going to be night and day different! A beast compared to the FWD rabbit. I plan on taking it real easy the first day.

[Frank818]

Good ol' VWs! :)

[metros]

Cool, have fun!

[Hindsight]

Well, today marks 4 weeks ago that I submit my application to the state for a vin and title so I can drive on the street. Haven't heard a word back. I was told 4-6 weeks originally. So I called them today to check the status. They told me they don't see anything in the system for me yet (which means they haven't started processing it) and then told me the process takes 6 to 8 weeks. So it looks like I may end up having to wait another month, which puts me out into fall. Ah well. I guess on the bright side, Georgia usually has pretty awesome weather right up until around January 1st. By March it's nice again. Trying to be patient and stay positive.

In the meantime, I have been making a little bit of progress, checking things off the punch list. Mostly focused on the console recently. The forward portion of the console is now complete, and all the wiring has been shortened/lengthened as needed to install gauges and switches in the dash and console. All the gauges and switches now work. The console sides are made of plain aluminum panels that I cut to shape and bolt to the tunnel. The lower section is carpeted, and the upper piece is covered with carbon fiber vinyl wrap. All are attached using self-drilling washer flange screws from mcmaster. I added a cell phone cubby to the forward part of the tunnel cover, and I welded up a cubby box out of aluminum and then painted the inside of it with Herculiner. It looked like CRAP!!!! The herculiner, when dry, has a very glossy oily look with very uneven texture. This is a bad contrast against the lighter satin consistent pattern of the carbon fiber so I'm going to do another box and probably just plastidip it black. I wanted a rubbery coating in it so it wouldn't chip, unlike paint. Then I just need to make and install the sides for the tunnel cover and the console will be done until I can have the e-brake and shift boot custom made for me. I'll also need to fabricate a trim ring for those boots too - will probably use aluminum, or will 3D print it and then vinyl wrap it.

Regarding the Herculiner, I was going to use that on the underside of my body panels but I don't like the shiny un-even texture so I may choose something else but I'm not sure what.

Brakes. My pads seemed to be bed but I didn't like the performance of them at all. They were new Hawk HPS. It's possible that I didn't bed them long enough but that's hard to do on the street with no license plate and I was getting nervous about the upcoming track day so I replaced all front and rear with Ferodo DS2500. I also bit the bullet and fixed something I broke over a year ago..... While replacing the rear wheel bearings before installing the rear spindles, I couldn't figure out how to support the spindle while pressing out the hubs. I ended up bending the backing plate, which I saw was happening but wasn't concerned with because it's only a backing plate and can be bent back into shape right? Wrong - I had forgotten that the Subie rear calipers are bolted to the backing plate instead of the spindle directly. Never seen that on the cars I've worked on in the past. So after that, the calipers were not centered on the rotor nor were they perfectly parallel with the rotor. Solution was to, of course, get new backing plates, new bearings, and new seals. Total pain but worth it to have perfectly working brakes. This time around, I used a slide hammer to pull the hub while the spindle was still attached to the car (but the axle pushed out of it). Once the hub is out, you can remove the spindle and press the bearing out, and the new bearing in, and the hub back in all outside the car on a hydraulic press. I did the free loan-a-tool thing through Autozone for the slide hammer, and bought two 1/2" washers from lowes which I then drilled out to 5/8" ID. Their OD is perfect to rest on the back of the wheel hub, but small enough to clear the bearing around it.

Still need to fab up a new exhaust, modify the upper a-arms so I can get more caster and camber, and re-do the alignment before the upcoming HDPE day.

http://i.imgur.com/lPL9a2Vh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Vjx47weh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0wjnIach.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yaYR9tah.jpg

[BC Huselton]

Consider Lizard Skin and or SEM Rockit. SEM finish is a very uniform texture and actually hides the fiberglass mesh surface. Better bonding properties as well and more $. Lizard skin is paintable and the Ceramic style manages the heat in the motor area along with sound.

[Scargo]

It's been my experience that Hawk HPS pads won't hold up to serious track work. I like Hawk and it's about all I've run but I use their DTC series, their real race pads.

[Hindsight]

Consider Lizard Skin and or SEM Rockit. SEM finish is a very uniform texture and actually hides the fiberglass mesh surface. Better bonding properties as well and more $. Lizard skin is paintable and the Ceramic style manages the heat in the motor area along with sound.

Thanks for the input - I just looked up lizard skin and it looks pretty cool. Summit carries it and they are very close to me so might be a good option. Thanks.

Glyn, thanks for the pad input. I have used Ferodo before and liked them so we shall see how it goes. I just took it around the block and the brakes already feel a bunch better without even having bed the pads yet. Much more bite.

[FFRSpec72]

Brakes. My pads seemed to be bed but I didn't like the performance of them at all. They were new Hawk HPS. It's possible that I didn't bed them long enough but that's hard to do on the street with no license plate and I was getting nervous about the upcoming track day so I replaced all front and rear with Ferodo DS2500. I

I have used the Ferodo DS2500 pads before, not bad for track day/daily use, not enough for road racing though.

[Frank818]

Well that sucks for all the wait, man! I know what it is, I know so damn much! I truly sympathize.

[Hindsight]

I have used the Ferodo DS2500 pads before, not bad for track day/daily use, not enough for road racing though.

Well I sure hope they are good enough for HPDE road racing because my first track date is fast approaching! I guess we will see. The 818, being light, may help lessen the heat generation and keep the pads working well. I just needed to ensure whatever I bought would work for both street and HPDE.

I drove around the block last night to check out the headlights. Yeah, real bad. Seem to be angled far to the right and very far downward. I have the morimoto retrofit projectors sitting on the shelf waiting to be installed, but that will need to wait until after the track day.

[Hindsight]

Back to the exhaust. I am re-doing my non-cat exhaust because my previous one allowed exhaust into the engine compartment.

I have narrowed it down to two options and can't decide. The top option would probably be easier all around and allow me to run a rear diffuser at some point but I can't decide if I think it looks cool or dumb. It would look a lot better if I had the same set of tips on both sides but that isn't in the cards due to my oil cooler placement.

What say you? Top or bottom?

http://i.imgur.com/7Bs0uZ7h.jpg

[Frank818]

Top. Always the top, being the top guy in everything is the best. :)

Also the car looks A LOT cooler with a diffuser on.

[Canadian818]

Top one looks much better

[Scargo]

Since this car doesn't know what it is I vote for the bottom. Diffuser? You'd (should) do a wing first.

[BN]

Bottom with one pipe on both side

[AZPete]

I like the top for looks but I'm guessing the bottom will not smell as bad in the cockpit.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Back to the exhaust. I am re-doing my non-cat exhaust because my previous one allowed exhaust into the engine compartment. I have narrowed it down to two options and can't decide.

Hindsight,
Why do you think the your new location will be better for exhaust fumes?
Bob

[Hindsight]

Thx for the input all!

Bob, because the old exhaust tip pointed mostly downward and was forward of the lower bumper. Exhaust would hit the ground, fan out, then a lot of it would rise into the engine bay and get sucked into the cabin. Was REAL bad at idle.

I have had two setups. The one with a cat and the earlier one without. I am redoing the catless version. The catted version pokes out the lower vent. Its ok though I can still smell some exhaust. The only other thing to try is poking it out the side of the bumper but I REALLY don't want to drill that bumper, esp if it isn't guaranteed to fix the issue.

[UnhipPopano]

Having had a low car with the exhaust out the bottom, Subaru XT coupe, I would highly recommend the upper exhaust setup. Several times I ended up replacing the rear exhaust and muffler because when you back into a parking spot with one of those concrete strips, it catches on the pipe and bends it up.

[Hindsight]

Yeah that is a good point and as low as the 818 is, I worried about it. Plus the lower exit puts the pipe closer to the fiberglass which can melt.

[svanlare]

I vote for the top picture. I'm biased though as I'm planning on the same, but I definitely like the dual tips yours is showing vs. the single tip as well.

Speaking of bias...If I had unlimited carbon fiber and welding skills I would do dual tips from the bottom middle with the diffuser modified to fit, but that is probably just me trying to recreate a boxster's backend.

[bbjones121]

Top version definitely. Bottom looks like a bunch of rice burners around here that think they are really cool.

[Frank818]

After calculations, TOP wins. I said "TOP", not "TRUMP".

[flynntuna]

Top. I am biased, cause I'll be doing something similar to the top one. I have a phobia scraping the front and rear on driveway ramps.

[Frank818]

Why would you scrape the rear? Oh if you go reverse?

[Hindsight]

When the road has a downhill angle that flattens out very rapidly. The worst noise you can hear. Like the sound of a garbage truck dropped off the empire state building.

[Frank818]

That happened to you?

Watch out for speed bumps too.

[flynntuna]

Why would you scrape the rear? Oh if you go reverse?

I have a steep driveway. Then there are those parking lots that were designed by off-road enthusiasts. Lol

[Frank818]

http://i.imgur.com/atmhMmyh.jpg


Mind sharing how high your mount is?
Looks like 3/16 thick too.

[Hindsight]

Frank, I am back in Oregon visiting my mom this week. I will be back Saturday night so I can measure then but from memory: I think the steel is 1/8" x 1.5". Doesn't need to be super strong. Height was around 2 or 2.5" I think. I will get more exact measurement for you this weekend.

[Hindsight]

Ok Frank, my mounts are 1 and 3/8" above the FFR mounts integrated into the frame.

In other news, it has now been six weeks since I submit my paperwork to the state for vin and title :confused:

[Frank818]

Ok and since you are out of threads on your pic it seems 1" would be good to try at first. Thanks a lot. I believe I'll go with that solution.

Sorry about the damn state's bureaucracy, but at least you're done! It's just a matter of time without efforts and you're on the road like Frank with his R. :)

[Hindsight]

Frank, my mounts are different heights on each side. The one in the pic is more like 1 and 7/8". The other one is 1 and 3/8" and the threads are much better. 1" might be too short actually.

[Frank818]

Ok, noted, 1-3/8 to try.

[Hindsight]

Some sort of good news for me on the registration process: I finally received something back from them in the mail. They acknowledged receipt of my paperwork and are now asking for two appraisals. The safety inspector told me they might do that - the purpose is for them to determine a taxable value so they know how much to charge me taxes on (I will have to pay a one-time 7% sales tax on the appraised value of the vehicle). So I need to have two appraisals done and send that back into the state. It's anyone's guess as to how long it will take from there but here's to hoping it will be quick.

I'm counting down the days to racing at Road Atlanta the 25th through 28th. I was hoping to get my new exhaust completed, rear splash guards installed (don't want gravel getting flung at my air filter, wiring, etc), bump-steer fixed via Baer bump steer kit, and adding some additional camber, but I think those are overly ambitious goals with what little time I have remaining before the event. The work was starting to become a burden instead of fun, which is what this whole project was supposed to be about so I'm backing off and just hoping to have the exhaust and splash guards finished.

[wleehendrick]

the purpose is for them to determine a taxable value so they know how much to charge me taxes on (I will have to pay a one-time 7% sales tax on the appraised value of the vehicle). So I need to have two appraisals done and send that back into the state. It's anyone's guess as to how long it will take from there but here's to hoping it will be quick.


If you've paid state sales tax already on any parts on the car; provide that documentation as well. Don't let the state double-dip you! CA doesn't require an appraisal, but you do have to pay sales tax upon registration, but has paperwork to avoid double taxation.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the tip! I actually thought of the same thing a while back - although I doubt GA has any kind of way to prevent double-dipping. In my case though, I didn't pay sales tax on the kit donor car since both were from out of state. I'll probably have to pay a one-time sales tax of around $1300 or so in order to get my license plate and registration.

When this is all said and done, I'm going to create a write-up on the Georgia kit car registration, end to end. I've read a couple posts on various forums, and some of them are close to the process I have been asked to follow, but not quite the same and may be out-dated.

[UnhipPopano]

Can you apply the sales tax you already paid on the parts and supplies that were taxed?

[Hindsight]

I doubt it, but even if I could, I wouldn't want to go that route because I have way, way more into the vehicle than it is worth. I'm guessing if there was an option to deduct tax for parts, they'd want to value the vehicle at the sum total of the kit + donor + all parts. I appreciate the suggestion though!

[Pearldrummer7]

I paid tax on my FFR purchase when I registered it in NY. It was 4 figure day for me -_-

better than sum value, of course.

[wleehendrick]

they'd want to value the vehicle at the sum total of the kit + donor + all parts.

That's how CA determine the value for tax purpose... hence why you can deduct tax already paid. Yup, it'll be a couple grand when I register. :(

[Hindsight]

I just posted in another thread about roll bar height and harness mount and realized that I haven't tried the broom-stick test with my new helmet yet. The helmet I previously tried was a motorcycle helmet and I found out the other day that I can't use that for road racing so I bought an SA2015 helmet and realized I should try the broomstick test with it. FAIL! By quite a lot actually. I am only 6' tall. That S roll bar is way, way low and I don't like how it nearly leaves the left half of your head exposed due to the inward lean.

I got some DOM mild steel tubing in 1.5" OD with 0.095" wall thickness and I plan on trying to cut out the old roll bar, bending a new one, and welding it in with new supports - all this weekend, before the three days of HPDE the following weekend. I still have to finish my exhaust too. Too busy to work on it on week nights so wish me luck on getting all that done.

[DSR-3]

Maybe an option for the roll bar is an extension- something like the SCCA did for Spec Racer's called the "tall man" option/mod. Better check with the sanctioning body for your events though. The SCCA had the was in the odd position of offering (requiring at some point I think) a solution that was not compliant with their own rules! It's not a pretty solution, but would be simpler than full bar replacement- which you could do later.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the input - much appreciated. I considered that initially since it would be easier but in the end, since this HPDE event isn't sanctioned by NASA or SCCA, etc, there is just no telling what rules they will follow so it's better to be safe than sorry and do a complete rip and replace like Bob did.

[Mitch Wright]

Most HPDE groups allow cars with factory rollover protection. That includes Audi TT, Honda S2000, late model MX5 are examples. I don't believe any of the HPDE groups that host events here (10/10ths, Chin, Bluegrass BMW Club, MVP Track Time, LAPS, NCM) are or I believe would be fine with an S roll bar.
I think a phone call and a few photo's will answer the question of what a HPDE group will accept.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Mitch. It isn't the bar itself, it's the fact that my head sticks up 1-2" above it when I am sitting upright and have my helmet on. I won't pass the broomstick test.

[Hindsight]

Whew, 12 hours in the garage today. The window-mount A/C unit is making that possible. In the heat, the best I could manage was 4 or 5 hours tops.

The final* exhaust is done and wrapped, turbo blanket installed. I have no heat shield so we shall see how well the turbo blanket and header wrap control radiant heat.

I cut out the "S" roll bar too, in prep for fabricating and installing the new custom roll bar tomorrow. As I was planning the new bar, I realized I forgot something; the R models have a slit cut down the side of the engine cover to allow the rear roll bar support to pass through. I'm not a huge fan of that and my engine cover is hinged so I may have to cut even a wider slot than FFR does on the R engine cover. I may try to figure out a way to add a support that doesn't require much cutting in the engine cover but it will be a challenge because doing that will mean the rear support will attach a bit low on the roll bar. We'll see how it goes.

I have realized that I just don't have enough time to get everything I want done before the race this coming weekend. I think at this point, I am mostly concerned with tire rub. I haven't had time to check and adjust tire clearance front and rear by removing the shock. I also won't have time to re-adjust the ride-height and add some camber. Right now it's sitting about a half inch lower than FFR suggests for the S.

http://i.imgur.com/SvV4N7Dh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/it8eI34h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2mH1N8bh.jpg

[Hindsight]

We weren't able to bend the DOM tubing in my friend's bender without it kinking so I am now on the hunt for someone local who has a mandrel tubing bender and is willing to bend the main hoop for me for a reasonable price. Will work on other punch-list items in the meantime but I now only have three evenings left before the HPDE event to get the new roll bar fabricated and installed so it is looking like there is a very real chance I will be SOL for this event. Ah well.

[C.Plavan]

Nice work on the AWIC hose insulation. Great idea.

[Hindsight]

Thanks Chad, hopefully I can measure temps this coming weekend at the track. It's closed cell foam pipe insulation wrapped with the summit heat sleeving.

[Frank818]

You wrapped the muffler? I thought mufflers and flex bellows weren't very good to wrap, but it seems 50-50 on google, so I don't know if I should.

[Hindsight]

It is all stainless steel construction inside and out. Due to the baffling, the muffler will probably shed heat faster than the surrounding pipe, but it will still give off heat and the more heat I can direct out of the exhaust pipe instead of into the engine bay, the better.

I switched gears today after the roll cage fabrication didn't work out. I moved on to the rear splash guards (wheel well liners). The right-rear splash guard was fairly high on my priority list because I didn't want a rock getting thrown from the tire into my air filter and piercing it. Unfortunately, as others have discovered, the splash guards don't fit so I had to customize mine.

First things first, the 265 rear tires do indeed clear the fenders at full compression! I removed the spring and jacked up the tire to test that. While the spring was out, I fit the wheel liners. I can't modify/fix the inner liner (vertical piece) to make it work unfortunately so I tossed it in the scrap bin and will order yet more aluminum tomorrow. I started with the outer liner first. With the tire jacked all the way up, I positioned the liner where it would clear the tires. There was no room for bulb seal near the top but it's ok because the liners contact the fiberglass tightly there. I used the bulb seal lower down. I had to notch out liner where it hits the upper cross member, then make a little bracket that puts it in the right position. I then had to make a 90 degree bend out of some scrap .040 aluminum for the rear of the liner so it can actually contact and fasten to the bumper since the liner is too short back there. I also had to cut the liner where the bumper-side sail seam is because the factory cut was in the wrong place. Because of that, I had to make another little trim piece to close up the gap. I secured the liner to the body front and rear using a total of four 1/4" bolts. I probably spent 3 hours on this so far and still need to fabricate the inner liners. Then I need to do the left side......

I found a local guy who fabricates roll cages so I am hoping to pick up a hoop bent to my specs tomorrow sometime. Once I have it, I will weld it in place and add on the added support bars.

http://i.imgur.com/SuXbvcth.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nMS4DYwh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RcndP6fh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oWJpkDGh.jpg

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Hindsight,
I failed trying to bend tubing with a HF bender.
I ended up buying the main hoop from Competition Engineering.

I used the halo bar out of this kit for my main hoop.

http://www.shopcompetitionengineering.com/ceb/catalog/search/advancedsearch.action;jsessionid=66332FAEBA2D6E635 6F2A9D4580D6250?mustOccur=true&resetOffset=true&appn=&can=&yearFilter=&makeFilter=&modelFilter=&pr=&xxprName=&xxprReturn=&searchTerm=C3220&productsearchsubmit=SEARCH

[Hindsight]

Thanks Bob, good to know I'm not the only one. I lucked out and found a local guy who will bend me a tube to my specs for only $40, including materials!

[07FIREBLADE]

Are you going to add the inner portion of the fender liner at some point?

[Hindsight]

Yes, I just need to get more aluminum and make a new one from scratch.

[Frank818]

The rear splash guards don't fit at all or fit moderately? The first means trash to me and fab 100% a new part but the latter means modifs like you seem to have done.
What about the front guards?

[Hindsight]

Overall, the FFR provided aluminum has fit generally well. Especially the stuff that gets riveted to the frame in the cockpit area. The splash guards are the exception. Many have noted that they don't fit well. Compounding my issue is that I have the 265 tires in the back.

Here are the problems with the FFR liners:
1 - They aren't long enough - won't reach the side sail in back. They are short by about 1.5 to 2"
2 - The notch for the body seam is in the wrong place
3 - They contact the side sail right where the wheel arch opening is and at full compression, the tire needs room to go up into the fender past the lip (as shown in my pic above). This required me to notch the splash guards out allowing me to raise them up higher and not have the cross member get in the way. You can see this in my pics.
4 - The inner liner's radius and shape wouldn't work for me. The inner liner will hit the inside of the tire at full compression and it also squeezes the outer liner into a shape that is smaller than it's total diameter via its mounting tabs.
The FFR provided plash guard liners contact the side sails right where the wheel arch opening is.

In the end, I was able to re-use the FFR outer liners with modifications but not the inner liners. I will make new inner liners from scratch.

I haven't installed the front guards yet as they are a bit lower on my priority list.

[Frank818]

Oh crap, that's a lot more issues than I was expecting.
I have one more very important, my 265s are flush and even maybe 1-2mm outside the fender on one side. Given the -0.5 camber I doubt they would slide inside the fender at full compression, which means they will hit the fender?

What's your rear height?

[Hindsight]

I am right now at 4" rear height but will raise it to the FFR suggested 4.5" so I have full suspension travel.

The only way to know for sure if they will rub is to remove the spring and jack the tire up. the wheel does move in and cambers in as well when raised so you might be ok.

[Frank818]

Ok, I'm at 4.5 or something so yeah maybe I'm ok. If it rolls ok on a track I'll pass inspections as is (they don't check that) and fix it in over a year. If you set the rear in the middle of the travel threshold, you should have about 1.5" of travel up (wheel up, fender down), cuz the full travel is 3".

[Hindsight]

Well this happened tonight.......

http://i.imgur.com/IeWWJd1h.jpg


I still need to add the rear brace for it. I will do that tomorrow. Then hack up the engine cover for clearance, which is going to make me cringe but what can you do. The taller and different shaped bar really changes the look of the car. I like the lower "S" bar better because it looks sleeker but it was just unsafe with my head sticking way above it. Safety first.

And the new bar is probably going to prevent my engine cover hinge from working, so looks like I will need to use hood pins instead.

[Hindsight]

Added the rear braces tonight, finishing it off. I think my hoop is a bit more narrow (by about 2" total) in width than the R. In hindsight (yes there is a good reason that is my nickname), I might have made it wider (all the way out to the edge of the frame) because it's better to cut out engine cover material from the flat part than it is from the humps. Really just an aesthetic thing but it looks fine as-is. It took a lot of trimming on the engine cover and I was in a bit of a hurry burning the midnight oil two nights in a row to get this thing ready for the upcoming track weekend, so I still need to go back and clean the cuts up. At some point, I will make some sort of a cover that covers the slot I cut into the engine cover for the roll bar but I will need to spend more time thinking it out.

I still need to add the hump block-off plates (for support) and a quik-latch for the center of the engine cover. And I need to paint the roll bar. Will try to get all that done tomorrow night. The good news is that my engine cover hinge still works... sort of. I have to coax the front of the cover around the bars in some areas.

Oh yeah, I borrowed a friend's MIG welder to do this (since I only have a TIG). This was my first time MIG welding and WOW is it like 50x faster than TIG! Obviously not as pretty welds though.

http://i.imgur.com/IISp4e5h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Vj5p4hfh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Ol2hHRZh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1XuDRCWh.jpg

[Zach34]

Something to consider - there aren't any vertical tubes directly under the horizontal square 1.5" tube where your rollbar ends are welded. Tech inspectors for NASA are hitting the R's for having the rollbar welded to an open-ended horizontal square tube, which could collapse. But in the R, the rollbar ends are vertically inline with the 1.5" vertical square tubes that form the rear corners of the interior tub. I'm guessing a severe rollover impact with the way you have it welded could shear the horizontal square tube. Shouldn't be a tech issue if you don't plan on running NASA, though.

[AZPete]

Nice work, hindsight. Good luck on the track!

[Mulry]

Small thing, but make sure that you run the end of your shoulder harnesses back through the triple-bar adjuster before you roll on track (or into tech). That's an insta-fail in tech as shown in the photos above. I'm guessing you probably just haven't gotten around to it just yet while adjusting harness length, but I know from experience that's the kind of thing that's easily forgotten and then can frustratingly send you to the back of the tech line depending on who's doing tech and how they're feeling that day.

[Hindsight]

Thanks guys.

Zach, I won't be racing in any sanctioned series... just HPDE days. If that ever changes and I race in a series, I will want a full roll cage instead of a roll bar. I will also need slicks which means a dry sump and all that = $$$$ so probably not going to happen, at least no time soon. But I appreciate the heads up.

Question to those who run a lot of HPDE in Miatas and other convertibles/roadsters: How strict are HPDE tech inspectors for this kind of thing? I could re-do the bar but won't have time to re-do it before the race this weekend.... and it was a lot of work!!!

Mulry, thanks for the heads up on the harness straps! I'll ensure to loop them back through.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Question to those who run a lot of HPDE in Miatas and other convertibles/roadsters: How strict are HPDE tech inspectors for this kind of thing? I could re-do the bar but won't have time to re-do it before the race this weekend.... and it was a lot of work!!!


We did our first 3 track days with the S roll bar. No questions about roll bar. It was purely our decision to go to the taller bar.
We will also go to full cage in the future.
Bob

[Hindsight]

Cool thanks Bob. The consensus I'm getting from friends is that this bar should be just fine for HPDE.

[Frank818]

That's quite a change on the engine cover.

[Hindsight]

Yup, it is now basically just like the R. I may cut the front sides off completely, then make new fiberglass pieces that are removable, and close the gap to the humps..... down the road sometime.

[Hindsight]

At the track. First run great. Second run immediately experienced total power failure under corners. Exactly like fuel cut. So i pulled off and gassed it up but it only took 2.8 gallons! No clue whats happening. Will see if the extra 2.8 gallons helps i guess.

[RetroRacing]

Check your battery leads, sounds like something is loose

[Hindsight]

Just checked every connection i could and all is tight. Next run in 45 mins so fingers crossed. I also bypassed my racelogic traction control unit. I had it off, but the furst unit i got was bad and cut fuel even when switched off so maybe that's it

[RetroRacing]

Good Luck!!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Just checked every connection i could and all is tight. Next run in 45 mins so fingers crossed. I also bypassed my racelogic traction control unit. I had it off, but the furst unit i got was bad and cut fuel even when switched off so maybe that's it

Hindsight,
I take by your response that it now runs in the pits. When it cut out on the track, did it immediately restart?
Any fault codes stored in the ECU?
Bob

[Hindsight]

It didnt fully die, just lost ALL power and as soon as the g forces from the turn let up half way, the power instantly smapped back on in full. ONLY happens in turns, especially in hard S turns.

My last session was good. I only got 3 laps though because i realized my engine cover was not secure and was lifting so i had to pit. No cut outs the last session. I am going to try Hydramat as my next step soon and if that fails I will go transfer tank.

I already want stiffer springs and shocks with better rebound. Car is VERY fast. Will have vid soon.

[Hindsight]

Ok, if the tank is REALLY full, so much so that it gets fuel into my charcoal can, it doesnt cut out. So is def fuel starvation. Just amazed at how full it can be and still star e. I may end up fabbing my own tank that has plenty of baffles.

Gopro did great today so will have vids.

[metros]

Are you using ffr tank or Boyd tank?

[Hindsight]

The new ffr tank. Not Boyd. There is an 818R here with a biyd tank and he isnt having any issues like this...

[Frank818]

Definitely sounds like fuel tank with bad baffles and high lateral g-forces. Very surprised you need to fill it up THAT much to prevent starvation.
Surprised FFR never experienced that too...

Before fabbing your own tank you could try that guy's idea (forgot his name) and use this https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/hydramat/hydramats/parts/16-111

[mikeb75]

There are a couple of builds looking at the Hydramat. The only problem seems to be finding a fitting that will connect the holly fuel line to the Subaru/Walboro/Aeromotive fuel pump - but other than that issue its a very promising product for preventing fuel starvation.

OTOH, we found a surge tank and knock-off fuel pump from that E-place for really cheap (going to cost more for AN hose and fittings than the tank & pump).

[Hindsight]

Yeah the hydramat is on the list of things to potentially add. It is SPENDY though. But I have talked with a few people at the event I'm at who speak very highly of it.

Couple pics real quick... the 818 never fails to draw a crowd. I've talked with hundreds of nice people who have come by and asked 20 questions. About 50% have heard of Factory Five and the rest just look at me blankly when I mentioned it lol, so in the latter case, I have a canned spiel I go into.
http://i.imgur.com/VJMmbbEh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uLpTy0ih.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/s6ajs59h.jpg


And here is Ron's 818R. He lives about an hour North of me in Georgia and I just met him at this track event. Had no idea someone around here had an R that was on the track (though this was his first track event with it). He's a really nice guy and also has a BRZ with a supercharged LS3 in it :cool:

http://i.imgur.com/aOUimMRh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/g3ySMAwh.jpg

[Zach34]

Nice to see the interest in your car! Did you happen to catch what wheels/tires Ron was running?

[Hindsight]

I am not sure about wheels but he was running some nitto r compound DOT tires on there. Only 245 in the rear, IIRC, but he was turning good times on them. I will try to remember to ask abt the wheels today.

[Mechie3]

Getfast1.com has good quality made in USA fittings for m ch less than jegs and earls stuff.