Well, if they weren't mad yet, this should do it.

Love it

Hopefully one of these will clearly be visible beneath the rear bumper.


http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-...-1671574855.jpg

A guy had me do a Harley circle emblem with "Honda Motorcycles". This may be the first I've said it

But the Cradle needs to be silver or Chromed because it looks "mavelous" peeking out under there

Need a fabrication fix? Want to see the mighty, mighty bender in action? Wonder how I spend all my time? Your wait is over!
I feel like I'm making pretty good progress but there's still a loooooong way to go.
Thanks for watching and please like, subscribe and share?

https://youtu.be/IJwi7pNtPik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJwi7pNtPik

What I like about the video medium is it provides a glimpse into what really happens as progress is made.
As I've always said: It's about the journey, not the destination. Hope you enjoy.
Let me know what you think?

https://youtu.be/XvVZP4Dc_D0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvVZP4Dc_D0

I really like the videos Chris. Also enjoy all your fabrication over the years. One quick tip from a 30 year industry aircraft fabricator and welding instructor. Tacks like what you were doing under the car could have easily be done with MiG and then when your happy final tack with TIG on the bench and a quick grind off the MIG weld. Saves the hassle with the arch nemesis of a wood block from messing with you.

@mb911 Ben - I totally agree! That said, I've been reading up on the process of how to improve at any skill. One common technique is to operate outside your comfort zone as a way to force an improved mind/body connection and help get to another level.

So I've made the (questionable ) decision to always use TIG as a way to force myself to improve, even at the cost of time and convenience. It's not like I've ever been effecient on any part of my builds!

I get that. I do some of that as well. I have to be proficient in all welding processes including pipe welding for my day job. Gotta keep going until you master it.

Some boring ol' pics of progress. Today was working up a set of tabs for the lower trans mount. I'll join them across the top with a plate. Once the skid plate gets attached to that hoop and the struts are final welded and bolted in up top, that lower mount should be all set.

GT40s get a "bundle of snakes". The 914 Ferrari gets a "bowl of spaghetti".
Here's Part I:

https://youtu.be/Ge9GNMK-0hE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge9GNMK-0hE

@tygaboy - Really looking forward to seeing the headers begin to emerge from the pieces.

The next couple video episodes will cover building the entire rear cradle and this trans mount... in excruciating detail. Actually, anyone who likes fabrication stuff will probably enjoy them. Until then, enjoy these teaser pics.

Nice! I’m enjoying the videos, and of course your bonkers vision and workmanship.

First effort with the header modeling kit from Icengine Works.
Each primary is 21" long, same as the factory length of the Ferrari primaries.
I doubt this will be the final design as I'm learning as I go and I think I can go a tidier job. But what a cool way to work out a design!

Header modeling kit? Like Lego tubing? How does that work?

Oh but you have to tune in to find out!

@Krieger Andy - Yep, like Legos - they snap together. Each piece is a 1" centerline length in either straight, 2", 3" or 4" radius, just like mandrel-bent exhaust tubing. Use the same number of pieces in each primary and you get equal length headers - assuming that's the goal. If not, you just work out a design that fits.
Each piece has alignment marks (and the kit has a "build sheet" to record how the pieces align with each other) so once the design is finalized, you disassemble the logical sections, cut the exhaust tubing to match, replace the plastic pieces with tubing and weld it up.
It's pretty slick.

And yes, it'll all be featured in an upcoming video on "At The Red Barn". You won't want to miss it!

That is soooo cool! I wonder how Enzo would react seeing Legos in his motor?

Chris is moving from coolest firewall to coolest engine bay…

The fabrication work on the cradle continues to amaze, and I cannot wait to see the real headers…they're gonna be super cool.

Really?? That’s your question about Enzo’s reaction to one of his engines in a 914?

Enzo always said "We sell you an engine, you get the rest of the car for free."

He would probably hate it because it is being installed in a cheap Porsche. Having worked on 80s Ferrari cars, I would say that the 914 is way better built.

^ 100%

Same goes for a Ferrari F50, in fact. You'd be shocked if you look at the taillight buckets, or the fact that it uses boat locker/Samsonite-looking outer door locks that have no connection whatsoever to the inner plunger locks. Although maybe it was intentional, so that your date can lock you out of the car if you're rude or you can lock them in if they are? Nah. It was cheap and easy, an afterthought.

As you folks can tell, the videos lag reality by a week or two. So while I'm actually working out the header design, here's more detail about the lower trans mount/cradle. Enjoy!
And please consider subscribing, if you haven't yet?

https://youtu.be/BSthVYLVGqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSthVYLVGqE

Wow sir Chris!
Amazing build
Amazing skills
Amazing tools
Amazing talent
Amazing mind
Amazing car

Congrats and hope to see it 100% finished

Chris,
If you insist on leaving the carbon fiber long cover hanging out on the hood of the blue car, would you consider selling them?

Kevin

@nivekdodge Kevin - I've got plans for them. If you've ever worked with fiberglass, making these sorts of things is fairly straight forward. Here's what I did - start on post #75:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...96900&st=60

Next version of the header design. Still 21" primary length.
I think this "down and out" is the winning design because there are some serious fit/clearance challenges with the "top exit" model.
All that said, there are some opportunities to tweak this design to improve the aesthetics so I'm moving forward with this approach - at least for now!

A bit more time spent trying to tidy up the layout and still equal length at 21" - but a bit more less "bumpy". A couple likely changes:
- move the collector forward at least an inch to gain more working room / options for where I locate the V-band clamp
- swap the collector location of the two front cylinders. Just to see if it looks/fits better

In any case, I know enough to order the bends and I hope to see headers coming together in metal some time this week.

Cool blue tool!

That’s gonna be a great spot for cats on the collector too.

How long did it take to reconfigure the legos from your first setup to the second? What's it like to work with? Tedious?

Okay, if the final iteration is still fairly equal length and it fits well, go with it. That's a great configuration...

Those are looking really nice Chris.

But if you have the steel made your halfway there

Kevin

OK, looks like this is the one I'll execute in stainless. I moved the collector farther back, sorta like where it was in the first "down and out". This version is just a bit more refined.

Equal length at 21".

I'll add the 2.25" to 2.5" transition right at the collector, take the 2.5" past the end of the engine cradle and add the O2 bung, then a 2.5" V-band connector.

Really happy with the ICEngineworks modeling kit. There is NO WAY I could have gotten this without it. And don't overlook the ability to tryout a few different options before committing!
Too bad they don't make a 914 hood vent or firewall modelling kit.

Looks really good Chris!

I think I've landed on a final design. This after only about six tries!
That missing section is a 2" straight. The "one side" kit I bought didn't have enough straights for this particular design, which uses A LOT of straight.

So now all I have to do is get the box of tubes into the same shapes as the header model. I mean, how hard can that be?

This one should make you smile if you:
- enjoy fabrication stuff
- want more proof I really have no plan
- are under the impression I don't have lots to learn

Thanks for watching!

https://youtu.be/kaAiYWCoHC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaAiYWCoHC0

Another excellent video; the cradle looks bitchin. PS- I loved the music selection with the piano.

While watching this I couldn't help but think 20 years or so into the future when an owner tries to take his 914Ferrari to a Ferrari shop for a tranny rebuild and as the tech goes to pull it out he thinks, "damn, whoever built this sure believed in overkill.....but it's gorgeous. I wish they built them this nice nowadays."

Actually, the Ferrari shop will be "No way! We don't work on bastard cars like this!" Or more probably "We don't have anyone who knows how to work on a gasoline powered car anymore."

With the drive train out, I gave a go to the console boxing plate. This time, via a stamping die set that adds a spot for a removable cover plate that closes off the fastener access area.
I tried a couple new techniques and, as always, now know I can do a tidier job.

- the main stamp area needs to be deeper to better match the factory stamping in the shock tower
- the cover plate stamp needs to be less deep

This means the die set needs to be made of two different thicknesses. Of course it does!

No, you won't be able to see much of this.
Yes, I'll know it's there.

Style points, at any cost!

wow. Really nice fabrication there.

- Tony

You know it's there, that's all that really matters.

There are so many little things "wrong" with my car that annoy the heck out of me, yet you can't see them by just looking at it.

The extra braces won't benefit anything if you don't strengthen the rail to match.

Everytime I take my car apart, I fix something small that annoys me. Sometimes its things that no one else would notice. But I know its there.

Great fab work!

And now, the design moves to stainless.

Great work, Chris!!!!