Custom Tunnel... has anybody done one?, Mine is out and I'm looking for ideas |
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Custom Tunnel... has anybody done one?, Mine is out and I'm looking for ideas |
Gigamight |
Jun 27 2010, 06:16 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 220 Joined: 8-June 09 From: Near Akron, Ohio Member No.: 10,454 Region Association: Middle East |
So I had to remove my tunnel to repair everything inside that was broken or rusted. Now I am thinking about just making a custom tube frame tunnel that will make it easy to get inside to do any work later on down the line.
Has anybody done one before? If so, do you have any pics? I am looking for ideas, and suggestions. |
FourBlades |
Jun 27 2010, 07:03 PM
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#2
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From Wreck to Rockin Group: Members Posts: 2,055 Joined: 3-December 07 From: Brevard, FL Member No.: 8,414 Region Association: South East States |
I would be careful not to change the height of the shift console or your shifting action is going to be screwed up.... John |
bandjoey |
Jun 27 2010, 09:34 PM
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#3
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bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,929 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I'd cut the entire top off and piano hinge it back on. Or fancy paint the inside loaded with neon lights, and put a clear plastic top on. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)
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brant |
Jun 27 2010, 10:34 PM
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#4
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914 Wizard Group: Members Posts: 11,641 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Colorado Member No.: 47 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
the tunnel adds structural rigidity on some level. These are unibody cars. I'd make sure any replacement was torsionally strong.. I'm not sure a top hinge would give them same strength as a closed box
b |
Mikey914 |
Jun 27 2010, 10:43 PM
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#5
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The rubber man Group: Members Posts: 12,679 Joined: 27-December 04 From: Hillsboro, OR Member No.: 3,348 Region Association: None |
I concur on the idea of not hinging the tube. I would go to a thicker sheet, and add ribs to it to allow for larger acces panels. You could add an additional panel or two using a rib doubler for extra strengh if necessary.
The idea of making a replacement tube that has more access is a good one ( especially if you have to remove it anyhow. |
arkitect |
Jun 27 2010, 10:47 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 617 Joined: 3-March 10 From: Stockton, CA Member No.: 11,426 Region Association: None |
I've thought of doing the same thing, because of the rust I can see thru the rear access hatch. Adding multiple ribs across the width with access panels in between would probably be a good aproach.
Dave |
Loser_Cruiser |
Jun 28 2010, 11:11 AM
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 407 Joined: 4-April 05 From: Bellingham, WA Member No.: 3,873 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
What perfect timing! I've been thinking about this recently as well. I went for a ride in my friends new elise and really like the center tunnel design they got. I don't think this would be ideal for a stock, rod shifter, car, but if you had a cable shifter it might be good. Does anyone else think it would provide enough strength? would the perpendicular rectangular bits, just in front of the seat mounts, need to be widened like the elises?
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Gigamight |
Jun 28 2010, 11:19 AM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 220 Joined: 8-June 09 From: Near Akron, Ohio Member No.: 10,454 Region Association: Middle East |
Well, I have a friend who is an automotive engineer (well, that's what he went to school for, now he is an engineer for Bridgestone), I have asked him about it, and he says he will work on something for me, but he says that it shouldn't be hard to keep the shifter location stock, improve the functionality, and increase rigidity. I am going to draw something up with him, but if anyone has some ideas for a design, throw them at me and I will see how it fits in the mix and hopefully I can design something with him that will work for all of us that want to improve it.
I know this will inspire the wrath of the originality buffs, and so I apologize for the sacrilege of this modification. However, I want something better than original, if possible. |
Mikey914 |
Jun 28 2010, 07:35 PM
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#9
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The rubber man Group: Members Posts: 12,679 Joined: 27-December 04 From: Hillsboro, OR Member No.: 3,348 Region Association: None |
As far as originality goes, I wouldn't do it to a 6, but if it's bad enough that you had to do it any how, it would be the least of your worries. You would also be looking at floorboard pan / pans. If you were add in is support for A/X on the sides, then why not.
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Britain Smith |
Jun 29 2010, 10:36 AM
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#10
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Nano Member Group: Members Posts: 2,354 Joined: 27-February 03 From: Hillsboro, OR Member No.: 364 |
Raising the entire shifter assembly won't change the shifting action...I mean move the entire sheet metal up.
-Britain |
charliew |
Jun 30 2010, 11:19 AM
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#11
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,363 Joined: 31-July 07 From: Crawford, TX. Member No.: 7,958 |
I disagree, moving the shifter up will require a lot of changes to the shaft. It will need a ujoint in the tunnel to come out at the same place in the rear firewall and the bushing at the rear will need to be a lot better. If the shaft is angled that additional angle will wear the bushings more rapidly and the front to rear motion will change.
The fiero also has a large tunnel with the fuel tank in the tunnel and a cable shifter. |
tat2dphreak |
Jun 30 2010, 11:28 AM
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#12
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stoya, stoya, stoya Group: Benefactors Posts: 8,797 Joined: 6-June 03 From: Wylie, TX Member No.: 792 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I've wanted to re-locate the e-brake to the middle... where it belongs.
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McMark |
Jun 30 2010, 12:13 PM
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#13
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Did you do the repairs wrong? Why are you going to have to get back in there? Are you planning on parking it underwater?
IMHO, you need to think about what kind of life this car had to make it so bad, and then think about what kind of life it's going to have after you're done with it. You're going to go through all this effort and then never use it. If you did all your repairs right, you're wasting time and money. |
moparrob |
Jun 30 2010, 01:35 PM
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#14
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 646 Joined: 27-April 10 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 11,663 Region Association: None |
Man, I'd love to re-locate my e-brake to the center so that I can fit my 993 seats in with less problems. I wonder if anyone has tried an aftermarket like a Lokar, or anything else?
I have a mig welder, so bracketry shouldn't be a big issue... |
charliew |
Jun 30 2010, 01:40 PM
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#15
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,363 Joined: 31-July 07 From: Crawford, TX. Member No.: 7,958 |
944 e brake lever bracket and cables are my game plan.
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Gigamight |
Jul 1 2010, 11:28 PM
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#16
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Member Group: Members Posts: 220 Joined: 8-June 09 From: Near Akron, Ohio Member No.: 10,454 Region Association: Middle East |
Did you do the repairs wrong? Why are you going to have to get back in there? Are you planning on parking it underwater? IMHO, you need to think about what kind of life this car had to make it so bad, and then think about what kind of life it's going to have after you're done with it. You're going to go through all this effort and then never use it. If you did all your repairs right, you're wasting time and money. The problem is, now that the tunnel is out, I am realizing how much trouble it will be to get it back in properly, considering I don't really want to be welding with brake/fuel/wiring inside the tunnel. If I make a custom tunnel, I can fab the tunnel and then install everything that goes inside. I do see the possibility of getting back inside, since every last vehicle I have done has had some custom functionality-focused electrical modifications, and I like to hide most of it in the center console where it isn't so obvious and has a lot of room for me to work in. I am already installing a built in Homelink module and I am working on some slideout lighted cupholders. I am going for an updated interior. I hadn't even thought of the e-brake! Thanks guys, I am working on adding that to the drawings tonight! |
john rogers |
Jul 2 2010, 01:02 AM
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#17
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,525 Joined: 4-March 03 From: Chula Vista CA Member No.: 391 |
The #22 Wayne Baker car and several other IMSA "tube frame" type cars all had the complete floor with tunnel and cross box section removed, the boxes on both sides were cut with lots of lightening holes and then thin walled chrome molly tube was added at each side and down the center on both sides where the tunnel would be. There were cross tubes and "X" tubes run to strengthen the floor and finally covered underneath it all with aluminum sheet. The shifter mechanism and all cables were exposed for ease of maintenance and replacement at the race track and since these were full out race cars and expendable if they fell apart after a year was okay.
As for relocating the e-brake handle, rally 914s in Europe had the handle in the center. |
jaxdream |
Jul 2 2010, 06:23 AM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 974 Joined: 8-July 08 From: North Central Tennessee Member No.: 9,270 Region Association: South East States |
944 e brake lever bracket and cables are my game plan. I have an E-brake handle out of a 964 I plan on installing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) Just gonna drill a couple of holes just above the top of the tunnel on the back firewall , mig in a couple of small tubes for the cables , mount it to a plate aand then mount the plate to the tunnel. I have thought about the tunnel being removable also , reason for my interest in the thread. Gigamight , I'd say go for it if that's what you want, as for mine I am going to leave it there as the car body is in too good a condition to do the mod , heck I don't even want flares , just hate to cut up a very good very low rust body, if it needed a bunch of rust repair , I wouldn't think twice about doing the tunnel mod. YMMV..... Jack / Jaxdream |
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