I am relieved too!

Well, then I suppose it's good I called them reliefs and not depressions!

Today I got the rivnuts installed so the removable cover can officially be removed!

Then I started playing with fasteners:
- Countersunk washer with a flathead?
- Countersunk washer with button head?
- Just a button head?

(Geez, talk about a first world problem...)

Countersunk washer with a flathead is my favorite

With the upper fire wall pretty much set to go, I moved to the lower section.
I wasn't in love with the center panel I'd made earlier so...
Here's the latest version in comparison.
I enlarged the shifter cable pass through assembly and redesigned some of the main panel. It's a much better fit.
And there's the obvious matchy-match stamping/stiffening design.

As with most of the upper firewall, this won't be able to be seen unless the seats are out of the car. But I really enjoy the details and the design, cutting, fitting and welding are all great practice for things that will be more visible.

Mocked in place.
Note that I've also started a new version of the console so you're seeing the rear part of the lower section, which is all I have done so far.

And here are details on the updated shifter cable pass-through:
- rivnuts instead of nut welded on the back
- it gets a nice little rubber seal around the opening
- there a split grommets that go around the shift cables and are then captured by this contraption.
- the final cover piece helps seal the seam of the grommet plate and every thing gets held in place by the button heads.

Fiddly, you say? Sounds about right for me!

Jealous!!
Very nice work there!

Never thought of going about a pass through in that fashion. That's just perfect and simple!

Got the V2 console base done today.

I'm trying a new-ish approach: Pick one task/item to accomplish each day.
Or, cheat and break things into smaller task so each one can be accomplished in a day!
It gives me a far greater sense that I'm getting things done.

Yesterday, it was the new console lower frame. Today, it's the bulkhead at the top of the console.

In mocking things up, it became clear that the slight downward tip the bulkhead frame has is going to make it that much more fiddly to route the hard lines for the fuel. I'd have to bend them over 90 degrees (total) unless that bulkhead was flat or tipped the other way. So...

I cut up the bulkhead panel I'd made earlier, made a new outer and used silicon bronze rod with the TIG to resolve the problem.

And in keeping with the "it's always something", the rear-most edge of this bulkhead will be fitted to the top of the curved firewall cross member. Hard to see much in the pic but it sits in contact all the way around:

Flat up front, curved in the back. (Hey, that sorta reminds me of my Jr. Prom date! )

Here's the completed bulkhead panel as it'll be spot welded to the bulkhead frame.

You can see the angle I now have vs what it would be if I hadn't wedged it.

And with the doghouse cover fitted. Yaaaa! All the fasteners clear!

For the nit-pickers (I'm the biggest one, remember), yes, this creates a bit of a "trench" around the panel where crap can collect. I'm calling it my custom hell hole!

I'll do some head scratching to see if I can't come up with some sort of something to minimize or prevent things getting in there.

Looks good!!!

There are so many areas on the car that catch crap already.... What's one more?


And small goals turn into big goals

I like checking in on this thread. Awesome work happening.

Have you considered what McMaster calls "Truss Head" screws? They look to be lower profile and cleaner than standard button head screws without the rounded under edge.

Thanks for the kind words. I'll check out truss heads, thanks for "heads" up!

Today's project was to throw out all of yesterday's work! I felt I could do a better job on the design of the center, lower firewall. Version II was better but didn't really address some of the issues I knew would bug me later on:
- with all the components in place, it's really fiddly to get the shifter cable cover plates on.
- the fuel lines would have to cross over the brake and hydraulic clutch lines somewhere before they got to the firewall panel.
- It was going to be fiddly (meaning not a lot of room) attaching the fuel lines to both sides of the bulkhead fittings. Not easy to access from underneath yesterday's panel, nor easy to get to them on the top side.

So, Version III it is.

- This moves the shifter cable cover plates right out front
- It creates room under the shifter cables so the fuel lines can run up the passenger side while the brake and clutch lines run up the driver side, eliminating the cross over
- I can more easily get to all the bulkhead fittings (those holes aren't yet in the panel, nor are those for the brake, clutch or throttle cable)
- It eliminates the "trench" that yesterday's panel created

I still have a couple stampings/hole for the above mentioned systems lines and final fitting to do but hopefully the new design is clear.

And I sliced up V2 and reused the outer sections as well as the shifter cable pop out. No sense doing EVERYTHING over again!

This first pic show things in place with the "old" console. I needed to use this as it has the shifter mounts that I needed to verify the new location for the cable pass through.

I was able to get the pass through pop-out's angles set correctly so that the cables are relaxed in both horizontal and vertical planes and essentially float right through the cover plates.

And here's after all the welding is done and finished, along with the latest version of the console base. Getting there. Slowly, but getting there.

Amazing work. I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration.

I am amazed by what you are doing but can't help but feel that you are a a shoe-in to win the 2914 build-off challenge.

I really like where this is heading

You think I can be done by then?
Well then, I better get back at it!

OK, so back at it.
Today is coming up with the side panels for the new lower fire wall design.
First, using some construction paper, I worked out the dimensions and angles as best I could.

Why in the world didn't I plan ahead and do everything in nice, straight lines and 90 degree angles?

Oh, that's right, that would be too easy...

Many hours later, after a bit of swearing, realizing that bend order really is important ( ) and one minor hammering on one of my fingers, here's the part.

Still some final tweaking to get the panels to contact more closely in a couple of the corners but it's looking pretty good.

Now, to duplicate that for the other side. Hopefully, more quickly and with no finger smashing!

Also note that the console will be built forward from this contraption so most all of of what you're seeing here will be hidden.

Aesthetically, I think the bend in the panel looks amazing

Thanks Andrew - I like it, too. Plus, unless I wanted to try and reshape that lower panel (again!), I was going to be stuck with a bend or trying to shape a twisted panel to account for where the corners had to land.

Just flip the paper template over and cut the mirror image. No plasma table for these pieces; they were all cut and trimmed by hand. I scribe the lines, rough cut with the band saw or tin snips, then sand to the scribe line with a 3"right angle air grinder.
If I take my time, I can get a nice, straight line.

So here's the part, trimmed and with the first bend in it. LOTS of back and forth, fit, adjust, fit, adjust.

I won't bore you with the mundane, intermediate levels of completion. Here's the all but finished driver side panel!

Just plain love the craft going into this car. Beautiful work!

And the engine's view.

Next, it's figuring out the location for the bulkhead fittings for the fuel, brake and clutch lines and the throttle cable.

Geez, it looks like I'm almost ready for the final install of all these firewall pieces!

Working up a design for the hood vent. The overall shape is the same as the inner support structure. Initial thoughts are that this would be riveted to the outside of the hood as a design element.

The louvers still have to be attached in the design but in the end, they'll be rotated up to an appropriate angle.

Still lots to work out but it's a start.

I like it

Did you reference any angles on say the hood or fenders? When I had a hood vent I noticed that since whomever built it didnt reference any body lines it just didnt look right.

Yep, the curves are radius matched to the curve at the front of the hood.

I sketched various vent designs on the hood and when I got it to where I liked it, I measured everything it and this is the result.

I was planning to cut a blank and just lay it on to see how it looks and adjust as needed from there.

Draft cut of the hood vent, just to get a vibe on it in actual position.
I only cut out 1/2 the louvers, again, just to see what I think of the basic shape and size. I'll give it a couple days and see how I settle into it.

Or maybe I should forgo the louvers - they're so "been there, done that", and go with a bit of doggy style!

snoop dogg would approve!

Dude, your car will have a nice six pack just like me!

I double dog dare you to go doggy style!

Ha! Looks good! Did you figure any calculations into the size of your arrangment? For the most part I'm just winging my radiator setup.

I am going to say just looking at the pictures, once the louvers are bent up, it will be plenty of exit area.

I didn't yet calculate but I know the size of that initial design is more than what Tony @Cracker has in his car. He now runs an LS7 with over 100 hp more than what I'll have and he has no issues - I should be good with this.
And as @914forme points out, with the louvers tipped, it's almost like the whole thing is one, giant opening.

I spent some time playing with a design for the console. It may end up a bit taller than this little shape profile practice piece I have sitting there but I'm leaning toward leaving the shifter pass through and cables exposed. More race than rod, but then, that's the point!

And a preemptive reply to all you wise guys:
I like 1/4x20 all thread, I'm using it to mount my shifter. Deal with it.

Another major milestone! I've been fretting about the Infinity Box wiring and where all the electronics are going to mount. There are three decent sized magic boxes that make up the master/slave components and I wasn't happy with any of the locations I was coming up with.
But today, as I'm sitting in the car making VroomVroom noises and fantasizing that I may one day actually drive it, I noticed the space behind the dash that's usually occupied by the air controls - that I won't be using.

What are the chances the main brain will fit there?

It does! However, that this unit needs to be accessible for programming and trouble shooting.

So I figured I could create a larger opening and fab up a flip-up cover for it. So I cut the dash up from the factory air control opening, leaving a bit of extra material that I could hammer and dolly to tip in a return to match the factory opening.
I've only started on the vertical edges but you get the idea.
This looks like it'll work great.

Best use of material to weight yet



Love the location of the brain

This is just an incredible build -period. I look forward to seeing this car together and driving. It will be in the realm of supercar status.

Ha! This coming from the man with the most SUPER car!
(Seriously, though, Michael, thank you for the compliment.)

Looking at the dash today, I figured I'd have more flexibility if I just started from scratch.
Aluminum dash: Ready? GO!

Measure things. Turns out the angle from the top to the face is the same as the face to the lower return.

With spring back, I find it easier to match things visually. Fortunately, this little angle finder slots right into the brake and makes this a snap.

Bend, check, bend check. Done.

Repeat that same angle for the lower return then tip a 90 degree on the very underneath.
I still have to trim that back edge to length.

I plan to use the stock dash upper section - the part with the defrost vent cut outs - down just past the step. Then I'll rivet this aluminum component on to it.