Boost_addict

That looks really good, I can't wait to see the end product!

240_to_miata

iTrader: (2)

have you weighed any of this?

lightyear

The whole front weighed about 13 pounds. By the time i cut out the intercooler hole and the bonnet vents it should save a bit more weight. But there is some material the will need to go on like the vent slats and box for the i.c. So should be somewhere around 13 when ifinished.

Enginerd

iTrader: (1)

13 lbs?? Geez fatty

240_to_miata

iTrader: (2)

Wow.

astroboy

iTrader: (18)

******* fantastic work! Don't think I'd have the ***** to go into this kind of project, and you are doing a great job. Will it be painted afterwords?

lightyear

Paint is too heavy, i was going to put some clear on, but i think i will just leave it. Maybe later i when it needs a freshen up i will give it a nice clearcoat.

I weighed the front oem hood, fenders, bumper and lights - 45.5lbs plus the bumper supports and bumper reo, bonnet latch + catch, bonnet hinges, inner liners, fasteners, etc, etc probably around 22-25lbs or so.
The new front end weighs about 13lbs plus bonnet pins and dzus fastners. So should be a weight saving of around 55lbs.

The bumper and hood are now 1 piece. I am going to get some hood pins now so i can get it mounted on the car properly.

leatherface24

iTrader: (10)

Good and post pics when you do

wittyworks

iTrader: (6)

I am curious about what you will do for mounting the front bumper piece. Will you have to make some supports out to mount it? I saw you mentioned dzus fasteners, that would be awesome and make it really easy to remove and such. Any drawings of the mounting plans you could post? Project looks great man even my girlfriend said it looked awesome, the first mt thread i have gotten her to see ALL of the pictures

mx5autoxer

iTrader: (1)

So I'm a n00b at body work. If you wanted to have headlights for night races could you cut out the CF over them and have them work?

lightyear

For sure you can cut out the headlights, but an even better idea is a small lightweight driving light/ spotlight neatly incorporated into the inner headlight area.

lightyear

The bottom edge of the bumper will sit on the splitter, and have a few dzus fasteners holding it in place. No drawings, i just make it up as i go. It's good to get the girlfriend involved in pictures on the interweb.

lightyear

The front clip is now properly mounted on 4 hood pins.

wittyworks

iTrader: (6)

Alrighty attaching to the splitter sounds like a great idea, I was worried that the bottom would be floppy, but I think you will do it right and it will end up all good.

dvdreith2

With your skills you should just do the cf vented hood and sell those to fund this project..lol nice build though and to think your doing all this in the comfort of your .....at home. Lol

lightyear

I am going to have to do something as i am running out of money and i have to pay for the motor. So soon i will stop working on the body and start doing the intercooler plumbing and exhaust so i can get it ready to put on the new motor when it gets dyno tuned early april. And progress will be slower once i start doing jobs to make some money.

Sean

iTrader: (12)

The front end looks great. What are you going to do about the area behind the bottom of the fender, where it does not cover completely. Is this where you will just box it in or just make some supports for it and leave it the way it is?

astroboy

iTrader: (18)

I would think he would make a fairing so the air neatly flows out of the fender well and along the door rather than crash into the front of the door.

I wonder how much weight your going to shave off the rear. Do you have any pland for an under tray and rear diffuser?

lightyear

It will be like this.



There will be full aero underneath, but not straight away.

Nagase

iTrader: (6)

There are way too many vented hoods to make much of a profit on this, especially being as you'd be shipping from Aus (at least to the US market you're reaching here).

I'd guess that the most appealing thing to do would be to sell a quick detachable full front end. If you could make it OEMish and take 30~ lbs off the front (bumper/hood/fenders) that might go over well. Shipping would be a /nightmare/ though. So. Donno. Sell what you can in Australia, I guess.