What parts would you like made for your S197?

I work at a manufacturing facility. We make parts from 5052/6061 aluminum sheet/bar/etc... any sort of steel bar, tube. I don't do CNC bending (headers.)

The things I'm looking at getting into are:

- A front skid plate/splitter/stiffener for the lower spoiler/front valence area. It is very weak on my car and looks awful - the odd scrape and between the fasteners the urethane/? is dipping down. I plan on using better fasteners and making a short splitter section that would feel for curbs and make this part strong in the z axis - up and down.

- Sway bar relocates - no money in this.

- Cover for the spare tire well, incl. bracing and fasteners. The cardboard from my car is knackered since I actually haul things in my trunk. I will make the cover as strong as the metal surrounding it. Optionally will have holes around the edge for dzus/other fasteners if someone wants to seal the cover down to the spare well... this is my plan.

- For myself only, an aux. fuel tank. Short term use to extend my range on 94 octane so I don't have to fill up with crappy gas and change my tune. Drive until there's room in my main tank, drain, vent.

- Custom holder for a reusable pollen/hvac filter

- Balance box for exhaust midpipes. I'm making one for myself, but if anyone wants one I can see what it would cost. The patent MAC had expired some time ago.

- 3d printed carbon fiber reinforced wheels.


- 3d printed knick knacks. Trim rings, etc. These could be absolutely gorgeous, again in carbon fiber powder reinforced as required.

Bare front LCAs with an option to choose ball joints (Boss 302, OEM replacement, or an aftermarket brand, etc) and the choice between OEM hydro bushings or poly/delrin for the chassis end. You would have to source the ball joints and bushings separately but it would fill some big gaps if you could execute this. Then the real PITA would be pressing everything together to make it "turn key". I'm dreaming at this point.

And I'm guessing you saw this already. http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?

eighty6gt said:

- Cover for the spare tire well, incl. bracing and fasteners. The cardboard from my car is knackered since I actually haul things in my trunk. I will make the cover as strong as the metal surrounding it. Optionally will have holes around the edge for dzus/other fasteners if someone wants to seal the cover down to the spare well... this is my plan.

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I'd love something like this. I welded a super large OD fender washer to a hex nut, trimmed down the threaded portion that holds the spare on and threaded this washer/spreader on. Works ok, but a metal cover for this area would be tits.

46addict said:

Bare front LCAs with an option to choose ball joints (Boss 302, OEM replacement, or an aftermarket brand, etc) and the choice between OEM hydro bushings or poly/delrin for the chassis end. You would have to source the ball joints and bushings separately but it would fill some big gaps if you could execute this. Then the real PITA would be pressing everything together to make it "turn key". I'm dreaming at this point.

And I'm guessing you saw this already. http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?

Click to expand...

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What's the deal with the control arms? Doesn't bmr make whatever everyone needs?

The thread I was trying to link was about an axle tube brace but it turns out several companies are already on it. So never mind.

I suppose you could buy BMR control arms for $590, I forgot about that.

Current axle tube braces won't work when used in conjunction with BMR LCA re-locate brackets. If you look at what's currently offered, they all have flaws. Ideally, any brace should be parallel...and in front..or behind the axle..... not below it. Oriented so it's in front..or behind the axle, then the brace would work for both twist..and flex. Mount it below, and it's only good for twist. If it's mounted to the differential cover, it also needs to be bonded asap to the axle..and directly on either side of the differential, not at the extreme outer ends of the axle.

Ok, how about various blower pulleys, both keyed...and press fit types. Or pulleys for all the other stuff that hangs off the fead. Carmen used to do a roaring business back in the day. Issue is, you can't use 6061-T6.... not strong enough. (40 ksi yield strength). He used 7075 aluminum alloy, which is 70 ksi yield strength. My bro in law did some experiments years ago, polishing both 6061-T6 and also 5052. They came out like chrome... but were prone to fingerprints.

Aluminum is easy to work with, easy to cut, drill, punch, weld etc. Rust doesn't sleep..and Al doesn't rust. Easy to rivet too...using 'closed end' type rivets....which don't loosen up due to vibration. These are the types that use solid al draw studs. I buy em in box's of 100..and also 250. I have had no issues drilling and tapping al..then using SS machine screws. It's just a lot easier to work with vs steel...and 1/3 the weight. It does flex however, so either thicker al can be used, depending on application, or bar ribs added, or channel used, etc.

Deck lid blackout panel that doesn’t have an emblem or keyhole. No one makes them for the 05-09

That panel is a good idea. Make various patterns, see what looks good.

Pulleys need to be 3d printed out of metal, sintered, could possibly be perfect with only finish machining on the ID.

I do CAD and it's slow at work if yall want some shit mocked up.

AnotherS197GT said:

Deck lid blackout panel that doesn’t have an emblem or keyhole. No one makes them for the 05-09

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+1!

I'm pretty sure someone already offers this, but something to cover up the cupholders so my wife will stop putting her Coke in there and getting in the way when I'm shifting, since she won't listen to my request to just "hold on to it."

How do you get into the trunk with no keyhole? Remote or... pry the panel off. Make it magnetic! Easy target for theft.

eighty6gt said:

How do you get into the trunk with no keyhole? Remote or... pry the panel off. Make it magnetic! Easy target for theft.

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Ive never even put my key into the trunk...

stv_huff said:

Ive never even put my key into the trunk...

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Same here. I bet your keyhole doesn't even work. Mine didn't when I bought it, wouldn't turn. Had to WD40 it a bunch then it worked until I tried it a year later, same problem. It gets hella exposure to moisture and isn't a good design. Blackout will protect it and it's not used anyways.

Would love to see a 4.6 block redesigned and properly modified into a diesel. Perfect drop in turn-key ready replacement to the 4.6 gasoline. A full diesel fuel kit and ECU to accompany it. Fuck spark plugs and weak compression ratios. Put the hammer on it 'til the fuel pops and throw a fat turbo behind it too. There's no replacement for displacement, except compression and boost. Make that pony run like a Clydesdale on Viagra.

I don't think a custom holder for a pollen filter is sensible. The reusable Filter is a good idea. The Holder would be a dead seller in my opinion

You need the holder for the reusable filter.

eighty6gt said:

I work at a manufacturing facility. We make parts from 5052/6061 aluminum sheet/bar/etc... any sort of steel bar, tube. I don't do CNC bending (headers.)

The things I'm looking at getting into are:

- A front skid plate/splitter/stiffener for the lower spoiler/front valence area. It is very weak on my car and looks awful - the odd scrape and between the fasteners the urethane/? is dipping down. I plan on using better fasteners and making a short splitter section that would feel for curbs and make this part strong in the z axis - up and down.

Click to expand...

I vote for the skid plate/splitter. I have seen a few homemade ones that were kinda OK, but nothing that I'd put on my car (I want form AND function )

I'm currently running the Roush splitter on my '13, and it's alright, but I'd like something a little more robust, and let's face it, more cool looking.

It's going to take me some time to figure this one out, hopefully I can make something elegant that doesn't have a billion hours of fab time in it.

It won't be ugly/heavy/non functional or I'm not doing it.

I think this is a cool idea, but you need to be really careful if you plan on doing front lower control arms. The force those things undergo during heavy braking is the reason the stock ones are so stout.

Plus, you can already buy the BOSS 302S arms that come with no bushings and let you install your own.

I only want to do simple parts. A control arm would require a bunch of jig work, welding, possibly machining.

Flaky crap like sheet metal, that's a-ok. I could even make stainless side louvers that glue on to the glass!!

I will be making a neat little custom catch can for my provent, what I should do is get a distributor deal, show people how well it works and then sell them together.