Mechie3's 818S

[STiPWRD]

Put it all together and you get this:
http://i.imgur.com/hjfmTly.jpg
Custom!

Your MR2 shifter redesign looks killer btw.

[Aero STI]

Put it all together and you get this:
http://i.imgur.com/hjfmTly.jpg


That's damn cool!

[Mechie3]

Thanks :)

Fixed a small issue with the shaft mounted block and got it all back together with the springs and such.
http://i.imgur.com/QHejaLa.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2B5dnjS.jpg

Finished my hood hinge prototypes. Sending them to opposite ends of the country (California and Maine). I have preliminary quotes for most of the items so pending no issues from the testers I should be able to get parts within 1-2 weeks from the time they give the A-OK.

The entire assembly weighs 2.4 lbs. Not bad given the overall size of it. It's decently beefy too so it doesn't flex all over the place while driving or opening the hood.

Employee of the month performing quality control on my welding. I was pumped...I welded 8 pieces without scrapping one. Huge improvement for me.
http://i.imgur.com/QrCpbNL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZaLpNJr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CvjLUv5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7kXVmU7.jpg

[svanlare]

Outstanding!

[Hindsight]

Looks very slick, as always.

[Scargo]

Where's the "LIKE" button?

[bbjones121]

Where's the "LIKE" button?

More like where is the "Buy Now" button

[AZPete]

Beautiful. Take my money!

[nkw8181]

Ummm awesome! Like like like like like!..........!

[07FIREBLADE]

Away for the weekend and I come back to amazing work again. Just in time for the upcoming open house. Looking forward for the buy it now post.

[Mechie3]

The good thing is, these are all designed to be laser cut sheet metal which means quick turn around on parts. I heard back from the shop making the trunk bases. Supposedly he farmed them out and they made them 2/3 scale. Never heard of that happening. Frikken 5 month delay. These? Should be no delay once I order them beyond typical 1-2 week turn arounds.

The plan is to sell a base model kit that is what you see here. The upgrade (which can be retrofit to base kits) will include the gas struts, a mount, and necessary hardware.

[508wrx]

The good thing is, these are all designed to be laser cut sheet metal which means quick turn around on parts. I heard back from the shop making the trunk bases. Supposedly he farmed them out and they made them 2/3 scale. Never heard of that happening. Frikken 5 month delay. These? Should be no delay once I order them beyond typical 1-2 week turn arounds.

The plan is to sell a base model kit that is what you see here. The upgrade (which can be retrofit to base kits) will include the gas struts, a mount, and necessary hardware.

Have you mentioned how much you think the hood hing kit would run?

[Mechie3]

No, not yet. I'm still missing 1 quote and need to have another quote updated. Haven't put together the full list of hardware I used yet either. Maybe by tomorrow? I owe two or three people quotes for AWIC parts that I didn't get to yet since I was busy trying to finish up the hinges so they could ship out today for weekend delivery.

[Mechie3]

I put some quick nubmers together. I had to guess on one part as I don't have it yet. They'll probably be around $200-$225 depending on what the final quotes come back as. The number of pieces required drives up the cost. Same as the louvers, I'll probably offer some type of deal if you buy the front and rear hinges (assuming the shop ever delivers the last part for the rear....).

[07FIREBLADE]

Now that you've seen the new coupe do you think your hood hinge will have any problems with the new front end? If you need a beta later down the road Im more than willing. ;)

[svanlare]

I'm definitely in for both when you are ready...

[Mechie3]

It'll have issues with the new front end. The hinge uses the current center opening as clearance which allows me to have the arms swing forward. With that whole middle section filled in the arms will need to have a much longer right angle section to clear it, move the hinge point, make cutouts in the front section, or change the hinge design completely. I'll put you down as the first tester for the coupe hinge. :)

[07FIREBLADE]

Sweet sounds good. Looking forward to it if your willing to do the coupe hinges. I thought it would cause a few issues but wanted to see your perspective since you designed them. I couldn't find the pics I wanted to see your hinges in action. I'm in a cell dead zone and away from a computer.

[Mechie3]

I swear I'm making progress!
http://i.imgur.com/NYL5XZf.jpg

It certainly doesn't look like it as I took the entire body off now. Funny thing, it's almost comforting because I'm make to doing mechanical stuff, not wiring, not body stuff, and it's stuff I'm comfortable with and can solve with my skills. Body stuff....sometimes I just stare at it and say "this isn't right...but I have no idea what I'm doing". Haha! I mostly took the body off to finally do my harness mounts. There's pretty much zero room so I figured the best location was on the outside of the cockpit aluminum. I'm making steel brackets (using the FFR seat mounts) that will mount to the large lower frame member and but up against the cockpit aluminum.

Mocking up my shifter. I have a design laid out on cardboard for the rear. I think it'll work out nicely. Going to need to make some extensions for the shift cables.

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

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

[Hindsight]

Such a nice looking shifter.

I hear you about staring at the car. I feel like half my time I spend just staring at it trying to figure out how I'm going to do this and that (usually things I don't even need to currently focus on).

[Frank818]

Well Craig, I noticed 2 things: First, you finished building your Audi kit car that you want to show us on the first pic (too shy to have it on foreground, hey?), congrats on that. Now you can move on the 818. :) Second, by moving on to the 818, if you want to make it a one seater, plz fit the seat on the driver's side, otherwise you won't go anywhere. :)

But that shifter is really looking awesome! Nice work again!!

[Mechie3]

The audi has made smaller appearances before. Don't worry, I bought it used. It's a 2010 I bought in late 2014. In the first ~5 years it depreciated 43% and was cheaper than a same model year WRX. I also sold my 02 WRX in 2014 for almost double what I paid for it in 2012. It's funny, guys at work were all "oh snap! You bought an Audi? Give me some money!". I replied "I paid less for that than you paid for your Civic new. Hahaha!

Some of you might remember that I had mounted my fuel filter on the frame before putting in the hump aluminum block off plates. I had to shift it down so I took some angle bracket and made an adapter on a manual mill. Reused the original clamping rings.

http://i.imgur.com/wbHuDRK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/i2aAw00.jpg

Took the tunnel aluminum and cut off the top. The sides end up being 1/8-1/4" too tall so I sheared these at work on a big shear. My thinking was with wiring, shift cables, ebrake cables, and AWIC lines all running through the tunnel I might want easy access. The sides will be permanently riveted in place while the top will be bolted on.
http://i.imgur.com/299QvvJ.jpg

I had to grind down one of the inlet tubes on the HE as it was tapped too deep and the fitting was bottoming out on a flange instead of on the tapered thread. The hole inside was also slightly offset so I ground this down with a dremel. Took about 2 minutes to do that.

Material inside:
http://i.imgur.com/BajjsEu.jpg

Gone:
http://i.imgur.com/F5MZayZ.jpg

[RM1SepEx]

I cut the top off my tunnel about 18 months ago Craig! Much easier to deal with everything. I'm going to make my entire tunnel taller too with a custom dash to tunnel interface. I have FFR's original fiberglass one and the aluminum one and neither really fits...

[metros]

Great idea on the tunnel cover! Going to have to copy that now. I need a job where I have access to big tools like you do.

[Mechie3]

I copied it from Dan. ;)

[Mechie3]

Home internet is acting up and I'm not about to type much on my phone, so just pics.
http://i.imgur.com/vYZesMI.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/YaSao9j.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZC9ZFv2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AQrnG5x.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/8vEPUy5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/K5v1FPe.jpg

[matteo92065]

yet again, nice work!
I worry a little about how the cables are going to bend around/over/under the bell-housing/motor. It took me three iterations, on my shift linkage, to minimize cable bend.

[RM1SepEx]

really not much different from my setup except you vent vertical vs horizontal. You will be able to get your battery about 2 inches closer to the center of the vehicle. I didn't want to rework the shift arm after flipping it and rewelding it... If I had your machining capabilities... :rolleyes: as always, very nice job! Pretty too!

I don't like how my 7 foot cables have to bow up under my fuel lines beneath the intake but I didn't realize how short 6 footer would be!

[Harley818]

At the beginning I read Mechie's thread because I was learning about the 818 and WRX's. Now I read because Mechie has a new flavor every day!
Who knows what he will carve up next??
I'm definitely interested in the shifter mechanism, and I've been thinking about a similar hood hinge for the front.
I've been bitten by the bug!!! I am now re-doing stuff I already completed, just because I can. I guess we all are.
I had my stock intercooler all set up.... now discarded and I have the AWIC hooked up.
I had my shifter all set up and adjusted... but now have purchased the MR2 shifter and am going that way.
Lots of fun.
I really wanted to have it driving this summer, but I've readjusted to having it done when its done. I'm having too much fun building it.

And if you have been following Mechie's thread...... he sets a high bar on the fun factor of the build.

[Hindsight]

VERY slick linkage setup Mechie!!! I think there is definitely a market for those parts.

My only question is: Is there enough room for the cables to clear the inner CV joint? That forward most bracket looks a bit low which may cause clearance issues, and may also force the cable to be bent up at a tight angle to clear the top of the engine block, but it could be just the camera angle.

I love the ball bearing in the bell crank... very professional.

[Mechie3]

Hooray for internet on a computer with a keyboard! Something's been up with the internet at home. Maybe a storm took out phone lines (we're cheap...have the simple DSL), maybe the modem burned itself up again?


yet again, nice work!
I worry a little about how the cables are going to bend around/over/under the bell-housing/motor. It took me three iterations, on my shift linkage, to minimize cable bend.

Here's a quick shot from this am. I had already pulled the cable through to work on the tunnel so the end isn't in the right position, but the overall placement is there. Minimum bend radius for the cable is 4". My problem is going to be securing the cable so it doesn't bang on things. I relocated my alternator to the side to mount my FPR on the manifold. I might move the FPR to the firewall, move the alternator back to the middle. That'll give me a lot more room.

http://i.imgur.com/vrZYi2Y.jpg



I don't like how my 7 foot cables have to bow up under my fuel lines beneath the intake but I didn't realize how short 6 footer would be!

Yeah, they're pretty short. I'll need ~6" extensions in front and 10" extensions in the rear. 7 footers would have been nice but no one had them in stock. It's almost good though, because if this cable mounting location works it makes for a much smaller, more compact bracket.



And if you have been following Mechie's thread...... he sets a high bar on the fun factor of the build.

This whole build has been a bit of a dream in the making. Everyday I'm thankful to the guy upstairs for access to CNC's and everything else. All those years watching OC choppers and overhaulin' on TV wishing I could do that, and now I can.



VERY slick linkage setup Mechie!!! I think there is definitely a market for those parts.

My only question is: Is there enough room for the cables to clear the inner CV joint? That forward most bracket looks a bit low which may cause clearance issues, and may also force the cable to be bent up at a tight angle to clear the top of the engine block, but it could be just the camera angle.

I love the ball bearing in the bell crank... very professional.

Thanks. :) The ball bearing was a freebie. We have a whole box of them sitting around from an old product that were saved just for the "what if" scenario. I think the camera angle makes it look closer than in will be. It'll bow up and around the starter. I made the cable mount modular so that if I have to change it I can just redo the flat plate and not the more time intensive angle brackets.

Once I get this finished I'll get it quoted. Only one of these parts can be laser cut, the others have to be milled. I'm not going back to the same shop that has now spent 5months getting me parts (of which he has 1/2 the payment as per our agreement of 1/2 at order, 1/2 at delivery :mad:)

[Mechie3]

Took some better photos and made some parts.

Straight on view with cable relaxed:
http://i.imgur.com/ZYJ25jH.jpg

View with the cable routed over the engine:
http://i.imgur.com/NYfSrfr.jpg

Made a sleeve to hang the arm on for now since I forgot my shoulder bolt at home. Lower extensio rod is 5.5" long. One end is RH threads, the other is LH so I can adjust the preload/spacing as needed.
http://i.imgur.com/VRwWsPt.jpg

There's a video of it on my facebook page.

[Mechie3]

http://i.imgur.com/2JIwjG5.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/sJm2dgi.jpg

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Hi Craig
trying to figure a way to use your bracket instead of my ugly one.
42892
I have a subie cap if you would like me to measure it.
I have an extra center diff cover if you need some practice.
Bob

[Frank818]

You should build a complete frame, now!

[Mechie3]

Bob, a subie cap?

[FFR-ADV]

You design and make the coolest stuff!

Thanks!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Bob, a subie cap?

42909

[Mechie3]

Ahhh, right. I was thinking of just measuring the case I hacked up, though I'm not sure there's much reason to hack it up anymore now that my exhaust is on top.

Just one photo. Pretty sure my modem died. More on Facebook where its easier to quickly upload. Have an autocross tomorrow and I should be in bed. Going for 3 in a row FTD and top pax.
http://i.imgur.com/6nseeOQ.jpg

[Mechie3]

Here's a daylight photo. There's enough clearance as is for the CV, but I want to move it up anyways. Top cable is good, bottom cable will move up 1/2" or so. Bell crank mounting point either needs to move rearward, bell crank get longer, or pull the lever arm towards the front and drill a new hole on the input shaft on the transmission. For now I'm thinking move the pivot point so that if I commercialize these people don't need to worry about drilling the shaft. Not having the lever arm with ears on it already saves a good 1"+ for clearance. The lever arm also needs to get slightly longer. That will fix both the fore/aft and the side/side angle of the rod ends. Overall, I'm pleased for my first shot at it.

http://i.imgur.com/0ihSyj4.jpg

Didn't do much on the car this weekend aside from making those parts friday night. Saturday AM was the county fair, the afternoon was a 1 year after wedding reception for a guy I autocross with. His garage is 4 bays wide and double deep. Much want! He's also a 5 time national Bmod champion (though he owns 3 Bmod cars, a few shifter karts, 7 bikes, lots of fun toys!). Sunday was an autocross. Went three for three and took FTD and the PAX win again, this time increasing my pax lead to .877 seconds. Raw time I was ahead by 2.648 seconds (my co driver had second). This course was at the speedrome so it's a bit different as there are concrete walls surrounding the course. As soon as people spin they get nervous their next run.

http://i.imgur.com/lChf6Zj.jpg

[Hindsight]

Very slick, as always!

Do you think the cable extensions you added have any drawbacks vs just getting custom length cables (other than custom cables probably costing more)?

[Mechie3]

In theory the extensions are stiffer than the cable ends themselves. 1/2" aluminum vs 1/4" steel. If the angle of the cable housing vs the cable is minimal there is little effort lost due to the rotation of the assembly. Because both ends are effectively pinned connections and both the shaft and the bell crank are constrained the extension motion ends up being constrained as well.

One thing I do like about them is the mounting points end up being very convenient without having a large mounting block. I have 7' cables on order but lead times are unknown.

[Tamra]

Great results at autocross! Any photos of the F-Mod car?

Also, we met someone with the Subaru Rally team (I think) at Wicked Big Meet that knew you. He said, "yeah I know this guy, Craig, he makes a bunch of parts for the 818s." I think he wants to see yours completed now! :) I wish I could remember his name.

[Wayne Presley]

Craig,
What chassis is your F500. I've got 2 Red Devils (rotax 600 and 494 Rave) and one KBS (GSXR 600) here now. Not me driving at Roebling Road.


https://youtu.be/tqjZy4zvZkY

[Hindsight]

Wayne, since you know F500, do you know a guy named Cory McLeod by chance?

[Mechie3]

Haha! I'm famous! Kinda...maybe.....but not really. :)

Wayne,
it's a 1986 Red Devil F440 short wheel base converted to an F500 using the 493 motor (newer version of the 494). Formula X-1 secondary clutch, Polaris primary with the 911 billet cover. When I finish the 818 the back end will get chopped off and converted to a 4 link.

Here's my Fmod build thread (you'll have to register to see it):
http://indianaimpreza.com/index.php?topic=12940.0

Here's my co-driver yesterday waiting for his fourth run. ~105/110hp, 775lbs with driver, max 0-60's of around 2.6s, make lateral G's up to 2.5+.
http://i.imgur.com/rlclMRc.jpg

[Wayne Presley]

Wayne, since you know F500, do you know a guy named Cory McLeod by chance?
Yes, met him at the Road Atlanta Majors this year, drives a Red Devil with the Rotax 600


Haha! I'm famous! Kinda...maybe.....but not really. :)

Wayne,
it's a 1986 Red Devil F440 short wheel base converted to an F500 using the 493 motor (newer version of the 494). Formula X-1 secondary clutch, Polaris primary with the 911 billet cover. When I finish the 818 the back end will get chopped off and converted to a 4 link.

Here's my Fmod build thread (you'll have to register to see it):
http://indianaimpreza.com/index.php?topic=12940.0

Here's my co-driver yesterday waiting for his fourth run. ~105/110hp, 775lbs with driver, max 0-60's of around 2.6s, make lateral G's up to 2.5+.
http://i.imgur.com/rlclMRc.jpg


Are those tire heat shields to keep the heat in or out?

[Mechie3]

Keeps the heat in. It was a short course and there was a decent breeze. Tires never got hot, just a bit over warm.

[Hindsight]

Yes, met him at the Road Atlanta Majors this year, drives a Red Devil with the Rotax 600

That's my wife's uncle. I was there that weekend at Road Atlanta.... surprised I didn't run into you.

[Wayne Presley]

I was up with Cory Sun morning talking about the set up on his car and he decided not to run in the rain.

[Hindsight]

Ahh yeah, I was only there Saturday and didn't come back Sunday since I knew it would rain. I had fun watching the Miatas run after Cory ran. I had never seen them race before. Next time you are at Road Atlanta, send me a PM. I'll come out and say hi.

Craig, you said "493" motor.... what kind of engine is that? I think Cory said a lot of guys are starting to run motorcycle engines in them.

[RM1SepEx]

493 is a Rotax, I used to autox a 1987 Red Devil with the original Kawasaki 440

[Mechie3]

Dan is correct. Both the 494 and the 493 are Rotax engines that are the "500" motor. The 493 is out of a 2002 Ski doo. 494 is a little older. I actually traded a GSXR600 motor to Fred Edwards for his 493. Fred is the main sponsor of the F600 series and sponsoring a USF2000 ride for the winner of the F600 series. There's a huge split between the 2 stroke and 4 stroke people. I can see both sides, but prefer F600 overall, though for autocross the 500's will be faster.

[Mitch Wright]

FYI Anyone looking for custom cables, I got mine from Custom Control Cables 985 872 5376 sales@cccables.com.
They made the cables the exact length I needed with hardware I wanted, to my door in 3 days for $185. shipped.

[RM1SepEx]

Mitch, are they of the same quality as the teleflex extreme cables? The original cables have space between the cable and the cable housing, that's what makes them sloppy through bends. The teleflex cables have virtually no space and operate much more accurately.

I think my 7 footers are about 3 inches too long

[Mitch Wright]

Dan,
Good question, i don't know if the cable is the same quality as the teleflex cables. I have them installed on the car with a MR2 shifter which has 0 slop and really crisp. I did get the exact lengths I needed.

[Wayne Presley]

Craig, you said "493" motor.... what kind of engine is that? I think Cory said a lot of guys are starting to run motorcycle engines in them.
The 494 has not been produced for nearly 8 years so the SCCA approved the 493 which has almost the exact same HP as the 494 Rave motor. The 493 is still being made so there is a ready supply of them. You are not allowed any modifications inside the motor. The 600 Rotax has to run inlet restrictors and weigh 50 lbs more. The advantage of the 600 is it makes 108 hp for a 350 rpm window which makes clutch tuning less critcal than the 493/494 which is about 125 RPM wide. The motorcycle engined F500 cars have to run a 31mm restrictor and weigh 75 lbs more than the 493/494 engined cars.


FYI Anyone looking for custom cables, I got mine from Custom Control Cables 985 872 5376 sales@cccables.com.
They made the cables the exact length I needed with hardware I wanted, to my door in 3 days for $185. shipped.

That is who makes my cables.

[Mechie3]

Most of last week was spent making a part for a friend who also happens to be my top competitor. He won the overall year end PAX in 2012 and 2013 (only guy in Indy region to do it twice in a row), I won it in 2014. I'm hoping to be the second to win it twice in a row. I have a small 11pt lead over him right now after 3 events. His sprocket hub got chewed up on launch a couple weeks ago. We have a double header this weekend so we'll see how the new part works. Almost 1/4 lighter than the old one with less rotating inertia too.

http://i.imgur.com/NN3ECA2.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/G9ipvgh.jpg

I finished the hub Friday and went into work Saturday to make two new parts for the shifter bell crank. I decided just to slide the lever arm back on the input shaft so I didn't need to remake the bell crank mount. I did remake the lever (longer) and the cable mounting plate (more clearance for CV). It's a good thing I did it Saturday because yesterday I saw some magic smoke come out of the CNC while anotehr guy was using it. Still seems to run ok, but a maintenance guy is coming to look at it today.

http://i.imgur.com/j4sfgZi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iyNem4T.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/a8Uu967.jpg

[R.Spec]

http://i.imgur.com/j4sfgZi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iyNem4T.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/a8Uu967.jpg

It's beautiful....*cries on my inside*

[Flamshackle]

Oh please make your shift kit for sale Mechie! Its stunning :-)

[Speedy G]

Mechie, when you get done with your iterations and redesigns, you can count me in for a set of your shifter magic. However, I won't need the shifter rods since I'm planning on using electric actuators to do the shifting.

Lookin good!

Speedy G

[Mitch Wright]

Craig, beautiful work.

[Hindsight]

SLICK! Guarantee you'd sell a good number of these.

[Flamshackle]

However, I won't need the shifter rods since I'm planning on using electric actuators to do the shifting.

Paddle shifter?

[Mechie3]

I can have these quoted. Not sure how well they'll work with the standard FFR shifter/cables. Even a standard MR2 setup is going to need modification to mount the cables on the cabin side of things. I did start making an extra set of parts so someone can be a test fitter. Unfortunately, the high speed belt on the CNC burned up Monday so it's out of commission until next week.

I added in the spacers for the front shifter and even without bolting it down it feels much much better than the FFR setup. The side/side feels so nice and crisp vs the vague feeling the plastic setup had.

Here's the new cable clamping mounting plate. It raises the lower angled piece up about 1" or so.

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

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

[07FIREBLADE]

Im willing to beta. Would like to giving it a try with the FFR setup and then try the mr2 setup to give a good comparison.

[RM1SepEx]

Several of us decided that the FFR setup felt like mush... go rear facing cables, go teleflex extreme cables and use whatever linkage is required, NO LOOPS is best but every little thing adds up to better crisper feel.

I had the billet FFR optional shifter, even if it was reversed the MR2 shifter feels better, and I tried several options.

Craig's package will feel downright AWESOME and as usual for his products will look awesome too!

[Frank818]

WAY off topic here, but never thought of a nice dead pedal to go over our triangle alu panel? Just a thought while you are designing a bunch of other parts. :)

[Mechie3]

I had. Not sure what to do for the rubber nubs though. I think someone might have made one?

[Mechie3]

Check Facebook for a video of my shifter mechanism. :)

[Mechie3]

Let's see if this works.
Edit: it did. Click pic for link to video.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/th_VID_20150701_225750737.jpg (http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/VID_20150701_225750737.mp4)

[STiPWRD]

very nice!

[Buzz Skyline]

Wow, that is pretty. Nice work.

[Mechie3]

Thoughts: It's very direct, notchy, but positive feeling. I attribute the notchiness to the transmission itself. It feels like I'm shifting directly at the transmission as I can feel all of the detents clicking. The lever itself is a little short. I need more mechanical advantage and more shift knob travel.

[Mechie3]

Just some minor updates. Last weekend was spend autocrossing Saturday and Sunday (both Indy points events). Didn't take top PAX or FTD either day as it was a divisional event so more people and some very talented out of state drivers. 8th overall on Saturday, but only .5 away from the winner (who is 5 time national champion). All top ten were separated by less than .7. Sunday I was 10th overall. The good news is I'm still solidly in the lead for overall PAX for the year.

My 7' shift cables came in. I think I'm going to use these. They'll wrap around the engine instead of over it. The change in feel is negligible if noticeable at all but the routing is much easier with less chance for the cables to get chewed up over time. Plus, thinking ahead, if I offer the shifter and the rear mechanism for those that keep the AC, the 6' cables wouldn't have worked well.

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

cables will follow the AWIC lines
http://i.imgur.com/hmJPlka.jpg

[RM1SepEx]

I never tried my 7 foot cables around the engine... Hmmmm

[Pearldrummer7]

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


In the bottom left on the picture...what's clamped loosely to your axles near the coilover mount? Looks like rubberized clamps, anyway

[FFRSpec72]

I was looking at a 818 last week that also ran the cables around the engine and not over, looks like I will wind up doing that (as mine a way too tight now), what lengths did you wind up using for both cables ?

[Mechie3]

Pearldrummer: CV boot clamps that are just sitting there unclamped.

FFRspec72: I used 7 footers for both and used different length adapters (threaded tubes) to accommodate the differences in mounting points on the shifter and mechanism. They're seastar solutions CCX43007 Xtreme cables. Took a month to get them in. I experimented with 6' cables in the meantime.

[Mechie3]

Clocked my good turbo today. Went much smoother than when I first did a test on a junk turbo. It helps that I knew what to do, just had to go and do it. I took photos of every step and did a writeup. Just need to add the photos to the writeup and then I'll post it here. The hardest part is getting the snap ring out which, with a good pair of snap ring pliers and a good grip isn't terrible.

This is the clocked version that I developed with Bob'n'Cincy's help. The previous setup I had looked better (1 less bend) but the clocking bracket was much longer and not as strong. The compressor nipple also interfered with the TGV sensor (for those keeping TGV's).

http://i.imgur.com/uWJYsIa.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CyvphbL.jpg

[Harley818]

Looks good Mechie. Looks better than mine with the shorter hose run.

How are you making out with your shifter brackets group buy?

[Mechie3]

I need to update the models to make them less expensive and then send them out for quote. A few pieces ended up being more overbuilt than they needed to be.

[Flamshackle]

Let's see if this works.
Edit: it did. Click pic for link to video.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/th_VID_20150701_225750737.jpg (http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/mechie3/VID_20150701_225750737.mp4)

Ah this is epic!

please tell me I can afford this.

Maybe you could offer the kit in multiple options? ie

1- Full kit (for the deep pocketed)
2- The rear components on the transmission (just add MR2 shifter)
3- Shifter (for looks)

[Mechie3]

That's the plan. :)

[nkw8181]

Nice! Could it tie into the ktune shifter?

[Mechie3]

Not directly. The bell crank operation would need to be reversed. It might be as easy as flipping it upside down and having a longer extension on it, but i'm not sure.

[Mechie3]

No progress on the car. My favorite tree snapped in half 3' off the ground in a storm Monday night. Ended up having to take 2 feet off the top piece but was able to get it back on the base and attempt to graft it back together. Took me almost 5 hours but it's splinted and sealed with wax. Time will tell if it will live. I've been training it and pruning it for the last 6 years and it was about a 10 year old tree when we bought it so I kinda like it.

Anyways...

I did buy the rivnut tool from Amazon. Much easier to use than the pop rivet style tool. Can't fit in all the same tight places, put for everything else it's nice. Need to make a custom arbor for 10-32.

Here's something that I made for Wayne @ VCP. Wayne came up with the idea and the external dimensions and sent me a sketch and asked if I could make him a set. All I did was add the fin geometry, which is nothing special, just matches the geometry of my other louvers. They mount to the rear top corners of the fenders to vent the air in the wheel well LeMans style.

First shot are the real parts. Second shot is a paper printout to check fitment.
http://i.imgur.com/8lzVKyo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/S6iZJKp.jpg

[Wayne Presley]

Looks great Craig, can't wait for them to show up!

[Mechie3]

I think you should have them tomorrow. Dropped them off at the PO Monday on my way home from work.

[Frank818]

Who's going to sell these? VCP or ZdBM?
I'm in for a group buy or a non-group buy I'm in too.

[Mechie3]

I sent them off to the shop for quoting today.

[Wayne Presley]

Who's going to sell these? VCP or ZdBM?
I'm in for a group buy or a non-group buy I'm in too.

They will be a Zero dB part Frank, i requested that Craig design them to match the louvers he already sells as i do not want to overlap his products

[Mechie3]

I'm in for a group buy or a non-group buy I'm in too.

I got quotes back. I thought they were high until I realized I forgot to multiply by 2 when I told Wayne what the material was. lol. Doesn't matter anyways because he sent me too much $$ because he's a good guy like that. Maybe he's better at math too.

If you got 5 people interested they'd be $60 a pair. 6- 10 people would be $45 as my cost goes down a similar amount. If you're interested I can start a thread.

[C.Plavan]

Count me in. I love cutting more fiberglass :)

[bbjones121]

Given cooling issues, I am in for cutting more fiberglass as well. Any pictures to give better idea of new look?

[bbjones121]

Count me in. I love cutting more fiberglass :)

This is exciting Chad!! Does this mean you are going to stick around in 818 community a bit longer?

[Mechie3]

This is exciting Chad!! Does this mean you are going to stick around in 818 community a bit longer?

The whole fender vent is just a scam to try and keep Chad around a little while longer. ;)

[SnyderJD]

Interested

[bbjones121]

Haha

[C.Plavan]

I have a couple interested parties, but the car would be worth more running right.....

Mechie- how about some of these in a pattern for the top flat portion of the rear humps? I have been wanting to do something up there to vent.

[Flamshackle]

No progress on the car. My favorite tree snapped in half 3' off the ground in a storm Monday night. Ended up having to take 2 feet off the top piece but was able to get it back on the base and attempt to graft it back together. Took me almost 5 hours but it's splinted and sealed with wax. Time will tell if it will live. I've been training it and pruning it for the last 6 years and it was about a 10 year old tree when we bought it so I kinda like it.

Anyways...

I did buy the rivnut tool from Amazon. Much easier to use than the pop rivet style tool. Can't fit in all the same tight places, put for everything else it's nice. Need to make a custom arbor for 10-32.

Here's something that I made for Wayne @ VCP. Wayne came up with the idea and the external dimensions and sent me a sketch and asked if I could make him a set. All I did was add the fin geometry, which is nothing special, just matches the geometry of my other louvers. They mount to the rear top corners of the fenders to vent the air in the wheel well LeMans style.

First shot are the real parts. Second shot is a paper printout to check fitment.
http://i.imgur.com/8lzVKyo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/S6iZJKp.jpg

Gah! too many... cool... parts... for wallet... to survive... sigh

[Mechie3]

Chad, I can whip something up.

[RM1SepEx]

Must.... stop.... project... creep...

Craig, I love the fender vents, add two small radiators and that gaping maw can be plugged and used for storage! Long term for sure!

I NEED those side vent scoops... any update?

[Frank818]

If you got 5 people interested they'd be $60 a pair. 6- 10 people would be $45 as my cost goes down a similar amount. If you're interested I can start a thread.

What? That's money found in a dumpster, I'm in! I mean not in the dumpster, but in the group buy. :)

[Mechie3]

Must.... stop.... project... creep...

How's this for project creep? Guy I bought my fmod from made me an offer. He's going to pick up my car, tow it to nationals, warm tires for me, and provide brand new sticker hoosiers. He even said if I'm short on time, I can fly in (like I did when I drove his car in 2012). So now I'm refreshing a few bits of the F500 to go to nationals. lol. Nothing like more distractions.

No update on side scoops. :mad:

Frank, where are these dumpsters with money? I'd like to do some diving.

[C.Plavan]

Frank, where are these dumpsters with money? I'd like to do some diving.

He was probably talking about my gold leafed 818R turd. :)

[longislandwrx]

No progress on the car. My favorite tree snapped in half 3' off the ground in a storm Monday night. Ended up having to take 2 feet off the top piece but was able to get it back on the base and attempt to graft it back together. Took me almost 5 hours but it's splinted and sealed with wax. Time will tell if it will live. I've been training it and pruning it for the last 6 years and it was about a 10 year old tree when we bought it so I kinda like it.


total bummer. I feel for you, I have a favorite tree in my backyard but the two recent hurricanes have taken it's toll. It sucks, no way to start over at this point.... instant gratification when it comes to trees is expensive.

[Mechie3]

Yeah, unfortunately. I read a Chinese proverb once about trees that said "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now". One downside of living in a new housing development that used to be a cornfield is a general lack of mature trees.

[RM1SepEx]

Have fun at Nationals, sounds like an offer that you can't refuse!

[Tamra]

We should meet up at nationals! It'd be great to meet you.

[Wayne Presley]

Craig, i got the louvers today abs they look great. What is the preferred technique to evenly bend each vane?

[Mechie3]

I usually try and use my middle finger on the bottom of the vane and then my thumb on the top and push to rotate it. If the frame starts to flex too much put one side in a vice. If the other end flexes too much while in a vice clamp a small piece of wood to it then bend the vanes.

[Mechie3]

We should meet up at nationals! It'd be great to meet you.

Definitely. I'll be there Monday through weds. Likely wearing a Zero dB shirt. Just listen for the obnoxious sounding Fmods and I shouldn't be too far away.

I placed an order for the fender top louvers. Turn around is typically 1.5 weeks. I'll make a thread when they're ready. I made two sets and Chad message me this weekend so I sent him the other pair. Guess he's sticking around after all. ;)

[C.Plavan]

Definitely. I'll be there Monday through weds. Likely wearing a Zero dB shirt. Just listen for the obnoxious sounding Fmods and I shouldn't be too far away.

I placed an order for the fender top louvers. Turn around is typically 1.5 weeks. I'll make a thread when they're ready. I made two sets and Chad message me this weekend so I sent him the other pair. Guess he's sticking around after all. ;)

Sticking around until someone wants the car bad enough :)

[Mechie3]

Ok...no zooming in on these not pretty looking welds. I repurposed the FFR seat mounting brackets and made some harness mounting tabs. Two mount on the outside of the sheet metal with a hole through the cockpit aluminum to fit the bolt. A short spacer will make sure the belt doesn't rub. The other two mount outside of the tunnel aluminum but a hole will need to be made to access the bolt head.

http://i.imgur.com/C2aEXBQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rJdzrBj.jpg

[metros]

Awesome! I need to copy that idea.

[Wayne Presley]

OOOPS, I zoomed my mistake :-)

[RM1SepEx]

That's about where I welded mine too. I made mine out of 3/16 steel stock.

[wallace18]

I would rather have a strong weld than a good looking one any day of the week. JMO.

[Mechie3]

OOOPS, I zoomed my mistake :-)


:o

Haha. Wallace, I hit it with a mini sledge a few times and it didn't budge. Flexes less than the harness bar, so it's probably good to go. Here's hoping I never have to truly find out.

[scott s]

I am glad I did a search for rivnuts and it took me to this build thread. I was thinking about my future build and was thinking why isn't anyone using rivnuts for all the panels that could be removed for better access to other assemblies. I do not think needed on the firewalls?
Mechie3. If you were to do it all over again would you go to the extra work of using counter sunk rivnuts in the frame ? Also wondering if you used any rubber or foam stripping etc to seal the removable panels when installed but still easily removable. No silicone sealant for me on anything removable!!

[RM1SepEx]

I drilled and tapped the thicker tubes 10-32 vs rivnuts, but everything is removable, I've had to put the body on and off multiple times

[Mechie3]

The front firewall and much of the cockpit aluminum can be riveted in place as it doesn't need to be removed. The rear firewall and the body makes sense to be easily removable if for no other reason than to be able to inspect things (such as all those hoses that run inside the body). For the center tunnel I cut it apart (Dan's idea) and am making a separate top that bolts in. The sides are riveted in. Countersunk rivnuts would be useful in some places but not totally necessary. I'm using low profile 10-32 rivnuts that don't have much height anyways.

[wleehendrick]

For the center tunnel I cut it apart (Dan's idea) and am making a separate top that bolts in. The sides are riveted in.

I did exactly that recently. I missed that anyone else had, but I'll still consider it my idea too! :p

[RM1SepEx]

Lee, I did it in 2013.. :rolleyes:

[wleehendrick]

Lee, I did it in 2013.. :rolleyes:

Yeah... I'm slow, I know. When anyone asks how my build is going all I can say is "If you want to build a car fast, don't buy a house". My wife wants an epoxy floor in the garage... and 818 is still up on jackstands!

Craig actually has an earlier kit than I do, but he has better excuses for not getting on the road yet: a young child and making all those cool ZDM parts for us!

[RM1SepEx]

My kit's early too, health issues, life in general and my latest venture a 10KW solar panel install. I installed it with friends, bought the materials myself and trailered them 2 hrs home and saved $11,000 on the local solar installer's quote, even when he was offering a 10% discount! Just finished the wiring today, total time 49 man hours. Will be online as soon as the power company can install the double meter system for net metering. Final cost less than $2 a watt installed.

I'm getting closer, my engine has some gremlins to debug and the second body install is ongoing. Add that to Craig's parts! I may never really finish! I've started fixing jell coat voids etc in hopes of a no paint build. What a PITA

[Mechie3]

Been a busy day. Months and months of work came to a point at a design review today. Made it through pretty well. 4 hour meeting cut down to 2. Awwww Yiss!

Anyways....here's what I've been working on for Chad since Sunday. I made the mistake of teaching my intern to run the CNC and now all he wants to do is make parts for work related projects. Makes it harder to make non work related stuff during lunch.

Being held up from underneath:
http://i.imgur.com/SS4cUoU.jpg

All these photos have it sitting on top so I could step back a little:
http://i.imgur.com/xGkIoBp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7sjAKGY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9Re6SKE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dJZykfl.jpg

Wider view. It'll have one on both sides. I had only finished one side by last night.
http://i.imgur.com/Eb3X86h.jpg

[Kurk818]

Now that is cool and should be pretty effective!

[Frank818]

Yeah awesome! Let's start a group buy! :)

[metalmaker12]

My favorite piece you have developed... Now finish your car!!!

[Flamshackle]

very cool!

I keep thinking that the coupe will need something like this to get the hot out.

[C.Plavan]

very cool!

I keep thinking that the coupe will need something like this to get the hot out.

I have a feeling that coupe is going to be super hot. I would not want to be one of the first guys getting it for sure.

[bbjones121]

As long as coupe is moving.the duct on roof should help A lot. Plus the ducts in the rear quarter glass. Overall, when the coupe is moving, it should be very well cooled. Not to mention the more streamline air vectors should probably help side vents and some lower rear bumper vents like Chad is putting in should move air better.

[Frank818]

As long as coupe is moving.the duct on roof should help A lot.

The prob is you're not always moving... so what do you do then?

[freds]

It seem drawing hot engine compartment air up would be counter productive for air cooled ICs???

[bbjones121]

The prob is you're not always moving... so what do you do then?

Yes true, but when you are pushing your engine hard, you are not sitting still.

[bbjones121]

Sorry, this is getting off topic. ....Craig the new louvers look great. can't wait to see both of them mounted.

[Mechie3]

Fred's, unless you have a sealed duct (Hoses or full ducts like a Porsche 911 sealed off on inlets and sealed on top of intercooler) these vents would vent all of your incoming air before it got to the tmic. These would cross over the top of the FFR stock setup and all incoming air just goes right out.

[metalmaker12]

I have a feeling that coupe is going to be super hot. I would not want to be one of the first guys getting it for sure.

It is going to be very hot in there. If I were to go coupe I would put the intercooler up near the roof scoop, and have airflow go through a vent above the rear glass. I would box it off from engine heat and have fans suck the heat out the engine bay to limit heat soak. This should work. The tmic in stock location will heat up and inmo won't work. Remember it is direct air pressure to ic we need to achieve with limited heat soak. The wrx factory setup with stock boost and timing barely works right with thousands of hours of testing.

[Flamshackle]

The prob is you're not always moving... so what do you do then?

Same thing they do in the front of a Subaru. Exit the turbo Heat through the the scoop.

[freds]

Fred's, unless you have a sealed duct (Hoses or full ducts like a Porsche 911 sealed off on inlets and sealed on top of intercooler) these vents would vent all of your incoming air before it got to the tmic. These would cross over the top of the FFR stock setup and all incoming air just goes right out.

Hi Mechie, My post wasn't really a question, but a caution to air to air intercooler guys. As you probably read in several of my posts, I have completely isolated the input air side of my stock intercooler from the engine compartment. In my case, if your louvers were reversed and actually "scooped" air into my car that would help get more cold air through the intercooler. I suspect however that the area above the humps is a low pressure area and your louvers will function as you intend them to, to remove hot air from the engine compartment in general.

fred

[Mechie3]

Got some work done this weekend. Splitting some time between 818 and F500.

Welded in the last mount for the harness and got all of them primed. Will be painting them tonight. The Ebrake cover still fits, so that's good.
http://i.imgur.com/L1bOmt9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tFN3kIo.jpg

Made a partial rear firewall. The lower section was already covered before putting in the motor. This covers just the middle. The idea was that the left and right side sections are needed for routing hoses, wires, etc. The middle isn't used (andthe top of the middle is covered by the large thick firewall) and this prevents hoses and wires from vibrating and getting caught in the alternator belt. I need to make it thicker. it was .040" material, what I had on hand. It will pop too much. Maybe make it from .0625 or .09. I'll probably mount my ECU on it as well.
http://i.imgur.com/Swn0ZzX.jpg

Finally finished cutting out the other hole in my hood for my larger louvers and got the trunk cutout as well (no pics).
http://i.imgur.com/A8mQJWh.jpg

Updated my front hinge to the latest design. Now I can put all my front sheetmetal back together.
http://i.imgur.com/lrM5dEa.jpg

We'll see how progress goes. Need to paint the harness mounts and then I can put 1/2 the body back on, take a pic, and send it all off to register the car (no inspection :) ). Have a two day autocross this weekend and took apart the front suspension on the F500 to do some work. Needs new ball joints, rubber pucks, turning down the rotors, already changed the clutch belt and need some carb work too. Next week I'm gone for ANSYS training so that'll slow stuff down.

[STiPWRD]

I like your floor harness mounts and will be copying :-) Also, I use ANSYS regularly in case you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email.

[Mechie3]

I used ANSYS back in college before it was a solidworks plugin. It's funny, I took the STR/Explicit training, but not the base training. ha!

Almost forgot, I made a front AWIC core mount template yesterday and a template for mounting the AWIC pump as well.

[Canadian818]

Great work as always! I really like the rear hump louvers, and IMO they look better mounted on top.

[Frank818]

Same thing they do in the front of a Subaru. Exit the turbo Heat through the the scoop.

True, natural exit.
The option I prefer for now is what Porsche does, an air sensor in the engine bay and when it goes over a certain temp, it triggers fans to run and get the hot air out, on an after-run.
In fact, I have a plan for after-run cooling, using some VW stuff and maybe Porsche. I fear heat soak a LOT, so I'll go overkill on that.

[Mechie3]

Made the bracket for the bosch pump last night. It's just a simple piece that uses two of the frozenboost pump mounts (simple sheet metal bracket, rubber isolators, and Tbolt clamp) and allows them to hang off the side of the frame rail so I can get the best positioning for the hoses.

Humble cardboard beginnings:
http://i.imgur.com/Osy1V0k.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DQExiXn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VqeNqrP.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1kkOCpe.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xm6UBGr.jpg

[Hindsight]

Nice!

[FFR-ADV]

Very nice! I hope you make this part available to us.

[wleehendrick]

Very nice! I hope you make this part available to us.

I'd like one also... better hose routing that when mounted to a frame tube directly with rivnuts.

[Mechie3]

I sent it out for quote.

[FFR-ADV]

Thank you!

[Mechie3]

Quotes for the hump vents came back. They'll be $45 as well. I guessed as much since they're the same material size more or less as the fender vents. I'll make a thread about them soon.

[Frank818]

One thing Craig, you have front vents on top of the front fenders, rear humps vents on top of the humps, do you also have rear fender vents that go on top of the rear fenders? Probably not, the rear fenders are more angled down than the other body parts, but asking just in case.

[Mechie3]

Nope. My next set of louvers will likely be ones to fit into the intercooler intake spot. They'd look similar to a C7 vette with the vents there. A car using all of the vents/louvers will likely look too aggressive for a regular street car. I actually have multiple sets of body panels so when you see me cut stuff up, it's not always my final body panel. ;) People might want to mix/match different louvers for different overall looks or effects.

[Harley818]

Mechie those hump louvres look great. That area of the car was needing something and I think you just hit it right on! nice work.....again.

[bbjones121]

Any updated photos of hump louvers?

[Mechie3]

No. Only one set exists and chad has them.

[bbjones121]

Hey Craig, I have another louver idea. This one is more for finishing looks. Can you make some thinner gauge louvers that fit tucked inside the front right and left fenders? The area between the doors and the front fenders. That way if someone looks closely, it actually appears that gap is meant to be. Some nice painted black louvers in there, barely noticeable, would be a perfect finishing touch.

[Mechie3]

Like a Viper?

https://theviperstore.com/images/Viper3SideVentTrim53.jpg

[07FIREBLADE]

^^^pretty. Almost makes me want to keep the S front end if you did something like that.

[nkw8181]

A car using all of the vents/louvers will likely look too aggressive for a regular street car. we will see we will see :)

[bbjones121]

Like a Viper?

https://theviperstore.com/images/Viper3SideVentTrim53.jpg

Yes exactly!
It wouldn't be as noticeable, but it would be something you see in there if you get closer.

[Mechie3]

On my car the gap near the bottom of the fender is almost zero, the gap at the top is much larger. Looks like an accident or you put on fenders from a different car.

Cleaned off the duck tape residue yesterday.
http://i.imgur.com/KQXEMmk.jpg

Picked up parts this AM at the laser shop (hump vents, heat shields, coolant brackets, and some other misc parts).

[Flamshackle]

On my car the gap near the bottom of the fender is almost zero, the gap at the top is much larger. Looks like an accident or you put on fenders from a different car.

Cleaned off the duck tape residue yesterday.
http://i.imgur.com/KQXEMmk.jpg

Picked up parts this AM at the laser shop (hump vents, heat shields, coolant brackets, and some other misc parts).

wow its looking great Mechie! I really like the 5 spokes.

[Mechie3]

The funny part is, those are just my old winter wheels and tires from my wrx. Lol. I bought the wheels with tires in 2007 for $200.

[Pearldrummer7]

Hey Craig, how did you clean the tape residue off? I'm having trouble getting mine off in a timely manner.

[Mechie3]

Goo gone and a plastic scraper where necessary.

[Mechie3]

I got some quotes back for my bell crank shifter design. :( At quantities of 5 each it'd be $400. At quantities of 10 it'd be around $335. I do have one part out for quote at a different vendor, but at best that saves $25-ish. Going to check with another shop I've used in the past, but I don't know if they have CNC's or just manual equipment. There's a few other design modifications I might be able to make to bring cost down, but I don't want to compromise the design just for cost. I just think it's a hard sell for something that doesn't offer much aside from reducing the number of bends in the cable and a tighter more compact package.

[bbjones121]

Hey Craig, What did you end up doing with your taillights?

[Mechie3]

Still rocking the stockers. I put the tail light project on the back burner until the car is up and running.

[shinn497]

Cool! Any idea how you will paint it?

[FFR-ADV]

Ah this is epic!

please tell me I can afford this.

Maybe you could offer the kit in multiple options? ie

1- Full kit (for the deep pocketed)
2- The rear components on the transmission (just add MR2 shifter)
3- Shifter (for looks)

Hi Craig,

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

You've been doing great things!
Any updates on the MR2 shifter options and availability?

[Mechie3]

Paint: not sure. I like the Lotus Persian Blue, but I don't like the idea of spending $4k for paint on a kit that cost $10k. Keep it white for now, maybe plastidip? Experiment with wrap?

MR2: I didn't quote the front components, just the rear. That pricing is above. I'm not sure how many people want to the linkage at $400.

[Frank818]

How about this for paint/color? :) Or just for the car actually, I'm sure you can CNC a bunch of cool parts for it!

44481

[TouchStone]

Hey Craig, how did you clean the tape residue off? I'm having trouble getting mine off in a timely manner.

Use fresh duct tape! Stick and pull, very easy.

[Mechie3]

Zero decibel needs to sell a LOT more parts if we're going to be getting one of those. hahahaha

[Mechie3]

Well, I got a VIN today.







:D

[Tamra]

Nice! Congrats!

[matteo92065]

Did you drive it there? congrats! It's a good feeling getting these last few street legal steps done.

[wleehendrick]

Well, I got a VIN today.







:D

Awesome... congrats, Craig!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e1/1e/65/e11e65a79e510c9e7862c3ae2308285d.gif

[AZPete]

Yippee, now you can go back to welding all night! :)

[Frank818]

Well, I got a VIN today.






:D

Nice, I've got Diesel here!
Oh man, what a damn unfunny joke! lollll

[TouchStone]

Nice, I've got Diesel here!
Oh man, what a damn unfunny joke! lollll

Wow ... I forgot to laugh.

[metros]

Congrats! That's got to feel good.

[Mechie3]

Did you drive it there? congrats! It's a good feeling getting these last few street legal steps done.

Drive? There? lol. that's funny.

Car hasn't been started since I first started it winter of 2013/2014, no brake fluid, no clutch fluid, no gear oil, CV boots still need to be clamped, wiring harness is a mess and just waiting for iWire, AWIC isn't filled with water. No, I didn't it anywhere.

Indiana has no car inspections, not even for standard street going cars. I had a police officer come last summer and verify the frame number, engine number, and that no VIN existed. Mailed in that form, the MCO, salvage title ("receipt" for motor/trans, etc), and a side view pic along with my invoice. That was not quite two weeks ago. Now I need to make a plate for the VIN, rivet it, have a police officer verify the VIN is now attached, sign a form, go to the BMV and pay my taxes and get my title and register. BAM!

Drive it......lol. At least now when I'm ready I can somewhat legally go kart it.

;)

[TouchStone]

Spending too much time making awesome upgrades and parts. Sounds like you need some help.

[Mechie3]

Yeah, between the baby (well, 16 mo's today), the F500, making parts, and life my 818 time has gone down considerably. I usually don't even make it out to the garage until 9pm now. It's ok though. I enjoy the time with my family and the money coming in from making parts allows me to upgrade other stuff (like, iWire), buy tools, or experiment with things without using out of pocket money. :)

[Frank818]

Indiana has no car inspections

A'right that's enough, I leave damn Canada and I find a way to establish myself in IN!

[Mechie3]

Not a lot of progress. Pulled my mess of a wiring harness and shipped it out to iwire yesterday. That's right. After all the time I put into it I still wasn't happy with it and Dan convinced me to go iwire. Put it in my side tunnel pieces last night after making some access holes for the lap belt bolts. No pics because it's not really pic worthy. I have a few more zero db shipments I need to get out so work won't progress much until those are shipped.

But....I was in the garage last night waiting for a police officer to show up. He came, inspected the VIN plate, and this morning I got all the paperwork done for the title. Now to get insurance so I can plate it. :D

[Hindsight]

Congrats on passing the inspection!

What didn't you like about your wiring job?

[Mechie3]

Well, the inspection took all of 3 minutes. Officer walks up "where's the VIN?" I show him the plate riveted to the frame, he double checks the number matches the paper, signs the paper, and leaves. Haha!

I didn't like what a mess it was. I got it down to 20lbs, but there was still a big rats nest up under the console, lots of splices, just a mess. The iwire setup looks really clean. With the dual fuseboxes, some wires run from the ECU to the front fuse box and back to the rear. Dumb. I'm not an EE so making my own from scratch isn't my forte. I sold enough ZerodB parts to justify the harness. It's why I started zerodB, to fund my car hobby.

[Hindsight]

Well you can't go wrong with the iWire harness. They are works of art. As I spend more and more time on my harness, I appreciate more each day how clean and nice the iWire setup is. I love the fuseboxes he uses. So clean and trim.

[Frank818]

Well you can't go wrong with the iWire harness.

You can't go wrong with Indiana's "inspection" either!!! ahhahahahah

[07FIREBLADE]

Nice, great job getting through the inspection process out there. You wont be disappointed with the iWire harness. Looking forward to getting it and working on it with Brian.

[Mechie3]

I just ordered a new harness. Brian said it would be a lot of work to work on my already dieted harness. You guys should have it in a week.

[Mitch Wright]

Craig, you will be very pleased with the quality and ease of installation with your Iwire harness, I think it was well worth the investment.

[Mechie3]

It's been slow going. Wife was in Mexico for a week volunteering at a hospital so no work got done. Next week I was in San Antonio so nothing got done. Work has been busy so very little got done in the three weeks after. I did manage to do a few things:

I drilled and tapped my AWIC core for a tool free bleeder:
http://i.imgur.com/xjZNG9D.jpg

Made some 3/8NPT bungs and welded them to the underside of the core for a dual temp intercooler gauge. You can also see a modified Subaru OEM BPV bolted to the front of the core.

http://i.imgur.com/tE1Q2L8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0t6QgPT.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eTwTM1Y.jpg

My iWire harness showed up Saturday and I got the car registered and temp plates too. Now to make it drive so I can actually use it.
http://i.imgur.com/7tWzAO3.jpg

818C number 7 is 20 mins from my house and 5 mins from my work. I got to stop by yesterday to see it and also try out Bill's driving simulator. I was terrible at the simulator having played racing games only once about 8 years ago. Now I feel a need to buy a ps3 just to practice in the off season. Bill is going to work with me to develop some 818C products.

http://i.imgur.com/BIf8B4f.jpg

[Hindsight]

Nice idea on the bleeders!

[RM1SepEx]

His hard top is red, the last one shown (around Bob in Cincy) had a black top... Is it available in white too?

[Mechie3]

They will be making a run of front ends in white, not sure about hardtops, for those that have a white S and want to upgrade.

[07FIREBLADE]

Nice more 818c parts on the way. Can't wait

[Mechie3]

Spent last night picking up some odds and ends. I had made some nice titanium spacers for my seatbelts but I think my daughter found them, played with them, and then hid them. They've been missing for 2 weeks. The garage is slightly cleaner so I can work a little easier. I'm at that point where I've got 10 things lined up to do and each needs a minor thing done before the major part can be done. Sometimes I just go out there and think "i have no idea what I need to do right now". lol

[Mulry]

Spent last night picking up some odds and ends. I had made some nice titanium spacers for my seatbelts but I think my daughter found them, played with them, and then hid them. They've been missing for 2 weeks. The garage is slightly cleaner so I can work a little easier. I'm at that point where I've got 10 things lined up to do and each needs a minor thing done before the major part can be done. Sometimes I just go out there and think "i have no idea what I need to do right now". lol

That sounds like my whole weekend last weekend. Ugh.

[AZPete]

Yup, she's the one! She also got into my garage and took a 14mm socket and 2 drill bits!

[Canadian818]

Yup, she's the one! She also got into my garage and took a 14mm socket and 2 drill bits!

I have like 6 14mm sockets, and it's a 5-10 min rant every time to find one!

[Scargo]

You don't have a ferret, do you? My son's, who stayed with us for a while, loved to steal my wallet!

[Frank818]

Man you are such a welder...

[Mechie3]

Making slow progress. Work is still busy.

Started on the iWire harness. Made a bracket to mount the circuit breaker so I can reach it from the drivers seat. Also made a panel to block off the rear center firewall to mount the ECU. I kept changing my mind on where/how to mount the panel so it ended up being 4 pieces welded together after I cut them apart. Oh well. It can be mounted/installed with the motor already in. Thinking of quoting it and seeing what it comes back as for people that might want to do the same".

http://i.imgur.com/0Nha3cN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TzsyWo3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/HDjZymk.jpg

Cut the top off and the corners, ended up welding them all back on.
http://i.imgur.com/JTzEz3A.jpg

Real plates showed up in the mail:
http://i.imgur.com/RxkKtKi.jpg

Modified Subaru BPV to fit Greddy mounting pattern:
http://i.imgur.com/QNGErOo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iUtzS4T.jpg

[Mechie3]

Some LCA spacers I made for Frank:
http://i.imgur.com/QIKG7Ps.jpg

New welding table setup (used to be plywood...lol)
http://i.imgur.com/ipFpPgb.jpg

More welding practice:
http://i.imgur.com/hfgxMWY.jpg

[Frank818]

You don't need welding practice with such awesome welds!!!

Yeah the LCA spacers are great! I don't know yet about the caster gain and hopefully a little camber gain if possible, I won't install them for a couple of weeks.
They are 10mm thick. I'm sure other people would want such spacers.

[Hindsight]

Nice to see you making progress. Those welds are looking great! Better than mine. Aluminum is tough to make pretty, especially when you get to the end of a bead on an edge.

[tmoretta]

Are the LCA spacers only for use on the aluminum LCA's?

[Frank818]

They were designed from the alu LCA yes. I don't know how that section of the LCA looks on the steel one, if it's similar it may work too. Craig do you know the steel LCAs?

[Mechie3]

Steel are one piece so the LCA spacers are for aluminum only.

[Mechie3]

Working on a project and printed it out for my daughter to color.

http://i.imgur.com/8sELx4h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yjOqYJk.jpg

[Wayne Presley]

So cute!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RM1SepEx]

Boy, I barely remember those days Craig!

Now she drives a Miata, has a boyfriend, lives in Boston for college.... Just wait they get older and the old hormones kick in! I just sent a check to Simmons for more than I've spent on my 818 and it is only for one semester! And her scholarship pays for half the bill!

48407

[Wayne Presley]

Craig, are you going to PRI?

[Mechie3]

I'll be there Thursday most likely. Probably walking around with a blue jacket on.

[Mechie3]

Getting side tracked again. haha.

New light showed up. No more tacky chrome ring. Same lighting pattern as the ones I got almost a year ago, just a different way to mount them.

http://i.imgur.com/ug926Z1.jpg

Printed out a 1:1 of a prototype grill to mount the new lights on. Going for something reminiscent of more modern supercars. The Lotus Exige Cup, Aventador, Mclaren P1 and many others have all moved from the round hole mesh to either diamond mesh or custom cut hex patterns. I think the hex pattern I randomly chose is a little too big. Going to scale it down a little. Otherwise, I like it.

http://i.imgur.com/WidjWEG.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/XyzALW0.jpg

Also prototyped a new bracket for the bell crank shifter. The bell crank isn't shown, it's still on my car with the old bracket. The main mount is larger than the old one but it integrates the cable mount so fewer total pieces. I'm hoping this one comes back with better quotes. I can mix and match CNC mill with laser cut parts to save cost on the thinner pieces.
http://i.imgur.com/jbwzyyY.jpg

[Kurk818]

Im digging the new look of the rear. I will also be creating something similar but with more fiberglass work on other portions of the bumper. Did you post how much the lights cost?

[Mechie3]

I did not. If they work out I'll be selling them. In low quantities they work out to be ~$200 for a set of four (my cost). It took me a very very long time to find them so I'm not telling my source. lol. I think, IIRC, the Hella ring lights ended up being around $1000 to make a complete set with four red rings and four inner lights so $200 is a deal.

They do not drop into the stock holes (thus the whole new rear). I'd like to change the rest of the bumper as well, but my fiberglass skills are non existent for the most part so that'll come later (if ever).

[Kurk818]

Thats a really great price for 4 lights. Ive done quite a bit of research myself on this subject. I plan on making a lens to cover mine.

Do the lights have mounting provisions on the back or are they designed to be installed in a mounting ring?

[Mechie3]

They have three studs integrated into the sealed body. The LED's internally are made by cree and/or philips. Most of the lights I found looked like cheapies meant for the back of an 18 wheeler.

[flynntuna]

That design looks great! Opening up all that area should allow a lot of flow for the heat to escape. If you made a trunk from the same mesh material, you can have air flow and a place for occasional cargo too.

[Canadian818]

Nice lights, very interested in how your mesh mounting works out. Could you off it with a custom centre hole for a centre exhaust?

[Mechie3]

It'll likely be a two piece design, a left and right (mirror images). This does several things. 1: easier to prototype on a machine with a 22" X axis travel limit 2: Easier to ship (shorter box) 3: cheaper (doesn't need material in the middle, an order of 1 = 2 pieces = reach price breaks 2x as fast) 4: leaves the middle alone. If you want a license plate there, put it there. If you want an exhaust, put an exhaust.

The "mesh material" is actually a sheet with that pattern cut into it. It allows the transition from mesh to the edge support and the light supports to be seamless and lets me choose whatever pattern and size I want.

[Canadian818]

It'll likely be a two piece design, a left and right (mirror images). This does several things. 1: easier to prototype on a machine with a 22" X axis travel limit 2: Easier to ship (shorter box) 3: cheaper (doesn't need material in the middle, an order of 1 = 2 pieces = reach price breaks 2x as fast) 4: leaves the middle alone. If you want a license plate there, put it there. If you want an exhaust, put an exhaust.

The "mesh material" is actually a sheet with that pattern cut into it. It allows the transition from mesh to the edge support and the light supports to be seamless and lets me choose whatever pattern and size I want.

I like the two piece idea, shipping cost was my first concern. I guess I could've been more descriptive. I have a tri collector for an exhaust tip and would like a rotor shaped cutout for it to go through. Is this something you'd be willing to accommodate, a custom cutout?

[TrickyPete]

I would imagine that tail lights from a Chevy HHR would work pretty well for your application. But considering the amount of time you spent finding lights I'm sure you've already looked them over. Apparently they are so close to a Ferrari light that alot of builders use them in their Ferrari replicas.

[Mulry]

Please keep me posted on the bell crank shifter. Very interested.

[Mechie3]

I looked at the HHR and cobalt lights. In LED form they looked cheesy. They're also not mounted on a flat surface in the OEM application so they end up looking oblong instead of round.

Test fit the bell crank last night. Need to make the arm longer to account for adding a spacer on the main bracket. Just stuck a random piece in there in the meantime.

http://i.imgur.com/1N1rNCW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/E599OjQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Y6QHoDz.jpg

[RM1SepEx]

Looking good Craig!

[Canadian818]

Looks great, let us know when we can order.

[Mulry]

Looks great, let us know when we can order.

Same here.

[Scargo]

What about six-speed? I'd want to order if I could get that confighured for a MR2 shifter setup with cables going straight back.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Craig,
Do you think I can adapt your brackets to my side shifter?
Bob

48604

[Flamshackle]

My car ships from the USA mid Jan so please make some available so I can get it in with my kit. LOVE IT!

[nkw8181]

Thanks a lot Craig! I thought I had everything taken care of but you keep making more things for me to spend money on ;)

[Mechie3]

Ordering: Need to finish test fit, find someone with a running car to do a test fit (parts provided at cost), and then have them quoted.

6 spd: unlikely. Mounting points and input shaft angle are different.

Bob: Unlikely as well. The mounting for the main bracket is right where your vertical heim joints are.

MR2: It will work with the mr2 shifter and the FFR plastic shifter. It will not work with the VCP shifter since the left/right action is reversed. I'm working on something for that.

Nolan: :D

[nkw8181]

Will the mesh be anything like this?
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=131615690361&alt=web

[Mechie3]

No. That is expanded metal. This will be a mesh pattern laser cut (mine will be CNC cut, production will be laser) from a solid flat sheet. It makes the transition from the pattern to the border seamless and lets me tailor it however I want. It'll be like the mclaren P1 rear or the mesh in the nose of the 2016 Ford GT lemans car.

http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/5/2012/09/McLaren-P1-rear-14.jpg

[Pearldrummer7]

Ordering: Need to finish test fit, find someone with a running car to do a test fit (parts provided at cost), and then have them quoted.

6 spd: unlikely. Mounting points and input shaft angle are different.

Bob: Unlikely as well. The mounting for the main bracket is right where your vertical heim joints are.

MR2: It will work with the mr2 shifter and the FFR plastic shifter. It will not work with the VCP shifter since the left/right action is reversed. I'm working on something for that.

Nolan: :D

Craig-
I'm in to buy one. You keep finding me reasons to spend money on your parts. I'm even wearing my ZDB shirt today.

I can test it up to third gear around the back roads, or once the snow clears I can test it on track. Very interested in this.

[nkw8181]

If you are going to do that how about the same design for the front and side vents? What I showed was what I had planned on using but would like it all to match.

[bbjones121]

Ordering: Need to finish test fit, find someone with a running car to do a test fit (parts provided at cost), and then have them quoted.

6 spd: unlikely. Mounting points and input shaft angle are different.

Bob: Unlikely as well. The mounting for the main bracket is right where your vertical heim joints are.

MR2: It will work with the mr2 shifter and the FFR plastic shifter. It will not work with the VCP shifter since the left/right action is reversed. I'm working on something for that.

Nolan: :D

It will also work with the upgraded shifter that Factory Five sells.

Let me know when you need some testers.

[Mechie3]

If you are going to do that how about the same design for the front and side vents? What I showed was what I had planned on using but would like it all to match.

side vents = large open side scoops
front = bumper? If I make mesh for the front bumper and you have a hinge you'll need the coupe style arms to clear.

[07FIREBLADE]

Craig,

Are you converting to the new front end? I saw your post saying you were interested in it and a spare grill. Could you possibly prototype of a mount for fog light similar to what the new coupe has. I think those would sell and makes the front end a whole lot better looking and better lighting cant hurt this car.

[Mechie3]

I am. Still waiting for them to get back to me with shipping. I told Bill we should do that and he agreed. He already has the coupe in hand and lives 5 minutes from my work. Is there a particular light you were interested in?

[Aero STI]

I'm definitely going to pull the trigger on the new front end before the price goes up. I think you may be one of the closest members to me. I wonder if it would save shipping if we had a few front ends bundled. I imagine others within a few hours drive would also be interested.