That looks really good. Nice work.

 

Those look awesome...

 

Looked great until I crashed and trashed it all! They did work really well though. They're over in the tie down/ratchet strap section of HF, along with the corresponding roll of 3mm braided cable. I used the same cable setup on the COT tegris splitter, and it gave just enough that if you hit a the trailer ramps, etc, there was no damage done.

 

Fancy wire cable systems. Arakawa Hanging Systems
They can handle serious weight: 1/8" cable, 220lbs load per cable! Options for adjustment, etc

 

Why not just go to ace hardware and get some wire cable at like 50 cents per foot?

They have uncovered and other one covered in plastic so u make ur choice.

 

To each his own. The arakawa system allows for precise adjustments without bulky turnbuckles, etc. It is fairly expensive vs. the ace hardware route, but not terrible.

 

Added to my existing diffuser to manage the air off the rear tire/wheel well. Previously this area was just open.

Dollars spent: $35 aluminum, $4 rivets, $20 paint, $10 consumables
Hours spent: Don't ask.
Materials used: aloomeeneeum
Tracks tested on: Will run @ Auto Club Speedway end of this month
Race/TT class built for: Miata Challenge

3-D 'twist' diffuser curve, angled fins in the diffuser fence to prevent delamination of air as the diffuser curve steepens. Winglets/dive planes on the outside surface behind rear wheel.

The twisted fins in the diffuser fence were a particular challenge

 

Holy ****, son. You've been busy. Nice work. All that with some aluminum sheets, a rivet gun, and a jig saw?

 

Fixed
And thanks!

-Ryan

 

I was thinking about fabing up sheet metal and, in my head, going through what I'd actually do. I figured bending and folding would be the hardest part. I picture myself using strips of metal and vice grips every half foot or so. I really need to buy a house so I can have a permanent place for tools. Can't really carry around a vice in your toolbox.

 

While racing is the rear exposed as pictured?

 

There was a time when all I had was a dremel and a 100ft power cord running from my apartment out to a parking lot space. You gotta start somewhere.

I should amend my comment to include that for this project I actually also used a welder, air compressor w/ 90* air grinder, and my basic hand-operated sheet metal bending brake. There's no way you're going to bend a 15" wide piece of 0.050" aluminum sheet along one line cleanly without a brake, you figure that out the first time you try. I mean, I can think of ways to do it, but it's not going to be very pretty haha.

It's amazing what you can make with just hand tools/handheld power tools. Drill press, band saw, etc. just make things take less time, but are entirely superfluous. It's a craft, every time you make something it turns out a little better. Working at a fabrication shop has given me the invaluable opportunity to advance those skills at a rate otherwise impossible, unless I was just making stuff for my own car all day and all night non stop. At the end of the day though, it's all being made by hand, so it's basically an art, which is why I dig it so much. Yeah, sometimes we send stuff out to get it CNC'd but it's just to expediate the process, we can make the same part by hand and you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.

BTW, you don't need to buy a house to get a garage. You can find rooms + garage space for rent on craigslist. That's how I got into my place.

Yessir.

-Ryan

 

^^ he's the guy I want to beat ******* sick sir - dam sick

FWIW, I bought a house FOR the garage - **** bitches, get money - and get drunk - and I still ain't got **** to show for it but an empty engine bay Maybe I should do a little less drinkin' and a little more wrnechin'

 

They're not mutually exclusive.

 

This sounds WAY too familiar.

 

Can anyone recommend a source for thin ABS (or other flexible material) lovers? I'm looking for a set to put on top of the wheel arches of the new glass front end.

 

Local plastics supplier or a sign shop. Either should be able to order it in 4'x8' sheets.

 

He wants louvers, not flat sheet.

 

Correct. I've seen several boat bilge vents that look like they'd work, but I believe they're all a rigid plastic, and I need something that can follow a bit of a curve.

 

John Mann has these on his NB and they seem to function really well. I sent him an email to see if he can chime in. They are for a boat originally.