Helixx’s 818C

[TheHelixx]

Hello All,

Another 818c for New England, coming out of Seekonk Massachusetts.

This thread should have been started a year ago. I picked up chassis 575 last August 17th 2019. I have lurked around the forum for a while before and obviously after this for ideas. Since I have frequently resorted to this forum any time I run into an issue rather than call FFR I can honestly say it is an incredible source of info. I can just picture my frustration on a lot of these obstacles solved by many of you before I came along.

About me...



I started out about 14 years old working with my dad on small engines through high school. He too started around the same time with his dad. I then moved to Jetski, ATV and dirt bike repair. Mom pushed me into starting a career rather than just jobs. At 19 I started with Bell Atlantic which then became Verizon until my current ripe old age of 41. I also worked car audio and security on the side as more of a hobby than a job. Once you start doing some of this however you tend to get friends and family out of the woodwork looking for an installer lol.

I confess that I have wanted a cobra since childhood. I’ve had the posters up on the wall, models and magazines alike all seeming timeless to me. Figuring sometime before retirement I would start on one. It all seemed payed out for me, but then marriage and children came in and I realized I’ll be working till I’m dead haha. I am actually a living the FFR credo.. I can’t spend the money I want to for a Cobra, but I have some skills and an 818 I can afford. Not to mention the fact that it’s a sweet car that looks 10x better in person.

I grabbed a 2005 WRX that was used by the original owner for racing. Had a handful of Perrin bits with Brembos and a roll cage. It didn’t run when I got it, but it was all there for 2k. This thing like many from the North East was a rust bucket.... Thankfully it turned out to be a diamond in the rough. The engine had 163-165 across all 4 cylinders, and all donor components were good aside from hardware and expendables (brakes, bearings, joints etc..)

I’m going to be posting a lot in the coming week to get it all caught up to current status.. Pics, Fabs and Hacks of plenty....

Brian

[TheHelixx]

I suppose I should start with the donor.. definitely doesn’t look like much, but turned out OK.

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[TheHelixx]

I thought I had more pictures but I guess I was to anxious to tear it apart.

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[TheHelixx]

Then there was pick up day..

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[TheHelixx]

Safe and sound in its new home..

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[Sgt.Gator]

Welcome to the Forum!

[TheHelixx]

Once drained and separated, I gave it a good pressure washing..

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Then hit it with the wire wheel and Dremel..

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A nice few coats of VHT and it looks pretty good.

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[TheHelixx]

This seems so quick when posted like this. It however was extremely time consuming..

Before:

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Head Rebuild: All new seals and lapped the valves. I also cleaned up the port castings, and polished the exhaust side only, I can’t find the pics of the ports at the moment but will edit later.

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Since I’m opting for equal length headers I had to grab a new oil pan and IAG pickup..

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Hopefully I didn’t make a mistake with the mixed reviews on the CNT headers. They looked awesome and the welds seemed quality. I test fit them with no issues. Then added some titanium wrap and aluminum shielding in the event of a fluid leak..

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A new water pump and complete timing belt kit with new covers and she’s lookin worthy!

After:

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Amazon
Header wrap- HM&FC Titanium Exhaust Wrap Roll 32Ft(L)2In(W)0.06In(T)
Valve spring compression- PQY Aluminum Valve Spring Compressor Tool
Gasket/seal set- Vincos complete EJ205 kit (mostly junk, would not buy again)
PCV- Genuine Subaru PCV Valve hose Kit WRX STi Legacy TURBO EJ205 EJ255 EJ257 OEM

CNT Racing
Headers- V2 04-07 Subaru STI Equal Length header

eBay
Oil pickup- IAG Performance Oil Pickup for 02-14 WRX / 04+ STI
Turbo lines- Turbo Oil Water Teflon Line Kit SUBARU IMPREZA Forester XT EJ20 WRX TF035 TD04L
Turbo Inlet- Perrin Red Turbo Inlet Hose for 02-07 Subaru WRX / 04+ STI - PSP-INT-401RD
Intake hose- PERRIN Afta-MAF Intake Tube Red For Subaru 02-07 WRX/STI

RockAuto
Clutch- Exedy KSB03
Complete timing Belt with water pump- Aisin TKS004
Thermostat- Gates 33857S

[Sgt.Gator]

Did you do Wayne's water neck burp mod?
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?13682-Help-with-engine-cooling-burping&p=143860&viewfull=1#post143860

[AZPete]

You do nice work! I think for 2K your donor is beautiful. When I built my 818C i wish I had a little helper like you have. Have fun!!

[TheHelixx]

Did you do Wayne's water neck burp mod?
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?13682-Help-with-engine-cooling-burping&p=143860&viewfull=1#post143860

I did, but the engine was assembled already when I did it. I put a shop vac on the end of the water neck and it came out clean. I admit, Tapping a thin area like that had me nervous though. The brass fitting snugged right up and the loctite will hopefully keep it sealed tight permanently.

[TheHelixx]

You do nice work! I think for 2K your donor is beautiful. When I built my 818C i wish I had a little helper like you have. Have fun!!

Thanks Pete. It had 175k on odometer and I couldn’t spin it over, previous owner confirmed it ran before being parked though. When I got it home I took the belts off and it was a seized alternator. I changed the fluids and through some cables on it. Started right up with some groaning but smoothed out. At that point I felt like I had already crossed a milestone.

I have some other nice shots of Ollie participating that you’ll see later. He’s haunting me to paint it Lime Green. Which I’ll say I do really like on this car, but if I’m gonna drive this for a while I think I need something a lil lower volume wise lol

[Ajzride]

The brass fitting snugged right up and the loctite will hopefully keep it sealed tight permanently. I used JB Weld to keep it sealed permanently, I hope I never need to pull it.

[aquillen]

Great work, thanks for running a build log, I love every one of them.

[TheHelixx]

I used JB Weld to keep it sealed permanently, I hope I never need to pull it.

Good call, I have some and can probly get in there with a Dremel and scuff it up to add it.

[TheHelixx]

Great work, thanks for running a build log, I love every one of them.

Thanks Art. My wife thought I was smitten by your skills while going through your build thread. I too am happy to make as much of this myself as I can. Some may have thought I was cheap when I decided to rebuild my seized alternator. I took it as an opportunity to literally see how it works and see if I could do it. I spend Sunday mornings with coffee and “How it’s Made” on the Science channel until the kids are up and take over The remote. It’s one of the few programs that actually hold my interest now days.

[TheHelixx]

Starting from the bottom per the manual. Oliver and I made quick work of the drilling, Clecos and rivets. another one of Wayne’s tips, I used a block of insulation to drill into. Also took an aluminum yardstick and predrilled holes with 2 and 3 inch spacing to mark all the spots.

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So one thing became apparent quickly to me.. I needed a lot of drill bits. I broke about 5 or 6 when I stumbled onto something accidentally which would change my drilling experience for the remaining 1000 rivets.. I sharpened 1 of the bits that I snapped off with the bench grinder. It’s about half the length, but this one bit drilled every last hole. And I still have it. Another nice thing to have is a right angle drill.

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Half way through the belly pan I looked over and saw the lil man copying me holding the rivets, so I thought it was time for a selfie :)

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I sanded the aluminum with 100g and clean with Acetone. Then a few coats of POR Berliner. I rolled this so it was smoother than brushing and less messy than spraying.

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[STiPWRD]

So one thing became apparent quickly to me.. I needed a lot of drill bits. I broke about 5 or 6 when I stumbled onto something accidentally which would change my drilling experience for the remaining 1000 rivets.. I sharpened 1 of the bits that I snapped off with the bench grinder. It’s about half the length, but this one bit drilled every last hole. And I still have it. Another nice thing to have is a right angle drill.
Were those Harbor Freight drill bits by any chance? I went through a few packs of those before I discovered Dewalt or Milwaukee last about 100x longer. It's always fun when the kids want to help out, that's going to be some good memories right there. Even better when you take them for a ride!

[aquillen]

Thanks Art. My wife thought I was smitten by your skills while going through your build thread. I too am happy to make as much of this myself as I can. Some may have thought I was cheap when I decided to rebuild my seized alternator. I took it as an opportunity to literally see how it works and see if I could do it. I spend Sunday mornings with coffee and “How it’s Made” on the Science channel until the kids are up and take over The remote. It’s one of the few programs that actually hold my interest now days.

Kudos on doing your alternator at home, that is the way to do it. I rebuilt or at least opened and re-lubed, refurbished contacts, bushings, whatever in the wiper motor, cruise control, starter, switches and so on. So interesting to see how things are engineered and built, what materials are used, what wears out and what can be saved. Keep at it for fun, education and satisfaction - "you did it" from end to end.

Having youngsters involved is absolutely priceless, keep that going, we need more of it nationwide.

[TheHelixx]

Were those Harbor Freight drill bits by any chance? I went through a few packs of those before I discovered Dewalt or Milwaukee last about 100x longer.

They may have been. I got a metal case full of SAE bits for Christmas years ago. I used up most of my 1/8th ones lol. Harbor freight has a place for those 1 or 2 use tools that are too pricey to purchase the good ones or not available to rent. We used to joke that their hand tools were actually forged out of solder, but it has improved from those days.

[TheHelixx]

Kudos on doing your alternator at home, that is the way to do it. I rebuilt or at least opened and re-lubed, refurbished contacts, bushings, whatever in the wiper motor, cruise control, starter, switches and so on. So interesting to see how things are engineered and built, what materials are used, what wears out and what can be saved. Keep at it for fun, education and satisfaction - "you did it" from end to end.

Having youngsters involved is absolutely priceless, keep that going, we need more of it nationwide.

Thanks, having rebuilt so many electric brushed motors during my R/C days, I figured how hard could it be. Turns out an alternator and a starter are basically the same.. they are just sandwiched together all funny and have tricks to holding the brushes to get the com in without breaking them.

[TheHelixx]

Like several before me, I too had some issues with the powder coating from the factory. Some spots were missed and some just plain didn’t stick. I scrapped a lot of areas off with my fingernail, then sanded with 220 to get a feathered edge to coat. I’m not really complaining since it was free with last years summer sale and even if not, I wouldn’t want to coat this whole chassis myself. Where it stuck it’s very stuck as it should be. The few spots were out of site with the body on it anyway.

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All of the laser cut pieces from FF are super slick and shiny on the edges. Paint would stick, but probly not very durable. I sandblasted all the steel before coating them with POR Topcoat (chassis black). The blasting cabinet I picked up from Harbor Freight has payed for itself ten fold. Between all the small pieces from the kit and all the donor parts, it transformed everything to uniform steel that accepted paint perfectly. As a tip for those that have never used a blast cabinet. You need air circulation.. I connected a cheap shop vac to the side of it and added an LED light bulb. The shop vac is committed to this and not used anywhere else. It literally is night and day as far as visibility goes. Once the media starts to run down, I pour the shop vac contents back in.

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The aluminum for the firewall fit great except for below the pedal box(the one you have to dimple). This is my first kit of any kind so I spun my wheels here for a while. I couldn’t tell if I was doing something wrong or the piece just didn’t fit well. Turned out to be the latter and just required some shaving to fit.

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[TheHelixx]

This is where I wish I would have taken more pictures as it’s kind of scattered.. you can see the different the sandblasting makes. Prepping the gold Brembos was a real pain. That coating they use is extreme. I tried oven cleaner, paint stripper even a bucket of brake fluid. It seamed to only soften it and take a thin layer off at a time. Ultimately keeping them wet with paint stripper for about an hour and following up with a pressure washer was working the best. This still needed a few tries though.

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Changing the bearings proved to be challenging without a press. Once you get the snap rings out, you can use a bearing puller rented from autozone or purchased from Harbor Freight. I reinstalled Timkens by heating the hubs and spindles in the oven and chilling the bearings in the freezer. They went in a lot easier than they came out that’s for sure. We used to do this for crank bearings on chain saws and jet skis with success. I coated the calipers with POR Ceramic caliper paint. Yes you might notice I love the POR products. It brushes on and self levels to a beautiful finish. Added some heat resistant Brembo stickers from eBay and coated it 2x with VHT clear caliper spray. I went with new OEM Brembo rotors and pads and with the front/rear suspension installed it’s really looking awesome. Was getting so excited at this point...

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Amazon
Sway bar bushings- Moog K90392 Sway Bar Bushing Kit
Tie rod ends- ACDelco 45A1052

eBay
Rear Bearings- OEM Koyo Rear Wheel Hub Bearing & Seals Kit

KNS Brakes
Brembo caliper adapters(rear)- KNS005
Oversized shoes for Brembo rotors(rear)- KNS800

RockAuto
Brake pads- BREMBO P56048N and P54039N
Brake rotors- Brembo 09781311 and 09781211
Parking brake hardware- 11847005
Front wheel bearings- Timken 517008
Front wheel seals- Timken 710463 and 710464

[TheHelixx]

Oh yeah, one more thing... I didn’t document my axel debacle.. Google the “pipe trick” wow did that work out nice. I read others posted that after and man are they right..
You may be able to purchase an aftermarket axel, but I tried 2 different ones and neither spline matched. I bought a used one off eBay and went together perfectly.

[aquillen]

Thanks, having rebuilt so many electric brushed motors during my R/C days, I figured how hard could it be. Turns out an alternator and a starter are basically the same.. they are just sandwiched together all funny and have tricks to holding the brushes to get the com in without breaking them.

If you were into R/C during the '90's you may have come across Quillen Engineering balancers, welders, winders, magnetometers, MaxZap battery conditioners, "MicroMixers", etc. Some of the biggest names in the motor business back then used my balancers but would never admit it - "trade secrets"...

[TheHelixx]

If you were into R/C during the '90's you may have come across Quillen Engineering balancers, welders, winders, magnetometers, MaxZap battery conditioners, "MicroMixers", etc. Some of the biggest names in the motor business back then used my balancers but would never admit it - "trade secrets"...

I raced from the mid 90's to maybe 2005ish, never quite got into the motors to that level. I remember Trinity Epic and Reedy, Lightspeed vaguely. Typically I just trued commutators and swapped brushes. Tho we occasionally balanced arms using epoxy and a Dremel.

[TheHelixx]

This is NOT a 1 person job. It doesn’t require multiple mechanically inclined people, but definitely a couple of sets of hands. This is I guess if you only have a basic set of chains and a cherry picker.. I first tried it like in the instructions, with the manifolds on.... yeah.. that wasn’t happening. I got my fingers beat up and used a lot of language that wasn’t for the kids to hear. The wife heard my conversation with the engine from the house and offered to help. I took off the headers and retried.. After I gave her a quick lesson on how to use the hydraulic valve, and what could happen to my hands with “accidental” over release.. we tried again. This time was much easier and with a rock of the engine and a twist of the valve she dropped right in..

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Then time to celebrate!!

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[Ajzride]

I've had mine in and out several times by myself, but I always do the engine and transaxle separate with the exhaust removed, I guess that makes it much easier.

[TheHelixx]

I've had mine in and out several times by myself, but I always do the engine and transaxle separate with the exhaust removed, I guess that makes it much easier.

Yeah that probly would have helped, but at the time it didn’t seam like the trans was in the way. Having the exhaust off gave it the clearance it needed. You made me think back and now I remember the other issue I had. The dolly I made to move it around the garage, got in the way of the lift supports. Basically I couldn’t get the engine far enough in toward the firewall. So I had to lean on it a lot to get it forward while my wife dropped it down into place.

[TheHelixx]

I opted to keep ABS, so I needed to figure out where the best place to mount the module. After moving it around a bit, I liked it in the void above the bend in the sway bar.

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I welded up a bracket with straight mild steel and part of the original mount. Coated it with POR Top Coat.

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It’s mounted in 3 spots with rivnuts to the frame.

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I picked up a second proportioning valve and rivnuted them like a sandwich so they can still be accessed.

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[TheHelixx]

Copper Nickel brake lines were well worth the investment. I was able to make all home runs to everything. 2 25’ roles were enough with some to spare.

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Kind of thinking I should have went with a remote reservoir setup., the notched section of the windshield is a lil like an afterthought.

Amazon
Brake Fittings- Metric Brake Line Invert Flare Fittings for 3/16" Tube. 10 x 1 mm 20 pack
Brake line- 2x 25 Ft. Roll/Coil of 3/16" (.028" Wall) Copper Nickel Brake Line Tubing
Brake hose(rear)- Universal Braided SS Brake Hose, 15" Long with 10mm Banjo
Line to Hose adapter- 3AN to 3/16" , 2 Pack
Clutch hose- Inline Tube Stainless Steel Braided Brake Hose Line -3an Straight W/90 18" Long Clear Coated
Brake Fluid- MAG1 120 Premium DOT 3 Brake Fluid - 32 oz.

[AZPete]

The ABS module mount looks good. I can't see if you used the donor rubber bushings on the mount but since the Subaru engineers thought they were important, I did the same. And, I see that you understand the diagonal design of the donor ABS system since you have two prop valves. You made the dip in the sway bar look intentional. :D Nice work.

[TheHelixx]

The ABS module mount looks good. I can't see if you used the donor rubber bushings on the mount but since the Subaru engineers thought they were important, I did the same. And, I see that you understand the diagonal design of the donor ABS system since you have two prop valves. You made the dip in the sway bar look intentional. :D Nice work.

Yeah I’m not sure the purpose of the rubber either, but I kept them also. My understanding of the abs came from this forum. You guys already did a lot of the R&D so it carved a nice path for the rest of us.
One thing I wish I would have had more of was pics of the rear brake line routing. The manual showed the lines running between the fuel tank and the frame. I did this and got it all bled, then found out the tank wouldn’t fit all the way back. At least not once you tried wedging the firewall in. I reran the left, right and clutch lines outside the frame once I scanned further ahead and verified it wouldn’t interfere. That sucked with one piece lines that needed to get a few feet pulled back through and around. You never get it back as nice after it’s been bent a bunch of times.

[Ajzride]

Personally I think if you take your time and notch the windshield surround very neatly, and then use what you cut out to make a detachable cover, it looks cleaner than a remote reservoir setup. I had a Jaguar XKR which was a six figure car when someone purchased it new that had the reservoir under the windshield with a removable cover. If you just notch it and don't make a cover, different story.

[TheHelixx]

Personally I think if you take your time and notch the windshield surround very neatly, and then use what you cut out to make a detachable cover, it looks cleaner than a remote reservoir setup. I had a Jaguar XKR which was a six figure car when someone purchased it new that had the reservoir under the windshield with a removable cover. If you just notch it and don't make a cover, different story.

I’m gonna give it a try with cutting it. I think your right with using the piece you cut instead of the aluminum FF gives you. I need to either reinforce the hood or just go with a center support. Or maybe both I guess, will cross that bridge when I get there.

[TheHelixx]

I upgraded the fuel pump since I had it out and seemed like a pain to get to again. I opted for a Walboro 255 with Hydromat after hearing about starvation issues. The Hydromat didn’t get as far back as I wanted it, but definitely better than the regular sock. I drilled a hole above the fuel inlet with a step drill for an 8an bulkhead fitting. The 90 degree fitting just clears the firewall and routes to the neck.

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To be MA compliant I needed a charcoal canister. I picked up a GM VC120 2 port canister and made up a bracket with clamps to hold it to the frame out of the way. I sent the vent back into the manifold like the OEM had.

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Amazon
Walboro fuel pump- GSS342

Summit Racing
Holley Hydromat - HLY-16-111
Bulkhead fitting - SUM-220882B
90 degree fitting- VPE-22908

Autozone
Charcoal Canister- VC120

[Sgt.Gator]

Most of us have found you don't need the front sway bar. I suggest you make sure you can remove it after the car is complete. It's possible, I removed mine about two months ago without having to disassemble anything but pulling off the front wheels. It was a bit tricky threading it out though, it took two people, one on each side of the car.
IMHO take it out now...

[TheHelixx]

Most of us have found you don't need the front sway bar. I suggest you make sure you can remove it after the car is complete. It's possible, I removed mine about two months ago without having to disassemble anything but pulling off the front wheels. It was a bit tricky threading it out though, it took two people, one on each side of the car.
IMHO take it out now...

That would be great. I didn’t like the way it fit anyway. The links are way longer than any I’ve ever seen and looked silly. I figured if it was needed then I guess I better put it on.

Thanks for the input.

[DSR-3]

My first drive, sans-sway bar was pretty scary, so I put it on. That helped it seems, the bump steer kit helped bigly, and now the car's balance is pretty good at not-track speeds. Unfortunately I can't get any good (track) time at the limits.
I would try disconnecting it and test before yanking it out.
Gator, can you please tell about or point to info on your suspension setup? Thanks!

[TheHelixx]

Time for another batch of updates. I find myself short on free time with a 7 and 3year old running around with sports and bedtimes. I basically get up about 5am and half an hour or 2 at the most and I spend it on the car, but don’t have the time to post updates. At night I pass out in the chair with them most of the time so that time is shot too.

I’m currently ready for registration and need to get insurance. Hoping to be on the road in the spring bringing my current build time to about 2.5 years.

Looks like I left off with everyones favorite, wiring…

[TheHelixx]

Using the WRX harness isn’t too bad once you delete most of the stuff you don’t need or want. Others have arranged theirs in several ways all having different benefits and drawbacks. This is the way that worked best for me with almost no wire extensions and lots of trimming. The only spot that was really short was to the rear bumper, basically 6-7’ extension.

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I opted to mount the computer under the seat where it’s out of the elements and can be removed easily. The seat doesn’t have to be removed, just 2 1/4” fasteners and it slides out under the support bar.

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The cabin fuse panel fit perfect under the dash and will be accessed with a small cover. I wrapped the harnesses with a plastic wrap similar to kitchen wrap but on a small roll. It all tidied up pretty nice, except under the fuse box where several harnesses split in 2 directions.

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Under the hood in the front is where my exterior fuse box ended up. If you are planing to purchase a wiper solution, this may not be a good spot for yours. I will be making my own so I wasn’t concerned.

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I used hot melt heat shrink and wire loom wrap to keep the harnesses clean. I also bought a few different types of connectors so items can be removed like lamps, dash and doors…

Amazon

Heat shrink:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07LBBLWXC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Wire Loom:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RZXSJBM/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Connectors:

2 Pin Molex- https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=mippkrirknlwuny&orderId=111-6792939-3971431&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=DkQXG3FhX
14 Pin Molex- https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=mhsgmqiqkoonsny&orderId=111-5178443-9009057&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=Dxf3ZkKlC
10 Pin Waterproof- https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=lmnkstiqnosnsny&orderId=114-8856091-6394631&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=DBNqY80nl
Variety Pack- https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_pop?_encoding=UTF8&gen=canonical&lineItemId=lgnplqhomptsuny&orderId=114-2089389-4171448&packageId=1&returnSummaryId=&returnUnitIndices=&returnUnitMappingId=&shipmentId=DhfHzvfv3

[TheHelixx]

This may be a bad idea in hindsight as I’ve been told by a few owners that it gets nice and warm in the coupe without any help. I’m hoping that it will serve more than just that and time will tell.

I opted to mount it as far back on the inside as possible without cutting any frame. I used 2 L brackets from Home Depot to anchor the top and made up a lower bracket to to brace it to the center vertical square tube of the interior. It’s held with 3 1/4 fasteners into rivet nuts.

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I ordered longer Barbs so I wouldn’t need hose clamps inside the car. I bent them to fit by filling them with sand and packing it tight so it wouldn’t kink.

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Once outside, I added an H pipe and the supplied coolant valve to 5/8 heater hose back to the engine. In case your reading about the H pipe for the first time here, it’s used to allow coolant to circulate back to the engine when the valve is closed.

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Summit Racing

Heater Core:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/VTA-506101

H Pipe:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/VTA-344470

Barb Fittings:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/VTA-12412-VBH

[TheHelixx]

For the 2nd purpose of this system, I made a servo controlled air box to toggle inside and outside air. At rest it draws from inside the cabin, when the servo is switched it will draw from a pick up that’s ducted from the front of the door jam.

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Hear is the duct from the air box to the block off plate.

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This air blower is pretty loud as a side note. I ended up putting a couple of layers of scrap yoga mat over it to fill it out a bit.

Amazon

3” Flange:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083RV56S5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_7BfJ2RQOhGYC4
3” Duct:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RZQ5FKW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_HMNDbVlpa5iIJ
Servo:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076CNKQX4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_SYTUlib3Ww9sx
Servo controller:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X0JKEMW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_pRh7g7hPUoxPo
Shaft and Linkage:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T232ZZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_j7j672FoVc31P

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08334VLZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_pmXlzAUS1y3xN
Bearings:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHTRB9S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_HUY9AjdCUFpat

[TheHelixx]

A lot of others have great solutions to the FFR supplied one. I ended up with an MR2 shifter that I gutted and made a frame for.

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Then used 7’ cables straight back to a steel bell bell crank I welded up for the transmission.

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It worked much better than expected and the throw is adjustable.


https://youtube.com/shorts/pdIZnO739H4

eBay

MR2 Shifter

Midwest Control Products

Cables:
https://midwestcontrol.com/shop/40-084-BH-BH-3-MSF-4-QD250

[TheHelixx]

Everything came together after a few botched first start videos. Leaking injector O ring on the first, then blown fuse on the second.. 3rd time was a charm so I’ll omit the first 2 failure videos and just celebrate the milestone!


https://youtu.be/xewoMovfRUM

[FFRWRX]

Cool shifter! Lots of creativity in how people tackle it. Nice heater set up too. I took the easy way out and used a Vintage Air system. But I did make my own shifter!

Rick

[TheHelixx]

My donor came with Corbeau A4s which were quite comfortable. I’ve seen a few other 818s with them, but I definitely couldn’t fit one in the passenger side. I’m assuming it’s because they had different fuel tanks.

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I settled in Corbeau FX1 Pros which per their site was one of a few that would fit. Opting for the suede ones put me out 4 months on production due to Covid delays. These seats fit me pretty snug, and I’m thinking if I gain any weight I’ll need to be greased to get out.

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I welded up brackets using 3/16 stock and was able to actually use a slider on the drivers side. I thought I had more pictures of this part but can’t seem to locate them. You get the gist though and I didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel on this part.

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Corbeau USA

FX1 Pro:
https://corbeau.com/fx1-pro/

[TheHelixx]

After I got it started and fixed any leaks that turned up, it was time to take it off the Jack stands. I set the ride height and gave it a string and framing square 4 wheel alignment. It was time to take this thing out for a maiden go kart voyage.


https://youtu.be/m9QewhyV5WE

[TheHelixx]

For the exhaust, I opted for a simple solution that went straight out the back through the vent in the bumper. I need a cat in Massachusetts and wanted something a little quieter than just that with a 3” pipe. I’ve always had good luck with quality and sound of Borla on my previous cars so I went the same route. Shopping for a used bell mouth locally didn’t turn up much and to purchase a down pipe with one new was pricey to just cut it up. I ended up finding one on eBay that worked nicely.

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From there I used a stainless Magnaflow cat to a 3” stainless 45 and a Borla XR-1 muffler. I used the hanger provided by FFR and an eBay 90 degree 1/2 stainless hanger that I bent to contour the bottom of the muffler.

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I had to actually mount the side sails and bumper cover to get the correct length of the system. The muffler litterally ended up the perfect length. The exit flange actually serves as my tailpipe which you can see here. Pictures off center, but the pipe is centered perfectly using paint sticks on top, bottom and sides.

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I’m not really sure if this a good or bad thing at this point.. it looks pretty cool at night.

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This also made me decide to use a heat shield on the top half of the cat.

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Here’s what it sounds like for reference..


https://youtu.be/YsD_PsFXB3U

Summit Racing

45 Degree pipe:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-622122

Cat:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MPE-59959

Muffler:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/BOR-40085

eBay

Hanger:

Bell mouth:

[Ajzride]

That is almost identical to my exhaust setup, except I have a flow master HT. Sounds very similar too. You welds look much better than mine.

[roadrashrob]

For the exhaust, I opted for a simple solution that went straight out the back through the vent in the bumper. I need a cat in Massachusetts and wanted something a little quieter than just that with a 3” pipe. I’ve always had good luck with quality and sound of Borla on my previous cars so I went the same route. Shopping for a used bell mouth locally didn’t turn up much and to purchase a down pipe with one new was pricey to just cut it up. I ended up finding one on eBay that worked nicely.

I had to actually mount the side sails and bumper cover to get the correct length of the system. The muffler litterally ended up the perfect length. The exit flange actually serves as my tailpipe which you can see here. Pictures off center, but the pipe is centered perfectly using paint sticks on top, bottom and sides.


Just wondering if you (or others) are concerned about how much the tailpipe will move around through the trim ring in the rear mesh? I have a similar setup, purchased from Bob Boig (rest his soul) and when shooting video of the engine while go-karting to check everything out, I was amazed at just how much the engine moves around on the mounts. Given the geometry, that will be somewhat exaggerated at the end of the tailpipe. I was thinking of getting a trim ring that provided about 1/2" clearance all around, as opposed to the 1/8" your paint stick method yields.

Thoughts?

[idf]

Just wondering if you (or others) are concerned about how much the tailpipe will move around through the trim ring in the rear mesh? I have a similar setup, purchased from Bob Boig (rest his soul) and when shooting video of the engine while go-karting to check everything out, I was amazed at just how much the engine moves around on the mounts. Given the geometry, that will be somewhat exaggerated at the end of the tailpipe. I was thinking of getting a trim ring that provided about 1/2" clearance all around, as opposed to the 1/8" your paint stick method yields.

Thoughts?

I have Boig's exhaust with Mike Everson's trim ring which gives about 1/4 to 3/8 inch clearance. No issues with interference between exhaust and ring.161647

[TheHelixx]

Just wondering if you (or others) are concerned about how much the tailpipe will move around through the trim ring in the rear mesh? I have a similar setup, purchased from Bob Boig (rest his soul) and when shooting video of the engine while go-karting to check everything out, I was amazed at just how much the engine moves around on the mounts. Given the geometry, that will be somewhat exaggerated at the end of the tailpipe. I was thinking of getting a trim ring that provided about 1/2" clearance all around, as opposed to the 1/8" your paint stick method yields.

Thoughts?

Your right about that, 1 paint stick clearance won’t do it. I actually used 3 or 4 on all sides, basically just kept adding till it locked the ring in symmetrically. The exhaust tip is 3 1/8”I believe and the ring is 4”. If it ends up rubbing on me, I’ll up the trim ring size. They offer them in 1/2” increments, so it’s flexible. I also have the group N mounts so it helps over the stock mounts with movement.

Amazon

4” trim ring
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015NIPQY8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_5WQKWSC13GE5TGYCT2YY?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

[roadrashrob]

Awesome. Great tip on "locking" it in symmetrically!

Thanks

[TheHelixx]

My least favorite part of the 818 was the dashboard. Before I even ordered one I decided that I needed to do something different. It was just too plain and didn’t really compliment the exterior. I remember walking up to the car in the showroom like yes! Then opening the door and saying oh, ok.. definitely a kit car. It wasn’t really a race dash and not really and OEM one either. I wanted to go one way or the other and probly should have just done a race dash after driving this thing. I opted to make it look more like the dash was made with the car and not like it came from something else. Another thing I wanted was flexibility for a different engine platform for the next revision.

Decided to go with Autometer gauges for everything so they matched. Tach and Speedo would be 5” and the rest 2 1/16”. Needed fuel, temp, oil pressure, afr and boost so yeah it started getting pricey quick.

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Found a supplier for high beam, directional and warning lights too.

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Now I needed to settle on a cluster first then layout the rest around that. I went through countless pictures online for inspiration, but the ones that I locked in on were out of my abilities at this time. A basic shaped one that was similar to the Subaru was where I started. I made the back plate with cellular PVC.. As this build log continues, you’ll see I use this stuff a lot. The sides are made of Home Depot waterproof wall board. It’s a pvc/fiberglass hybrid material. Templates were made from poster board which I transferred over. I heated it up and shaped it around jammed it in place with drywall screws. A bead of super glue on both sides hold it together. Once sanded I hit it with flat black.

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Autometer

Gauges
https://www.autometer.com/gauges/cobalt.html

Alpine tech

Lights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0765LWN88/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_29B3FMXBCPA95WBQFRYN?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

[J R Jones]

Helixx, I have used the wall board known as dairy board in the industry. I use it in door and trim panels where weather might be an issue.
I have found super glue (cyanoacrylate) has a limited service life. If I use it for hand held assemblies (no fixture) I go over it with a bead of epoxy. I see you used something to radius the inside fillet.
Looks good.
jim

[Ajzride]

I have Speedhut in my mustang, and looked at AutoMeter before buying them. Both are very pricey. That is why for the 818 I built a digital dash cluster. Much cheaper than custom gauges, and I can change it up as often as I want.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34088-Subaru-SSM-to-Can-Bus-Convertor-DIY

[TheHelixx]

I have Speedhut in my mustang, and looked at AutoMeter before buying them. Both are very pricey. That is why for the 818 I built a digital dash cluster. Much cheaper than custom gauges, and I can change it up as often as I want.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?34088-Subaru-SSM-to-Can-Bus-Convertor-DIY

I followed your progress on that actually and considered this also. The Realdash options were awesome, especially the Mclaren one. When I tested it, I had lag on the tach in 3 different devices and 3 different obd2 adapters. I did pick up an arduino kit and started messing with programming to adapt something. Time was getting the better of me, so I went with something I was good at for the first revision. Plus I got the gauges all either in sale or open box for a nice discount.

I took this project on when my oldest son was 19 and my 2nd was 5. Turned out the 5 year old was more interested than my oldest, but wants to play with it kore than anything.My little girl was just about 1 and when she started walking and talking I quickly realized I had to lower some expectations if I wanted to complete this before I’m retired.

[TheHelixx]

Helixx, I have used the wall board known as dairy board in the industry. I use it in door and trim panels where weather might be an issue.
I have found super glue (cyanoacrylate) has a limited service life. If I use it for hand held assemblies (no fixture) I go over it with a bead of epoxy. I see you used something to radius the inside fillet.
Looks good.
jim

We’ll now I know what it’s called, thanks Jim

Agreed on the CA glue. I actually ended up wrapping a couple of laps of glass tape around the outside as reinforcement when I heard cracking on flex.

[J R Jones]

Helixx, Depending on the application I use other materials. I have preformed sheets and tubes of FRP in polyester and epoxy. Coincidentally I recently pieced together these louvers from rectangles and triangles cut from epoxy sheet.
They vent the interior from the top half and the engine from the lower half, horizontal plane in the middle.
I panel bonded the rectangles in place then super glued the triangles top and bottom. After I got my fingers freed, I panel bonded the triangles. Bondoing the joints and fillets.
No fixture required.
jim

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161791

[TheHelixx]

Helixx, Depending on the application I use other materials. I have preformed sheets and tubes of FRP in polyester and epoxy. Coincidentally I recently pieced together these louvers from rectangles and triangles cut from epoxy sheet.
They vent the interior from the top half and the engine from the lower half, horizontal plane in the middle.
I panel bonded the rectangles in place then super glued the triangles top and bottom. After I got my fingers freed, I panel bonded the triangles. Bondoing the joints and fillets.
No fixture required.
jim

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161791

Excellent work.

[TheHelixx]

I made this using cellular pvc for the sides and 1x1 pine for bracing. Once I locked the width at the bottom in with screws I heated the the sides up until they contoured to the width needed for the center stack. It was easier to make the top in a separate piece and glue it in after. I spaced the supports out so they fell between anything being installed like gauges, radio etc.. It’s braced to the rest of the dash with more pvc, aluminum rivets and epoxy.

You can see in the last picture how the dash will be anchored to the frame. There’s 4 1/4 20 fasteners into rivet nuts that will be hidden when complete.

I cut the sides at the front off to make them removable to access the fuses when needed.

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The center console need to have a small arm rest that would hold paperwork, wallet phone etc… I reused the WRX one at it had the perfect width and an easy to incorporate hinge.

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[TheHelixx]

To add the contours needed for the final shape, I hot glued in more PVC that I shaped with a jig.

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I made a cluster frame also using poster board transferred to more PVC.

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Heat and repeat for all these pieces. There will be three removable covers on the lower half of the dash to access the fasteners and give it more depth. I added in 2 rings I cut out for dash vents that I don’t seem to have pictures of, but you can see in the next step.

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I then stretched fleece over the whole skeleton and made sure no additional changes needed to be made. After the next part there’s no turning back. All the edges and dips needed to be super glued so they stay put.. I used a lot of glue on this part.

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[TheHelixx]

Lots of Resin.. Had to coat everything until it was as saturated as possible. It adds weight so it has to be pulled tight. That’s where the super glue comes in. It dries fast and doesn’t react to the resin. I tried this a while back on a subwoofer enclosure with spray contact cement.. It peeled right up when the resin got to it.

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Once that cured I took it out and coated the inside wherever I didn’t saturate through. Also added some chopped strand fiberglass strips in all the edges for reinforcement.

The next layer really makes sanding the final easier. I mixed 50/50 resin and Durarock filler with both crème and liquid activators. Once mixed it’s like a thick paint and spreads on with a disposable brush. It self levels to a point and smooths out the rough fleece surface.

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A skim coat of Rage and lots of sanding finalized the shape.

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[TheHelixx]

Here it is in primer for the first time. Still plenty to do, but I wanted to see how bad the body work was before I continued.

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[J R Jones]

Move over Art Quillen, the Helixx is right behind you.
Remarkable work like this requires imagination skill and determination. Kudos
Your 818 is lucky to have you.

BTW I am not above making car parts out of sewer plumbing. I could buy Ferrari/Fiat tail lamps but not mount nacelles. Tape measure in hand I bought PVC sewer bits, shaped them with my lathe and glued them together.
Not SAE or Enzo approved.
jim

161844

[Ajzride]

Love the dash. I have a 2010 WRX dash, but have been thinking I want something more exotic and brainstorming on ways to accomplish such a thing. Definitely bookmarking this page. Great work.

[TheHelixx]

The controls that came with the Vintage Air heater would be fine in a classic, but I wanted it to match the newer look. I took out the 2 switches and potentiometer and set out to make a new display for them.

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These universal knobs were a great start. They reduced the effort to turn, allowed light to pass through and looked good doing it.

161854

I wanted to be able to backlight it, so I used a 2 layer sandwich of lexan. If anyone hasn’t worked with Polycarbonate, Acrylic or Lexan.. the chemical used to bond it is magnificent. It’s the consistency of alcohol and you syringe it into the joint. With pressure the seam disappears as it melts the two pieces together. The great thing about this 2 layer setup is I can apply LEDs to the sides and they flood the whole piece. You just need to make the surface opaque and it glows evenly. To do that I just sanded the face with 600 grit and it looks white.

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I used Photoshop and the wife’s Cricut machine to make a mask for the background. It’s literally just matte black vinyl that’s cut out to order.

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Here it is during the day, and at night.

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Home Depot

Lexan


Amazon

Toyota Tacoma Knobs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075STLGCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_SHCT96WQA2PPCQCR4MY4?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

Acrylic Glue
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0149IG548/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_0TC3WZSXMVM7NXC38VBQ

Cricut

Cricut Explorer
https://cricut.com/en_us/cricut-explore

[aquillen]

Sweet work - love seeing your ideas and results. I also looked closely at OEM dashes, but in the end decided I wanted to have SOME of the 818 flavor, just because that was one of the kit's signatures, even if it was low key.

What you have is OEM but hand made - best of both worlds in my view. I can see it will have a great look, wife saw it and agrees too. (that carries a lot of weight around here .... :)

You want some fantastic super glue (and so thin and runny it will get on anything and everything - dangerous actually). Sets extremely fast. Get Bob Smith Industries (a hobby product). They make super thin and other thicker grades, I always use the super thin.

Both CA and the solvent bond you are using for the acrylic (I have the same can in you pix), can cause hairline cracks, especially on non-polished cut edges of the various plastics that it bonds. You usually don't see them unless you loo with a magnifier, but in some cases it will cause larger visible cracking. If you are covering the end result with something you never see it. It is particularly hard on the special resins used to make OEM tailight lenses - the cracks can grow for a couple hours or more even though the adhesive appears to have dried away. Epoxy typically doesn't do that but doesn't bond anywhere near as well to these plastics. The best epoxy I've seen so far for acrylics if you need to go there, is JB Weld's plastic bonder two part epoxy.

Anyway, great job - thanks for sharing!

[TheHelixx]

Last few things needed for the center console were toggle switches, revised shift boot, power door lock/window switches and a cup holder. I’ll save the sound system for a different post as there’s quite a bit to it.

Toggle switch rack is 4 gang in blue with an extra USB/voltage meter. It’s great for the voltage in the event there’s an alternator or battery problem. Usb chargers are a bonus.

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I don’t recall getting a shift boot from FFR, but the WRX one ended up being just fine. The problem was just that it was designed for a flat surface. I used some of that Lexan here again to make a curved frame. The wrx boot went right on it with contact cement. Honestly it looked just like the original but the subtle curve made it contour the bezel.

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I never found any replacement window switched in blue, so I reused the supplied ones. I could probly find replacement surface mount leds but it didn’t really bother me much once installed. For power door locks I sourced a universal switch for windows or locks. It unfortunately isn’t lit and may revisit this later.

The cup holder was just a universal aluminum one. I actually ended up with several of these in differently sizes until I found one that fit my Yeti comfortably.

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Here’s the final layout in primer.

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And then coated in SEM texture coat and Landau black.

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Here’s a test of all the lighting. The final pictures of everything installed and wrapped I'm saving until the end.

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Amazon

4 gang switch
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC9FCMW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_DS7PJy5rJCAAC

Voltage meter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T362SW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_4w8jCVmJPuU2r

Door Lock switch
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BBR3SR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_8HDuFsppIbVpu

Cup Holder
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00911UZRW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_I1SZ8vwdKUIUV

Albert Kemperle

SEM texture coat


SEM Landau Black

[Jetfuel]

Try this Co.
https://rockerswitchpros.com/
Single or double function lit switches with custom symbols....

jet

[aquillen]

Lovely

[lance corsi]

Stellar work!

[wallace18]

Super Job!:cool:

[q4stix]

I'm impressed! The dash fabrication and results are great!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

"""""WOW""""" Great job on the Dash

[TheHelixx]

Try this Co.
https://rockerswitchpros.com/
Single or double function lit switches with custom symbols....

jet

Thanks for this, lots of choices here.

[Jetfuel]

You’re welcome
Such a beautiful and radical dash/console creation could benefit with some one of a kind switches…

Jet

[TheHelixx]

Ah, everyones favorite part of the 818C.

One thing that I could pay forward on this is to get the windows in and working before you set the strikers. If you follow the instructions you probly won’t have enough adjustment in the direction you need for the window tracks.

I should have taken Lances advice in the S10 tracks rather than making the wibbly wobbly provided ones work. Even if you get it lined up nicely, they wave in place at full extension if you move the door in and out. They seem to rely on outer weather strip at the bottom and felt molding at the top to hold it still.

I did manage to get the supplied felt molding to touch all around but it would bind on the rear when going up and down. I copied Art Quillen on the molding choice to resolve. Also added the fabric tape he used to help with wear and tear.

162031

This part took me just as long as everyone else. It seems like it should be straight forward. Roll it up, set the glass and gaps then roll it down with the lower fasteners loose and tighten where it doesn’t bind….. Not so much.

I won’t go into depth on this part because trial and error is the best way. You just have to keep tweaking it and it eventually gives you “acceptable” results.

I did add reinforcement to the track like others did. When it came to modifying I used off the shelf items from Home Depot. Nylon spacers that I tapped and cabinet nut inserts. These pictures were early and I actually moved the 2 bronze cabinet nuts back from the edge.

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Moving the rear shower rollers further toward the back helped as well. It kept the top rear corner from digging into the molding when going up and down.

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Here’s how it ended up working after a weeks worth of evenings lol.


https://youtu.be/vJe5TP3izgM

[TheHelixx]

For the door skins, I installed them per the manual. The only difference was how I planned to mount the inside door panels.

First I got the gaps with paint sticks and surfaces even with the side sail. I couldn’t get my doors forward enough to need spacers behind the strikers like Factory Fives 818c. I even ground into the A pillar to get enough for paint sticks.

Then the inside edge of the skins needed to be cut back so it was 1/2” away from jam. This gave me enough room for my panels when the door is closed.

On my kit I needed the inside diameter of the door to be smaller than the outside so I didn’t get any rubbing. Basically the leading edge of the door would rub at the lower rear section of the jam. To resolve this I cut 2 triangular notches out and pulled the fiberglass back in. I held it in place with glass tape and added new fiberglass to bond the seam. Now it maintains the same 1/8 on the inside as the outside when closed.

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To cut out the window openings, I bumped up the glass till it touched the inside of the door skin. Then drew a line in sharpie for the contour. To cheat and not keep taking the doors off and realigning, I shined a light up from the inside and traced my sharpie line.

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The I cut it with an angle grinder so I had a starting point. Bumped up the window and retraced the contour of the glass every couple of inches that it came up. I used a sharpie with a couple of popsicle sticks taped to it. This left me with a line that was exactly what was needed for clearance.

Lastly I needed an edge to mount the new door panels on. I used dairy board as a dam and reinforced with aluminum tape. Silicone spray worked as a release agent for the new fiberglass layer on the inside edge. This made the door much more rigid and gave it a decent edge to mount the new panels. I used more of that resin/rage mix to make it smooth.

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I drilled several holes and installed grommets in them so my panel clips had something more rugged than bare holes in the fiberglass to hold on to.

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[roadrashrob]

Curious what the dark panels on the inside of your doorskin are? Sound deadening material?

I'm just behind you in working on my doors, and you have provided me some really helpful ideas! Thank you.

[Canadian818]

Great work!

[TheHelixx]

Curious what the dark panels on the inside of your doorskin are? Sound deadening material?

I'm just behind you in working on my doors, and you have provided me some really helpful ideas! Thank you.

Those are Q pads from Evercoat. I was going to introduce them in the carpet post, but they are similar to Dynamat without the foil. They are in 16” squares, and are kind of crappy to work with honestly. You need a heat gun to get them to mold or they crack. My brother sells them as an Evercoat distributor so I went with them.

And your welcome.

Hopefully I can pay forward as much as possible as I got a lot from this forum.

[TheHelixx]

For door panels I started with poster board to make a template. It’s cheap, easy to work and repair if you mess up. I taped it to the door and closed it so I could mark where the side sails and dash board mated.

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Then I transferred this to more dairy board, cut and drilled for the push in fasteners.

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To give it definition and structure, I made a platform to join the door panel to the dashboard. Then speaker rings aimed to the center of the cabin. Finally a spacer to get the door pull level to accept the bezel.

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This whole piece will get wrapped in fleece like the dash was and coated in resin. I ran a bead of super glue down the full length of the V so the definition would start above this point. If not the panel would hit the kick plates when the door is closed.

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Once it got a coat of resin/rage, lots of sanding and body filler, I coated it in primer.

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One thing I can’t find a picture of is the reinforcement steel Tee plate I made for the door pull. It’s 2 pieces of 1” 3/16 steel welded into a Tee and bolted to the door frame. This way when the door is pulled it’s not just on the panel.

Here is a final of the panel before trim work is attached. It gives the basic idea of what it’s going to look like. I tried hydro dipping carbon fiber with a bunch of different things and I wasn’t happy with the results so that one didn’t make the cut.

162203

For the top edge to hide the opening in the window cut, I used brush strip. They sell various types at Home Depot, the one I used was the white vinyl one. I drilled a hole every inch in it and epoxied it in place. To cut the brush shorter I pinned it between 2 pieces of steel with vice grips and ran a fresh blade down it. After blending it into the panel with body filler this is what it looks like.

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[TheHelixx]

Great work!

Thanks. I’ve followed your build since ordering my kit. I have the Subie in it to get it on the road and registered. I REALLY want a 2 rotor for the next revision. Can’t beat that sound!

[jbs72697]

Very nice work! I have an 818s that I’ve been slowly working on and following the builds on here really helps with the motivation

[TheHelixx]

For carpet, I just bought my own. The laser cut stuff from FFR looks nice, but I wasn’t sure if it was cut to fit perfectly leaving no room for error.

I picked up 3 yards of 80” super flex black ozite and 2 yards of 36” grey carpet pad. To adhere I used a large can of Instabond spray adhesive and a Quart of Weldwood contact cement for the edges.

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The carpet pad went the entire length of floor boards from under the dash to the top of the lower firewall. I left an inch off all edges of the pad so the carpet would adhere direct to the metal. It gives it an embossed look as well that looks great. If you mess up on the cuts within reason, you can literally pull and stretch this stuff to fix the mistake.

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I should add that the entire floor and firewall is coated in Qpads as well. It similar to Dynamat, but in 16” squares. There’s no advantage to these over the other, they are just an Evercoat product which my brother is a distributor for.

162273

Your Auto Trim Store

Black Ozite carpet
http://store.yahoo.com/yourautotrim-store/black7.html

Grey pad
https://store.yahoo.com/yourautotrim-store/graycarpetpad.html

Instabond spray
http://store.yahoo.com/yourautotrim-store/instabond.html

Home Depot

Westwood Contact Cement
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DAP-Weldwood-32-fl-oz-Original-Contact-Cement-00272/100125525

Evercoat

Qpads
https://evercoat.com/product-detail/base-part/100116/us/

[TheHelixx]

Hopefully this wasn’t all a waste. I’ve always loved to have great sounding audio in all my vehicles since I was a teenager. That was where I learned how to use fleece and resin for custom subwoofer enclosures. After driving this as a coupe I can tell you that the engine is quite loud right behind your head even when you don’t get on it. Listening to music while driving seems to be a mediocre experience. I’m not complaining about the noise, because it really is an exciting experience. That being said You probably don’t need to go too big on this department.

The heart of the sound system is the deck. I had one that I loved from a previous vehicle that I reused on this project. The Sony XAV-AX5000 is a standard double din screen, but has a single din chassis. This made it an easy fit without any modification. It’s got the standard Apple CarPlay/Android Auto by wire. And can play Media from a usb stick.

162465

For speakers, I went with JL Audio C2650 separates up front and C2-350x coaxials in the rear.

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The closer you can keep your separates the better, but in my case I wanted to close up the A pillar a little more so I put the tweeters up there. To hold them I made fiberglass inserts that aimed them to the center of the cabin.

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For the rear, I needed to close up that opening that the 818 leaves behind the seat. This gave me the opportunity to incorporate the coaxials into a cover. It also gives you a speaker near your head that when tuned right will bell with the engine and road noise.

162472162473

Here’s a before and after..

162474 162475

Crutchfield

Media Deck
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-yFvRcBRicLc/p_158XAV5000/Sony-XAV-AX5000.html

Front Speakers
https://www.crutchfield.com/email/link.ashx?a=1&b=16854023&c=3T102&d=https://www.crutchfield.com/I-rETNc102/p_136C2650/.html

Rear Speakers
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-o9Ngs8DHu1n/p_136C2350X/.html?omnews=16854023

[TheHelixx]

For a small and lighter subwoofer, I also stayed with JL for a 6w3v3-4. I used the decks amplifier to drive the speakers and a JL JX250/1 amp for the sub.

162485162484

If any of you have or have built subwoofer enclosures, you know how heavy they get. The whole point of this car was to save weight so I wanted to see if I could get a lightweight box that could hold low frequency. Back to my trusty cellular PVC. This alone will probly sound like garbage and fall apart quickly. So I reinforced it with several braces that are epoxy and brad nailed. Then I lined it with sound deadening pads to reflect back into itself. All seems are glued and glass reinforced. There’s a port tube that runs full length with dimensions specd from JL. I made a couple of different versions of this to try and am shocked how well the 2nd performed actually. Best part is the whole thing weighs 10lbs., 6 of which is the sub.

162478162480162481162482

Tough to see, but it fits centered between the seats.

162483

Crutchfield

Subwoofer
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_1366W3V34/JL-Audio-6W3v3-4.html

Amplifier
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-gVRcjBFECrl/p_136JX2501/JL-Audio-JX250-1.html

[Rob T]

This is some very impressive work. Thanks for sharing.

[TheHelixx]

My column was too long to connect the swivel joint like everyone else it seems. I compressed it maybe 2 inches, or as far forward as I could redrill on the frame. I squeezed the sides with a welding clamp and tapped it in easily.

162518

To close the gap to the dashboard, I used some poster board to make a dam the length I need to blend it in. This was built up with fiberglass, then body filler to smooth out.

162519

While I was redoing this, I cut a triangle out for my shift light. I really like this thing, you can customize how they light and what rpm levels trigger what color. It’s a Trac-Pac™ SQ Sequential Shift Light from Fast Lane innovations. You set it up with a phone or tablet.

162520 162521

At this point I ditched the WRX wheel and put in a Momo Eagle. This ended up being smaller than the original which didn’t seem to matter to me until I put it in. I had made the cluster so it sat perfectly in the center so it had unobstructed view. Now the top of the wheel runs through the gauges when at its lowest point. Kind of unfortunate, but when it’s raised it’s fine. I added an NRG quick release also that makes it super easy getting in and out. Also adds to the anti theft, as someone would need to break in and have a steering wheel to take it.

162522 162523 162524

Here’s some pictures of the results.

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To keep the horn I used one of the plates that came with the hub. I bent a tab up to make contact with the greased brass ring on the back of the hub. Then just screwed the horn wire out of the Subaru harness to activate.

162769



Momo

Eagle
https://momo.com/en-us/momo-street-steering-wheels/momo-eagle.html

NRG

Short Hub
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WG9RRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_A01Y84W81Q2BDQGFAQHF?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

Quick release
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQ1U7SM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_miIjc244qwx91

Fast Lane Inovations

Trac-Pac™ SQ Sequential Shift Light
https://fastlaneinnovations.com/product/sequential-shift-light/

[TheHelixx]

I read of a lot of builders having issues with getting the headliner aluminum to stay put. I decided on going direct to the fiberglass. I don’t live where it’s blazing hot and when it does get into the 90s I won’t be driving this sweatbox.

I knocked down all the stray fibers and skimmed the edges with body filler. After it sanded relatively smooth, I hit it with the same Instabond glue from the carpet, just masked the area I didn’t want the liner on.

162600

My wife helped me lay it down slowly so it didn’t wrinkle. After an hour or so I went around the edges with a fresh blade and here’s how it came out.

162601

That wraps up the interior until the final pics get posted. Next up is the body…

[J R Jones]

Aluminum? The headliner surface looks like a fabric.
I have a glass cloth texture on the underside of the roof, with old contact cement remnants.
With our conversation about dairy board in mind, I am considering that as a liner. The local contractors get dairy board with two smooth sides, the Home Depot example is smooth on one side and a pebble-like texture on the other.
I could get that to fit, but fabric or something soft would have better acoustics.
BTW are you anticipating rain water in those air passages, or drips?
BTW green grass in MA?
jim

[TheHelixx]

Aluminum? The headliner surface looks like a fabric.
I have a glass cloth texture on the underside of the roof, with old contact cement remnants.
With our conversation about dairy board in mind, I am considering that as a liner. The local contractors get dairy board with two smooth sides, the Home Depot example is smooth on one side and a pebble-like texture on the other.
I could get that to fit, but fabric or something soft would have better acoustics.
BTW are you anticipating rain water in those air passages, or drips?
BTW green grass in MA?
jim

The 818 comes with a sheet of aluminum that your supposed to apply fabric then stick to the fiberglass. Several builders had issues with it falling down with various types of adhesives. I just glued the supplied fabric direct to the fiberglass. It has a foam backing and seems to rip the foam if you try to remove. If I have to replace it later I’m sure it will fight me to clean up.

I hope no water comes in the vents, I don’t intend to take it out in the rain. I did rinse it gently with the garden hose and didn’t get any water inside.

Sure it’s always sunny and 70 in NE haha. I’ve completed the car already, this picture was from last summer. I didn’t have time to update this thread while I was building, I used it all to get things done. At night I fell asleep in the chair with the kids most of the time. Now that it’s done I use that time to update this. Hoping to get 1 post a day on something until I get to graduation. I’m insured now and currently waiting for a day off to start negotiating with the DMV for an inspection.

[roadrashrob]

Sure it’s always sunny and 70 in NE haha. I’ve completed the car already, this picture was from last summer. I didn’t have time to update this thread while I was building, I used it all to get things done. At night I fell asleep in the chair with the kids most of the time. Now that it’s done I use that time to update this. Hoping to get 1 post a day on something until I get to graduation. I’m insured now and currently waiting for a day off to start negotiating with the DMV for an inspection.

So THAT explains your incredibly fast progress! :-) Keep the posts coming. Your providing me a ton of ideas...

[J R Jones]

Helixx, With your background in acoustics, you know how hard surfaces (aluminum) reflect noise. With no FFR roof, I was not aware of the material choices. Your configuration is likely quieter and the foam adsorbs reflected noise, in this case twice.
On a tangent association, I was on a team that developed a water cooled V4 motorcycle for Harley Davidson with Porsche in Germany. The Weissach (racing) engineers critiqued our contribution for complexity of parts and materials.
On the inside was their engine. Around that was a steel monocoque frame, an air duct inner, an air duct outer, and a cosmetic cover. Simple and efficient usually takes a lot of imagination.
jim

162645

[TheHelixx]

Body wise, I took a lot of pictures. Not a lot on issues I had with fitment though. Most were just because I loved looking at it lol.

Side sails fit perfectly for me mounting per the manual. I added the rear bumper cover , but redrilled new holes for fasteners from FFRs. Theirs held everything together just fine, but weren’t aligned. Once the side and rear panels were locked together I slid the rear bumper side to side until the rear wheel spacing was symmetrical. Then I drilled and fastened the top of the rear sails.

162696

Next I dropped the roof down so it fit up to the sails and bumper. I ended up having to open up the front mounting holes to get it to slide forward more. Prior to doing this I couldn’t resolve this gap I had where the roof met the sail. I couldn’t slide the sails back any further as my striker plates couldn’t back up any more. Aside from that mod, the rest went according to manual for the roof.

162697

Door wise, this took a lot of trial and error to get it to fit nicely. I had to grind the A pillar base a bit to get the door forward enough so it had decent gaps. If I raised it to what was needed I got a huge gap vertically where the roof met the sail behind the door.

Onto the front end…..

This was a real PITA for me.. I used a cross laser alignment tool which was a mistake on a kit car I think lol.. I kept fighting with alignment and gaps until I started measuring each piece. Turns out my drivers side fender is a full inch longer than the passenger side. This kept throwing the hood alignment off as well as the gap to the pillars from side to side.

I got the nose insert fastened and locked to the fenders to start. This needed to line up as I couldn’t really modify it much.

162698 162699

Then I dropped the hood in place.. here’s the gap I had..

162701

I then fastened the fenders to the side sails in the lower rear points. These also needed to go here regardless as I couldn’t really alter that.

162700

Now I skewed the fender toward the passenger side until I got the rear hood to fender points similar. I locked these down with clamps temporarily while I adjusted the nose so my wheel spacing was symmetrical. Now I had the nose, hood and fenders as close to aligned as I could so I fastened them to the front of the chassis.

This left me with 2 issues.. the fenders needed spacers on the top mounting points which wasn’t a problem as others needed this as well. The other, was the gap I had on the drivers side of the hood to fender. I tried pulling on the bottom and tucking it up to close it up, but it put the fiberglass under a ton of stress. I honestly thought it might crack after I painted it so I had to come up with a different solution.

It seems a little hack, but I filled the gap with short strand body filler. To make the gap I taped a strip of cardboard box the full length of the hood on the drivers side. Then filled the fender side seem. Once dry, I cracked the seem open and removed the tape and cardboard. Once I finessed this with some body filler and sanding the gap issue was solved

162702

Here’s a good shot of just how small these cars are. This is next to my sons lowered GTI. My 6 year old was almost the same height.

162703 162704

[TheHelixx]

Helixx, With your background in acoustics, you know how hard surfaces (aluminum) reflect noise. With no FFR roof, I was not aware of the material choices. Your configuration is likely quieter and the foam adsorbs reflected noise, in this case twice.
On a tangent association, I was on a team that developed a water cooled V4 motorcycle for Harley Davidson with Porsche in Germany. The Weissach (racing) engineers critiqued our contribution for complexity of parts and materials.
On the inside was their engine. Around that was a steel monocoque frame, an air duct inner, an air duct outer, and a cosmetic cover. Simple and efficient usually takes a lot of imagination.
jim

162645

Having a German engineer critique on complexity is priceless lol. Just look at the mono wipers they made


https://youtu.be/LdNu113Ep2U

[J R Jones]

Helixx, Very in-ter-est-ing.
I left Harley for Mercury Marine and a new development culture. My first senior engineer, being a practical guy, expressed his opinion that it is more difficult to engineer for Chevrolet than for Mercedes. At Mercedes there is no cost restraint. At Chevrolet engineers must meet the same objectives at a limited price point. I agree, the best solutions are not the first, unconstrained solutions.
I am (also) building a replica of a 1929 Mercedes SSK, with Lexus running gear. There are compromises with contemporary technology but every facet attempts to resemble 1929. Ironically the real 1929 chassis resembles my Winnebago; too much compromise.
BTW we took the Weissach (racing) engineers to a local tractor pull. They hung on the cyclone fence aghast as farmers on 1500hp Allisons and multi BBCs went by at 2MPH.
jim

162717

162718

[TheHelixx]

I originally drilled and countersunk fasteners where the clear lens would go. This worked ok, but they would need to be glued do they wouldn’t spin. If the glue failed I would need to pry the lens off to get the bucket out. The headlamp is easily changed but the LED directional and running lights need the bucket removed to retrieve.

I found a better way, using sink fasteners. I had to glue and glass the studs around the fender and bend the included retaining clips a little. The result was pretty good. Plenty rigid and easily removable. I used the same weather strip Art did from Home Depot. It’s really squishy and definitely keeps the water out. When I had forgot to bring the fenders in one night, we got some rain. The buckets stayed full of water all weekend until I drained them.

162771 162773 162772

Amazon

Sink Fasteners
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7HCSYH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_78Ak9KyDT3YaC

Home Depot

Weather strip
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-3-4-in-x-7-16-in-x-10-ft-Black-High-Density-Rubber-Foam-Weatherstrip-Tape-R734H/100047977

[J R Jones]

In the not too distant past I have salvaged four vehicles as donors: Mazda RX7, C4 Corvette, Lexus IS300, Subaru Impreza. OEM, DOT fasteners are well engineered and high quality. I always keep a bucket nearby as the donor comes apart. In WI much of the underside fasteners are too corroded but interior stuff is like new. I have expanded my harvest to studs, cutting out individuals and patterns of fasteners. This week I am fabricating a gas fill for my 818 chassis. The inner housing is F150 plastic, including a hinge, the "door" is a disc cut out of the body. The latch feature will be a touch to release spring loaded magnet. I needed three studs with mounting flanges. My Corvette inventory was perfect for 1.625 diameter sheet metal discs with M6 studs in the middle. I did grind down the heads to reduce thickness. Pliogrip bonds require a heat lamp in WI these days.

[TheHelixx]

In the not too distant past I have salvaged four vehicles as donors: Mazda RX7, C4 Corvette, Lexus IS300, Subaru Impreza. OEM, DOT fasteners are well engineered and high quality. I always keep a bucket nearby as the donor comes apart. In WI much of the underside fasteners are too corroded but interior stuff is like new. I have expanded my harvest to studs, cutting out individuals and patterns of fasteners. This week I am fabricating a gas fill for my 818 chassis. The inner housing is F150 plastic, including a hinge, the "door" is a disc cut out of the body. The latch feature will be a touch to release spring loaded magnet. I needed three studs with mounting flanges. My Corvette inventory was perfect for 1.625 diameter sheet metal discs with M6 studs in the middle. I did grind down the heads to reduce thickness. Pliogrip bonds require a heat lamp in WI these days.
Agreed, almost my entire metric fastener department is made up of salvaged auto fasteners. Like you said the interior stuff looks fresh out of a package. I dumped all the exterior ones I was supposed to use in a bucket of white vinegar. That did a pretty good job of getting rid of the rust, but it revealed Swiss cheese on the longer bolts shoulders. Never thought of cutting the studs out of the chassis. That actually would have been useful. You could just weld them in place if needed or perforate the base and bond.
Thanks Jim

Ps.. you should start a build thread. Don’t be like me and hold out for a year.

[J R Jones]

Helixx, On rust, phosphoric acid is very efficient. A good blend is POR Metal prep. I have spray and a jar. The film left after a water wash actually is good for resisting rust and promotes paint adhesion. I have heard the phosphoric acid in Coke will work, but I expect it is weak. P-acid will eat a casting, soaking is risky. BTW my former boss' grandson is a national champion kart racer. We witnessed his skill at Elkhart Lake last summer. Big money. Electric karts are getting popular.
jim

[Shawn818c]

I originally drilled and countersunk fasteners where the clear lens would go. This worked ok, but they would need to be glued do they wouldn’t spin. If the glue failed I would need to pry the lens off to get the bucket out. The headlamp is easily changed but the LED directional and running lights need the bucket removed to retrieve.

I found a better way, using sink fasteners. I had to glue and glass the studs around the fender and bend the included retaining clips a little. The result was pretty good. Plenty rigid and easily removable. I used the same weather strip Art did from Home Depot. It’s really squishy and definitely keeps the water out. When I had forgot to bring the fenders in one night, we got some rain. The buckets stayed full of water all weekend until I drained them.

162771 162773 162772

Amazon

Sink Fasteners
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7HCSYH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_78Ak9KyDT3YaC

Home Depot

Weather strip
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-3-4-in-x-7-16-in-x-10-ft-Black-High-Density-Rubber-Foam-Weatherstrip-Tape-R734H/100047977

I like the headlight fasteners much more! I literally just worked on mine last weekend and where I needed to place a screw it was impossible as the lip is so narrow, drilling and tapping the plastic was my next best bet.

What was the process to glass them in??

[TheHelixx]

I like the headlight fasteners much more! I literally just worked on mine last weekend and where I needed to place a screw it was impossible as the lip is so narrow, drilling and tapping the plastic was my next best bet.

What was the process to glass them in??

I used quick set epoxy to stick them in place. Then used pieces of chopped strand fiberglass like this, to reinforce the bond. The fiberglass was saturated in polyester resin with a disposable paint brush. If you zoom in on the first picture above you can see it.

162806

[TheHelixx]

The 2 voids that seem like they should have a function on the nose insert have been popular for fog lights. I scratched my head for a while on this area. I liked Arts idea with a cabin vent, but I got air from a different location already.

Sooo… Fog lights it is, I’m going to refer to them as driving lights though.

163017

I bent a couple of pieces of aluminum and bored out over sized holes on both sides to allow adjustment. They mount to the front of the lower fender supports and utilize the Subaru fog light wiring. Having the oversized holes was a must, it made it easy to align them.

163018 163019

I cut holes in the nose insert symmetrically and popped the lights through. The holes have a tight tolerance so they look like they were supposed to be there. I searched for surface mount lights that could be adjusted but never found any.

163020

I will note these lights are ridiculously bright. They lit the road better than the included Helas with the halogens. On that note.. The running LED lights included with the kit are the same color tone as the fog lights. The Halogens included did not match and seemed to look like headlights from the 80’s. I picked up LED replacements that were 6500k Cool White. Results were were pretty good.


https://youtu.be/-JuscYhSn-k

Amazon

LED Headlights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NPMV1H5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HTWB30W2YD1C7A9QFBAG?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

Fog Lamps
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H3VBF5Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_6HSiNOyL4Qbaw

[TheHelixx]

One last thing I did up front I can’t even take credit for. I met a builder at Gillette stadium last summer named Joe Burt. FFR did a setup for a popular local car show which they advertised on their website. Quite a few Cobras showed and just 1 818c. It was a pleasure talking to him and honestly the first 818 I had seen outside of FFRs showroom and my own garage.

Joe had a couple of tricks that I really liked. One was Prius power steering. I’m not sure I’m going to do this but it did make moving it around a low speeds especially onto a trailer quite easy.

What I had to have was the hideaway license plate. Friends and family that have come over and seen the car call it a James Bond like feature..


https://youtu.be/2tyqLPgTZ8M

Amazon

Plate mount
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019XE6Y3A?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[roadrashrob]

Oh man! That is so cool and a no brainer for the 818. If a front plate is required, seems like the only way to go!

[J R Jones]

The 2 voids that seem like they should have a function on the nose insert have been popular for fog lights. I scratched my head for a while on this area. I liked Arts idea with a cabin vent, but I got air from a different location already.

Sooo… Fog lights it is, I’m going to refer to them as driving lights though.

163017

I bent a couple of pieces of aluminum and bored out over sized holes on both sides to allow adjustment. They mount to the front of the lower fender supports and utilize the Subaru fog light wiring. Having the oversized holes was a must, it made it easy to align them.

163018 163019

I cut holes in the nose insert symmetrically and popped the lights through. The holes have a tight tolerance so they look like they were supposed to be there. I searched for surface mount lights that could be adjusted but never found any.

163020

I will note these lights are ridiculously bright. They lit the road better than the included Helas with the halogens. On that note.. The running LED lights included with the kit are the same color tone as the fog lights. The Halogens included did not match and seemed to look like headlights from the 80’s. I picked up LED replacements that were 6500k Cool White. Results were were pretty good.


https://youtu.be/-JuscYhSn-k

Amazon

LED Headlights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NPMV1H5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HTWB30W2YD1C7A9QFBAG?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

Fog Lamps
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H3VBF5Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_6HSiNOyL4Qbaw

Helixx, I rely on OEM engineered parts for performance and reliability, having worked for OEMs and witnessed the effort/expense.
OTOH we recently bought a Winnebago RV and the multi-function headlamps have good high beams and poor low beams. The light intensity is only fair and distribution of the pattern is fragmented. Nothing else will fit the body apertures, so I determined good fog lights would fill the void.

I bought Valeo fog lights and so far test impressive, flat, wide and intense. These adjustable lamps are OEM on Ford, Suzuki, Nissan, Opel, Jaguar, Renault, and Toyota. They are very effective on my XKR. They use a H11 55W halogen bulb. Light made in Belgium, bulbs in Germany. I got them on Amazon. Ford gets $56 ea there and Valeo gets $38 ea. There are a lot of Chinese copies on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Valeo-88358-Driver-Passenger-Light/dp/B0068M2D68/ref=sr_1_5?crid=C9L6RLVOJWVV&keywords=Valeo+fog+lights&qid=1645632037&s=automotive&sprefix=valeo+fog+lights%2Cautomotive%2C89&sr=1-5

Obviously the mounts require fabricated brackets that are in process.
jim

[TheHelixx]

Oh man! That is so cool and a no brainer for the 818. If a front plate is required, seems like the only way to go!

Yeah it’s nice if you go to a show as well, tuck it away so it looks cleaner.

[TheHelixx]

Helixx, I rely on OEM engineered parts for performance and reliability, having worked for OEMs and witnessed the effort/expense.
OTOH we recently bought a Winnebago RV and the multi-function headlamps have good high beams and poor low beams. The light intensity is only fair and distribution of the pattern is fragmented. Nothing else will fit the body apertures, so I determined good fog lights would fill the void.

I bought Valeo fog lights and so far test impressive, flat, wide and intense. These adjustable lamps are OEM on Ford, Suzuki, Nissan, Opel, Jaguar, Renault, and Toyota. They are very effective on my XKR. They use a H11 55W halogen bulb. Light made in Belgium, bulbs in Germany. I got them on Amazon. Ford gets $56 ea there and Valeo gets $38 ea. There are a lot of Chinese copies on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Valeo-88358-Driver-Passenger-Light/dp/B0068M2D68/ref=sr_1_5?crid=C9L6RLVOJWVV&keywords=Valeo+fog+lights&qid=1645632037&s=automotive&sprefix=valeo+fog+lights%2Cautomotive%2C89&sr=1-5

Obviously the mounts require fabricated brackets that are in process.
jim

Those are pretty nice actually, I like that they are surface mount and adjustable. They are a little bigger than I’d like, but not too bad. The area where they mount would make them aim outwards without the ability to adjust so they look like a better solution than what I’ve got.

Thanks

[J R Jones]

Helixx,
The lens/housing is 3.5 diameter. You could shim on the sides for lateral angle.
The beam reaches out a-ways from the car before it hits the pavement. Kind of focused top & bottom.
I have a 5.5 in Hella high beam on my SSK that is focused in a similar manner but reaches way out.
jim

[TheHelixx]

All the aluminum pieces for the front fit except the forward most piece. I’m not really sure what happened here, but as you can see it’s not even close on the fender mounts.

163053

I ended up making my own out of sheet aluminum. Started with poster board and traced the parts of the original that fit. I left the parts that didn’t blank and penciled them in while taped in place. Transferred the stencil over to a sheet of aluminum and cut with an angle grinder. I didn’t have a nibbled or large enough shears to do it cleanly.

After a coat of POR Bed liner it looked more appropriate.

163054

Here’s the original over the new, thinking this may be for the old nose?

163055

The other piece I needed to alter was the front wheel well. I made my own splitter (more on that later) and needed to get the gap closed up so I extended the bottoms. It’s more of the same poster board stencil to aluminum. You can see how much was needed on the bottom to seal it up to the splitter.

163056

[J R Jones]

H, Nice tedious work. Your splitter is terrific.
I use a high speed (13,000 RPM) 4.5 in angle grinder on aluminum sheet and FRP sheet. A bit uncomfortable but without a big band saw, a good compromise. I prefer the Bosch to Milwaukee.
I have been using 6 in Benchmark discs rated for that speed, but it is scary.
jim

[TheHelixx]

H, Nice tedious work. Your splitter is terrific.
I use a high speed (13,000 RPM) 4.5 in angle grinder on aluminum sheet and FRP sheet. A bit uncomfortable but without a big band saw, a good compromise. I prefer the Bosch to Milwaukee.
I have been using 6 in Benchmark discs rated for that speed, but it is scary.
jim

Thanks, I’ve had my Makita for 15-20 years now. It might be the most used tool I own. I use it for cutting, grinding and sanding pretty much anything.

[TheHelixx]

I really liked the carbon fiber front splitter that FFR offered for the 818. I didn’t like paying 600 for what I felt was almost a disposable item in the north east. Streets n Massachusetts and RI are pretty crappy. Couple that with the low slung stance and I’m pretty sure it’s gonna get scraped more than my car windows in the winter up here. Since this isn’t a trailer queen, I wanted something cheaper that can be patched up.

I had plenty of cellular PVC left so I clamped a piece big enough under the nose and traced out the shape. To keep it uniform, I used a block of wood maybe 1.5 to 2” taped to a marker. This gave it an edge not to extreme that was the same shape.

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I routered the front edge sanded with 80g and gave it a coat of resin on the front. Hoping it will help with some wear and tear.

Gave that a light sand with 320g and coated with Rustoleum spray bed liner. This isn’t the toughest of coatings, but it does a superb job of leveling and hiding surface imperfections.

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I don’t have any pictures from underneath, but it’s bolted using countersunk 1/4 20 Allens. The 4 outer fender mounts, 2 in the front and 3 in the rear where it meets the main chassis.

[aquillen]

Regarding Prius power steering, I'll let you know what I think soon. It is in the car and working but I've got the dash apart for some other things still and haven't driven it. I can turn steering with one hand on a 3" diameter hub adapter - haven't put the steering wheel back on yet, car sitting on carpet no less (lot harder to turn than on smooth concrete). If it doesn't kill road feel too much I think I'm going to love it. Slow speed steering is the reason of course.

[TheHelixx]

Regarding Prius power steering, I'll let you know what I think soon. It is in the car and working but I've got the dash apart for some other things still and haven't driven it. I can turn steering with one hand on a 3" diameter hub adapter - haven't put the steering wheel back on yet, car sitting on carpet no less (lot harder to turn than on smooth concrete). If it doesn't kill road feel too much I think I'm going to love it. Slow speed steering is the reason of course.

Yeah, that other builder had his on an overhead switch panel from a space shuttle.. no joke.. actual shuttle. He turned it on when parking and or loading on trailer.

[TheHelixx]

Onto the most tedious and tiring part of the build to this point. All the seams of the body needed to be sanded down. Idk if molding has changed since the white gel bodies, but I definitely couldn’t just wet sand and buff mine. There were recesses all over the place. Not to bad to fix honestly, but I probly used a 1/2 to 3/4 gallon of Rage ultra.

All seams were hit with 80g on an orbital sander until all the high spots were all gone. Then several coats of body filler sanded with 120g until I was happy with how it felt.

To prep everything for primer, I dry sanded it all with 320g. This is the part that I realized I had quite a few spots that had unset gel coat under a thin layer of set gel coat. You know it when you see it as it’s more pink in color. When I found it, I used a dremel tool with carbide burr bits to clean out the cavities. Once I had hard gel coat, I filled them with body filler and resanded with 320g.

Another issue at this stage was all the air bubbles I found on edges. Once I found a few, I used the side of a screwdriver to run down all the edges. This found at least a dozen when the gel coat cracked from pressure. These all got dremeled out and filled as well. Every time I thought I was all set I found another, and another…

Now the surfaces were ready for some primer. I hung everything up on a “clothesline” made of mule tape. I ran it between 2 trees in my side yard and braced in the middle with a step ladder and a couple of poles.

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I have never shot 2k primer or paint before in an hvlp connected to a compressor. Just used an electric Wagner for latex and stain on wood. This part stresses me right out, won’t lie.. I’m not sure if it was the gun I used or incorrectly mixing, but it orange peeled like crazy.. It was all to be sanded anyway so not ruined, but made putting 3 coats difficult. I did mix it per the manufacturer and tried different amounts of reducer but never resolved. I settled on just accepting it was not one of my strengths and moved on.

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Once the primer dried, I sprayed guide coat lightly on everything. If your not familiar, I used actual guide coat from SEM. Talking to some people in the industry, you can get away with a light mist of black spray paint. It’s used find high and low spots. When you sand it takes the guide coat off wherever the paper touches. If you have black speckles still showing where you sanded, there’s a low spot.

To sand I started with 220g wet using Durablocks as large as I could accommodate. Once I the majority of the guide coat off and didn’t have any obvious low spots, I finished wet sanding with 400g. These last 2 parts were very tiring and time consuming.

Note.. If you are going to try this and have not done before… don’t use the blocks on the edges, rip a small piece of sandpaper and do it gently by hand. I burned through the primer all over the place because of that. Not that you can’t do it, I’m sure body men have no issues, I am just not one. If your taking my advice from here, I assume you aren’t either.

This also brings up where I burned through the primer in several spots. After talking to the guy thats painting it, he said I either over sanded or I didn’t have 3 good coats. Knowing the primer sprayed like **** it was probly thin.

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I used some rattle can 2k primer on all the spots I burned through which turns out was unnecessary. Just made more sanding with same same results. Painter wasn’t concerned in I had gel coat showing actually. He said to make sure it was all 400g wet sanded and he was going to seal coat the whole car before base coat. I stored the parts back on the car so they didn’t get damaged until my painter could get it into the spray booth

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Evercoat

Rage Ultra
https://evercoat.com/rageultra/us/

Limco

2k primer 1gallon
https://refinish.basf.us/products/800k-2k-primer-surfacer/

Hardner 1quart
https://refinish.basf.us/products/overall-primer-hardener/

Flex 1pint
https://refinish.basf.us/products/892-flex-agent/

Reducer 1quart
https://refinish.basf.us/products/medium-reducer/

SEM

Guide Coat
https://www.semproducts.com/product/guide-coat-black/38203

2k aerosol
https://www.semproducts.com/product/high-build-primer-surfacer/42013

3M

80, 150, 220, 400 Blue hook and loop paper
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40071438/

Durablock

Sanding Blocks
https://www.dura-block.com/6-Piece-Dura-Block-Kit-AF4400-AF4401-AF4402-AF4404-2X-AF4405--AF44A_p_38.html

Amazon

Burr bits
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076D4Z8LX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_M8MFRN4JKRM5FSM0YGHA?_enc oding=UTF8&psc=1

[TheHelixx]

I didn’t trust myself with this part even from the start. I’m especially glad I didn’t after how the primer sprayed for me.

I posted this in the body section previously, but wanted to add it to the build thread. To make it easier to store and transport the body, I built a jig. It’s a couple of 2x6s and a few 2x4s supported by 2 saw horses. Once I got the roof supported, I just measured how long I needed boards cut to support the panels where the chassis did. Having this made it easy to transport as well.

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The whole set up fit in a high cube truck, typical moving truck from Uhaul etc.. I laid all the panels in the yard while I assembled the jig in the truck. The legs of the saw hoses got screwed to the floor of the truck so it wouldn’t move. Then I hung all the parts back on inside. I used blankets and tie downs to keep it all snug for the trip.

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Here it is in RM 2 stage Harley Davidson Deep Cobalt.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWv_8z2FlaG/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Shawn818c]

Coming along nicely!

are you keeping the power mirrors? find a creative way to route the wiring?

[TheHelixx]

Coming along nicely!

are you keeping the power mirrors? find a creative way to route the wiring?

Nah, I liked the painted mirror look I saw on others so I went with the stock ones. Just cut the wire off at the base. In hindsight, I wish I would have put them on earlier in the build. The passenger side one is useless on the coupe. Totally eclipsed by the A pillar. I may try and pitch them back a little since I’m already committed at this point.

[TheHelixx]

This is another take on air to air cooling for the 818. I made this the same way I did the dash and door panels.

Started with PVC to get the mount points for the body.

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Pulled fleece over it all tightly and anchored with staples.

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A thick coat of resin and it was now a solid box. Just needed some reinforcement with chopped strand.

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A coat of resin and filler mix to take most of the texture off. Then work the rest with just body filler.

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Couple of coats of primer and some light sanding with 400. Then coated in POR topcoat aluminum.

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I attached it to the intercooler with rivet nuts.

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I used some reinforced flex pipe to connect it to the roof scoop and it came out pretty good.

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Amazon

Flange
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083RV56S5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Flex pipe
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RZQ5FKW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[TheHelixx]

Been a while with the updates.. The car has been pretty much ready to go for a while. It took me almost 2 months to get an inspection with the state police. That was completed on 4/22, so now just waiting for my appointment tomorrow with the DMV to hopefully get it titled and registered.

As a side note.. I finally filled up the fuel tank to max to calibrate my gauge and found out it leaks…. It’s definitely not fun trying to get back to the top of the tank. Turns out the 2nd sender (round top) one had pin holes at the barb elbow.

I’m going to cut an access hatch through the interior with a removable cover in the event I need to get in there again. Really wish I would have done this in the beginning…

[Hobby Racer]

This is another take on air to air cooling for the 818. I made this the same way I did the dash and door panels.
... Pulled fleece over it all tightly and anchored with staples.


Wow, what a great way to make smooth and odd shaped parts! Wish I had known about this technic earlier. :p

[Dave 53]

Looks great! I recall a post about dividing the inside into two separate chambers for each air inlet. If the pressure isn't exactly the same for each inlet, the overall flow might be reduced. Or something like that.

I'll be uncovering my gas tank for about the 10th time next week to replace my broken timing belt cover. The first time was a ***** because the previous owner glued the panel on. If you glue this panel on to "keep it from rattling", I absolutely guarantee you will have to remove it at some later date. And mine doesn't rattle.

[TheHelixx]

I'll be uncovering my gas tank for about the 10th time next week to replace my broken timing belt cover. The first time was a ***** because the previous owner glued the panel on. If you glue this panel on to "keep it from rattling", I absolutely guarantee you will have to remove it at some later date. And mine doesn't rattle.

Thankfully I didn’t glue mine. I did however build my own dashboard which made taking the whole firewall out a huge chore. Would have had to remove the whole interior .. A couple of beers, box knife and an angle grinder later and I now have a 12x3 hole right above the 2 sending units. I just need to make a fancy looking cover for it now and fasten with some rivnuts.

[Ajzride]

I just need to make a fancy looking cover for it now and fasten with some rivnuts.


I've used a ton of rivnuts on the car, but in this application I think rare earth magnets might work a little better, just a thought.

[J R Jones]

Your ducting is an inspired design and remarkable implimentation.
I did a ram air (engine) intake for a road racing motorcycle to replace the crappy production single feed system. As you did, we used the complexity of two inlet/hoses to balance pressure and flow across the throttle body.
The result added 7hp to the original 120hp at 150MPH.
You did good.
jim

[TheHelixx]

As a quick update. I have managed to get through the state salvage inspection quite easily thanks to all the input on this forum. The following week I was able to get through the DMV and get a registration and plates. This got me out and driving on the public roads for the first time and that was certainly a learning lesson.

1. Holy crap is it a stiff ride.. I mean I expected it to be firm but it’s basically a go kart with a body.

2. Wow is it loud. Again I expected it to be noisy with just a cat and a resonator but… FWIW that’s not a complaint, it honestly sounds incredible. The turbo spool with an open large panel air cleaner is impressive.

3. Because of 2; I really feel like installing a nice audio system wasn’t worth the effort. I have to have it so loud to hear it clearly that I feel like a teenager driving around trying to show off.

4. This car will get a lot of stares. I have 80 miles on it and have been asked if it’s a Lotus four times and had 3 pictures taken. I’ve also only been out four times for shakedowns.

5. If your going to make your own splitter like I did, you need something strong. The PVC board I used with the fiberglass tip failed on the highway. I was going to try another of the same with additional struts but I didn’t trust it. New one is made of 1/2 Birch plywood. As I’ve read in other forums it should last now that I can actually stand on it.

Once I get through the MAC center for a non reject inspection sticker, I’ll be able to officially graduate 818 #575. More pics and updates to follow.

[FFRWRX]

For the top edge to hide the opening in the window cut, I used brush strip. They sell various types at Home Depot, the one I used was the white vinyl one. I drilled a hole every inch in it and epoxied it in place. To cut the brush shorter I pinned it between 2 pieces of steel with vice grips and ran a fresh blade down it. After blending it into the panel with body filler this is what it looks like.



That's a neat idea. I'm just finishing up my door panels. I bought some felt that I was going to use to close that gap, but I have some brush strip left over from making a dust collector for a CNC router. The felt I bought only came in light grey, so I'll have to dye it to use it; want it black. I'll put a length of the brush strip in place and see what that looks like.

[aquillen]

1. Holy crap is it a stiff ride..

2. Wow is it loud.

3. Because of 2; I really feel like installing a nice audio system wasn’t worth the effort.

4. This car will get a lot of stares.

5. If your going to make your own splitter like I did.



1 - Mine not so stiff, I was surprised that it is a softer ride than I expected. Tires may be a factor for example, and even over-tight suspension bushing setup. I used the stock springs setup.

2 - Loud. I've been all over with this. Original exhaust too quiet, was a large single can with all three cat converters before it. Next I went to a pair of "cherry bomb" style cans, with no third cat - honking loud police magnet. Next a pair of left and right offset oval cans, no third cat. Sounded super except above 50 it started droning which by 60 was unbearable. Now on another single can but much smaller and the third cat back in. Sounds great pretty much all over, almost no drone, just gets louder with speed and power.

3 - But can only listen to the radio at in-town cruising speeds.

4 - several thousand miles last year, several Lotus questions, lots of Porche guesses, and a few "love your FFR 818" remarks from guys who "know". But for sure plenty of gas pump talk time, and at car shows you won't get to sit down and relax. Oh and I let them all get in it to see how it sits and feels. Never seen that at a car show and still don't - not ever.

[J R Jones]

I have done exhaust development in a couple of recreational industries and find that size does matter. Big cans and little holes keep the noise in.
Case in point, in the last week I searched for and bought a little car to tow behind an RV. My Jaguar was traded for a Fiat Abarth,
The Abarth has a reputation for a loud performance exhaust. The first car I drove had no muffler, it was loud and caused tension/fatigue.
Ultimately I found a stock car with the big Abarth muffler transverse across the back of the car, approx 41 X 12 X 3 in. The engine is a 1.4 ltr turbo at 160hp. It sounds terrific and I drove seven hours home listening to Sirius; no drone. With a 90 inch wheelbase I sit close to everything. BTW I saw an Abarth muffler on ebay for $375.
jim

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