Today was about closing up the main hoop and fire wall.
I started with this little spot above the fire wall arch.
First, cut a paper template (and remember to account for the flanges!)
Then I used the bead roller to fold the flanges.

Here's the template and the finished piece.

It's funny, I talked with Tony (Cracker) today and we laughed about how these build threads show all the pics but there's no real evidence of just how much work it takes to get from what was to what now is.

All told, this little piece took me about 2 hours to make.

...but it turned out quite nicely!

I was feeling pretty good about fabbing sheet metal so I figured I may as well get started on the inner fire wall.
Template, metal shears, fit, fit, fit and...

Well, OK... There will be some more fitting. But it's looking good so far.

Next is laying out and rolling in some sort of bead to help it resist oil canning and to add some visual appeal.

Looking good!!!!

That extra clearance for the pulley will just make it easier to replace the belt...

That looks really good Chris! You are very talented at fabrication! Fred and Wilma are going to love it!

Did the final trimming and fitting of the lower fire wall. The electric shears are awesome and make quick work of getting a clean cut right to the mark.

Got the final flange bent across the top. Happy with the fit.

Here a shot of the fire wall and how it's fit with the little filler piece made earlier. Almost looks like I know what I'm doing...!

Next I started on the boxing in of the main roll hoop, this time on the engine side.
I made paper templates to figure the location of the holes then used the dimple die to pretty them up.

These slide up out of the way to allow for the hoop to be welded to the pads that are welded to the longs. Then these slide into place and get welded in as part of boxing in the engine mounts.

Can't tell you what a relief it is to fit the second on and actually have it all fit!

Remember, this is the first time I've tried virtually any of this sort of fabrication and I hope it encourages anyone who's thinking of giving it a go. I just take my time, measure 100 times and only post pics of when it actually works out!

Very nice I wish I could weld like that.

Continuing work on fabbing the parts needed to close in the roll hoop. I made up the front 1/2 of the "cap" on the passenger side.

Then I started on the final part. Here's a look at how I approach making the paper template. Once this is fitting as desired, it's transferred to 18 gauge and formed / trimmed til it fits. Easy, no?

Well, except then I get to (try and) make a mirror image for the other side. That's always the "interesting" part...

The ADD kicked in again and I got distracted with other areas of the car. I've been debating what to do re: keep vs lose the trunk. It would appear I've decided!

If you've seen Tony's car, you'll know why I think of this modification as partial "Cracker Replica". Imitation being the sincerest form, and all that.

It certainly eases access to, um, everything!

And yes, there will be roll bar/chassis stiffening added.

This will never be mistaken for a sleeper but I do want to be able to store the top so while I still have trimming to do, I will leave a lip all around the edge as I plan to make a removable "trunk tray/liner" to provide a least some protection for the top.

That darned ADD! Once the trunk was out, I played with an initial design for the console. This essentially gives away the styling cues I'm going with throughout the interior: a very industrial, trellis, open architecture-y look that leaves all the mechanical elements exposed.

A looooooong way yet to go but it gives you the idea.

That does look familiar...glad to have you aboard! After seeing your fabrication skills - I am very much looking forward to seeing the greatly enhanced "Cracker Replica" version.
Just make sure the cockpit fits a 6'5" frame (Um, drivers side...)!

Happy new-years to you Chris!

Tony

I don't see how this machine will remain earthbound.......

I did the final trimming of most of the main open area, leaving that lip for the removable cover I'm planning. I still have to remove the front of the trunk wall above and outside of the suspension consoles...

Then I started on fabrication on the stiffeners for between the consoles.

Another arch... Imagine that. The top bar will also serve as the point from which a bracket will extend forward to support the stock engine cover latch.

I'll end up plating around the consoles so neither of these are quite where they'll end up. But close enough for me to determine what I want to do. I have an idea for a panel that will sit between them. It'll add some additional strength as well as visual appeal!

Well, at the rate I'm going, it'll be earthbound for a while... I'm starting to wonder if the 9/14 date is hopeless. Not that I'm giving up, but...

That cutting up and gifting the pieces from the other car took up a bunch of your fab time.

Looking great though and you are further along then I am.

That cutting up and gifting the pieces from the other car took up a bunch of your fab time.

Looking great though and you are further along then I am.
[/quote]

Totally agree with Ben. However Chris your build is mind blowing.
The shifter console structure is a work of art.
Truly unique approach tying the chassis together in the manner you have.
It will be very cool to see this 914 in motion!

Did the final removal of the trunk and up around the suspension consoles. Then I started fabrication of the plates that will reinforce the consoles in prep for installing the stiffeners.
Man, doing this stuff takes forever... but it REALLY opens things up and allows for optimal location of the rear part of the stiffening bars.

I have an idea for the trans mount cross member, too. Should be pretty neat looking and add some strength.

It's raining in northern CA...
This is our back field. That's about 2.5 ' deep.... and it's flowing.

Kinda scary.

Makes for a good day to immerse myself in more fab work...

With the removal of the trunk sheet metal complete, we get to see a part of our cars I've rarely seen: The point where the long stops and sorta has a wimpy tie into the rear shock towers.

Gotta do something about that.

So I fabbed up a 1/8" plate that I bent and trimmed to fit. Here's an almost final fit.
I'll cap this off with...

... a cap! Again, not the final fit, but you get the idea.
I think I'll box this from the inside edge down to the bottom of the long, making kind of a triangulated box.

Any thought to some amphibious car features for the Beast? Might be handy if you need to run to town!

Great progress....

Happy New Year Chris!

Love following your progress on the car. You weren't kidding when you said it was going to be "top notch"!



Sandy and I would love to come up and see the car this spring.

Hi Lennie! Glad to hear you're enjoying the build. We'd love to see you and Sandy (PM sent).
When you come, plan to stay a while. And bring tools - I need all the help I can get!

Talk soon.

I started messing with the intake. In running the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF), I have to follow a few rules about where the sensor has to be, relative to the throttle body. I need a minimum of 10 inches from the throttle body, six inches of straight tube, the sensor has to be set at between a 9:00 - 3:00 orientation...

So, a bit of a puzzle and a bit of mystery?

A puzzle is when you have all the pieces and "just" have to figure out how they fit.
A mystery is "profound, inexplicable, or of secretive quality or character."

I really do have a bit of both going on here: I have some pieces, I have some pieces yet to make.

But I swear, as I start looking at how I'll have to build the intake to meet the above criteria, fit the stiffening bars, run a suitable air cleaner AND make it all fit under the targa top (which needs to somehow still safely store in this area...) ???!?!?!?!?

Well, it's currently a flippin' MYSTERY to me! Certainly, the "secretive quality" part...

But fear not, World. I will solve it.

ps. I'm loving how this is starting to look. That's a 4" intake tube. Small children and pets will need to be careful they aren't sucked in!

...ask the engine - it knows the drill!

T

Yeah, except that part about storing the top. You Southerners... always taking the easy way out...

I live in the South but am from C-A-L-I-!

Regarding the top - mine would fit if I actually wanted it to Chris. My fist LS conversion I did store it in the trunk on factory clips. No biggie.

T

So Southern California, Tony?!

Sorry Chris - last hi-jack + free bump!

Mom from Thousand Oaks; Dad from Bay area; Conceived (weirdly I know) in between on coast. I am an original "Central" Cali dude! Capiche!

Now past my family tree...back to Chris's lame build.

T

Chris,

I've been remiss at commenting on your terrific build. Nice work; well thought out. I look forward to reading more as you progress. Keep up the good work!!

Andys

Palatov is awesome! He turns out some pretty cool stuff and his blog is second to none.


How big is that motor? It wants 6" straight upstream then 10" downstream to TB? Interesting. That seems a little restrictive since the air shouldn't be moving super fast so the velocity profile should be pretty uniform. A while ago I actually took a similar style [thermal] sensor and offset mounted it in a duct bend to measure the effective average flow but that took a fair bit of analysis.

Maybe just some stiffener tube scalloping would make everything fit nicely. It does look pretty cool now!

Thanks for showing pictures of the end of the long. There is a thread around here with some, but yours show the attachment issue much better.

It's a 6.2 liter. First, I'm no expert so I'm only quoting what I'm finding on line. Here's a pic of what came with the blade style MAF sensor re: what needs to go where.
Sorry that I wasn't more clear. Shoulda included the pic in the first place...

Hi Andy - Wow, thanks. Coming from someone who's done such a high quality build...
that means a lot.

Feeling boxed in? My rear shock towers are with you!

After a bit more head scratching, I decided to go a different route: I wanted to run one piece of reinforcement from the long up to and around the tower. Since I'm not exactly sure how the removable trunk liner will work, I opted to retain the lip the runs up the tower.

So I sliced a channel for the sheet metal.

Then I made a pattern and fit a piece that slips down into that channel. This is the driver's side, which I just happened to tackle first.

I tacked it in, "persuading" it to wrap the tower, plug welding as I went along.

Then fit and tacked in the top part. It's plug welded, too. I still have to final trim the top part where it wraps the tower. I left it a bit tall for now as I may plate it to the Tangerine Racing raised rear shock towers, once those are installed.

Then I need to add a bottom piece to close in the box and seam weld everything.

Let me back up and show a bit more detail.
Here's the pattern and the trimmed and bent piece, then how it fits before I start tacking and wrapping it around the tower.

Exciting, I know...!

Tacked and plug welding my way around. I use a rubber mallet to help get it around the tower. The big clamp sure makes it easy to get the last couple plug welds.

All done and ready for the final trimming before the seams get welded!

High altitude shot of the rough finished rear tower stiffening. This will be LOTS better than stock.

I feel like I made some progress this weekend!

Now I can get on with the bars.
Here's the final design on the cross bracing. I'll add a filler plate between them with some fun/interesting cut outs.

The final shot is proof that I have clearance and can fit the top with the arched upper bar!

I then laid the trunk on and everything clears. Woop, woop!

Now I'll fab up some brackets for those clips that hold the front of the top. I also need a bracket to locate the hood latch. This part of the car feels like it's finally coming together.

Really enjoying your build Chris, thanks for taking the time to post.

Every time I come visit this thread there is less & less blue car there - gonna be a little sad when you start closing it in - great build tho - Napa Rocket Garage. Gonna have to come up n see Martin about some Mini stuff (he needs a transmission which I may have 4 more tomorrow), then he can tell me how much of the welding is yours...

No weld thru primer on that layer over the suspension tower?

Yes, I weld thru primer'd the towers and the back side of the plates before attaching them.
I plan to use some Eastwood frame coating inside the box, after I close it in.