Who is interested
 

If a lot of you are like me, and from a lot of the posts i have read you are, i thiink you like getting a lot for your money. I was in Illinois this week visiting my father, who is a machinist that owns his own shop, and i was telling him all about my DIY project. I showed him some pictures, and he showed interest in making some parts. Who would be interested in buying OBX style manifolds, for the 1.6 or 1.8, that would fit a t25\28, 13g-19g, or a t3\t4, made from mild steel, and shipped out the door for $165, do you guys think i could sell very many?

can you post a pic up of the mani design? doesnt have to be all purrty, just to get an idea.
thats a low price, and i'd have to see quality first.

i'd do it if you could include a downpipe

Something like that maybe? Do you plan to angle the turbo in a similar fashion? Would he be totally agains't making it out of stainless just for durabilities sake? 1/2" flange? How about addition of an external WG Flange.
That's just my input as it would work best for my setup. I think you could sell a few for that price even if it was just to the people that need a replacement for their broken/cracked OBX one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-8...spagenameZWDVW

Makes a good point. Unless the manifold is an exact replacement, downpipe fitment issues will result... Not that I don't have them already, but you know?

Still very interested in seeing what he can make. :Props

If he can make replacements like cjernigans link/MR stuff, he's in business.


Don't know how he plans to build them, but (when mine cracks) my vague notion is to reverse engineer the thing out of something better.

Agreed on the mani and DP as a set; if a guy has to build his own DP, he probably has the skills to make a mani as well.

If you could do man & 3" DP for $300, I think you could do it all day long. Hell, I'd probably buy one, and I've been planning to make my own.

'Course the issue with DPs is what turbine outlet: five bolt, conical, internal, external, blah blah blah.

Take no offense to this, but it would be difficult to get all the proper materials for under $100, shipping is at least $10-$20. And yes I understand your father is a machinist, so am I. Even machining his own flanges, that takes time and time is money. Certainly not trying to bash, but $165 for a well built manifold isn't possible if its done right.
-Michael-

There's the rub.

I say at least do one

:bigtu:

What about a greddy replacement, that would be cheaper than the other offerings and came as a tubular mani.

I'd be happy with a log style manifold and 2.5" downpipe for $250 if it saves me the hassle of making it (have a TB0335, but planning on swapping housings for common T3 instead of chrystler crap).

If you are chinese it is... somehow, someway, they are doing it. And my cheap ass ghettochrome manifold seems to be holding so far. Yes, it's only a few days but normally they fail pretty quick.

Mark

FOr mild steel you were paying 100 for materials? you were getting hosed.

Bradley where is your dads shop?

My Megan racing stuff is still working. if it was of the same quality but better fitment than i would be in if mine failed

my plan was to do something exactly lile the link to the obx item on e-bay. But that only comes with one turbo flange style, i was going to offer like 3 differant turbo flange options, and i had considdered the down pipe combo. And michael, it is possible, and im sure i can do it, as a matter of fact i already have. I had considdered stainless as well.. the only cost differance for stainless would be for material.

if you guys give me an idea of what turbo's would be the best to match a manifold and down pipe, i think thats what i will do. I had planned on doing a 13g, 14b, 16g, 19g, style manifold, and possible the down pipe as well, so u could buy my parts, and then a used dsm turbo, and be good to go. i think a down pipe, and mani for 300 is possible.

What other turbo should i try and match.

as far as quallity goes, it will be mig welded, not tig, and the material will be sch 40 pipe, and weld els, and half inch flanges.

standard dsm is nice. the greddy guys would probably apreciate it as well, heck you might even move some t3 flanges. these are the most commen turbos

dsms!! t2 and t3, that should cover pretty much everything. I'm in favor of a dsm setup since that's really my roots with turbos. I've been waiting for someone to make a dsm manifold + downpipe combo. Bottom mount the turbo like factory dsms and be positioned lower to give the down pipe a straight shot

Hell yeah, if you could make a manifold that moves the turbo between cylinders 2 and 3, and include the downpipe that would be a true seller. I would for sure buy one.

the problem with moving the turbo lower or more forward comes in the install the oil drain is abit of a pita any way to get threaded right most of the time but i found taking of the compressor/chra helps alot, also there might be AC/PS conflicts as well that being said mine is in the midle 2-3 and i have ps/ac no problems so far.

Did not even think of that, but even on top would be great. Give more room for the dp so that it is not so hard to get a 3" dp in there.

I certainly prefer Stainless, but even for mild, $100 for all the flanges and tubes is hard to do unless you like to use cheap flanges. Certainly interested to see what you can pull off.
-Michael-

well i am glad to see all of the intrest.. i think i may do stainless and mild, i know there are guys out there like me that are just cheap, and want something that is going to work, and be cheap, but maybe not the best u can get.

from all of this intrest i think i should be able to justify a batch of 10 or so sets, im going to do 5 dsm, and 5 t3/t4. The dsm desing im working on installing on my car right now, has the turbo hanging down like it does on a stock dsm, this way no clocking is needed, and if u wanted to, you could use the factory dsm o2 housing, i am using the dsm o2 housing insted of a down pipe. id say we will end up going ahead and making down pipes, and manifolds.

Thanx for all of your imput guys!

THen your paying for labor materials for a complete log manifold of mild steel is less than 40 dollars

I'd buy one.

1.8 t3 top mount would do it for me... my JGS is crappy..... lets see what you can do!

Loki- No matter how you look at it, the process to take the material and create it into a flange cost money. Yes, you could possibly get a large piece of 1/2 plate and the a length of straight tubing needed for $40, but no matter how you look at it, there is cost to create a part from the plate.
-Michael-

Could you post a pic of the dsm location please and i would be interested to know how much it complicates the drain install. When you get her together.

it hasnt been mocked up on the car yet, but as soon as i do, i will take lots of pics

as far as cost of machining, my dad's normal shop rate is 30 bucks an hour.. so if he makes 10 flanges, the cost of machining shouldnt be to bad

With a cnc plasma cutter or other high tech cutter (water jet or laser) the flanges can be made very quickly and cheaply. So cheap in fact that you might be surprised... initial tool up is not cheap but high volume production can be.

Mark

Just smacked myself in the forehead. What a fuggin great idea. I have this (otherwise worthless) crap laying around over here!

Do you mean to say the D/P will be easier to fab up using the factory o2 housing?

Or are you going to dump it there? :bowdown: :bowdown:

Here is what i have so far
 

Attachment 217239

FRONT VIEW ABOVE
Attachment 217240
SIDE VIEW
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...m/DSCF4538.jpg
TOP VIEW
Attachment 217241
FRONT VIEW FROM BELOW

Attachment 217242
REAR VIEW FROM BELOW

as you can see, using the stock DSM o2/housing, all u will need to connect to the cat from the turbo is a 45 degree bend and a 90 degree bend and straight back.

as far as the oil drain goes, it should be able to run down at a 45 degree angle, then a 90 into the oil pan.. as long as you dont have a/c


for the compressor housing to fit, the main coolant feed, and the heater core line that runs under the manifold, will have to be relocated as well.. i know that corky bell makes a part for doing this and its not that costly.

Oh here are some other parts i made
 

Attachment 217238

I made a mount for my 5 dollar recirculating valve from a volvo i think, and a spout for the end of my compressor housing to attatch the intake pipe to.:bigtu:

aww come on guys i put all those pretty pictures on page on, and no one has any comments?? :confused: :sadwavey:

If it works, I guess it will be aright. The welds could certainly be a bit nicer. Using a TIG welder would really clean things up.
-Michael-

Who gives a fuck how it looks, as long as it works.

I personally wouldn't buy a manifold with welds like that. I can make something just as good easily and the only reason I would buy something like that is if I didn't have the time to make my own flanges and get everything all put together. Your designs are fine but if you want to sell a product like that you might want to look into powdercoating/ceramic coating to hide the welds.

Then again if someone is building up a project and just want's to get on the road and you have a cheap manifold/DP combo for sale. I wouldn't give a damn what it looked like or what coating it had on it. Long as you can build a good strong product that won't have structural problems I'm sure you could sell 10 of them. Do look into Tig though, it would increase sales in the end for sure.

I certainly care how something looks. If its worth doing, its worth doing write. So in response to Mr. D1 I give a f*ck how it looks.
-Michael-

your write! but I think The Bandit is a lil jealous

I think the welds on the turbo stuff looks fine.

Hehe, not sure what I would be jealous of.. the turbo stuff doesn't look too bad, but the manifold looks like poopy.
-Michael-

I assumed that was a jig setup, but jealous IDK seem to have a lot of negative stuff to say.

If your unhappy with the welds, wrap the manifold with some heat wrap (which you should do anyway) and WAMMIE! You cant see any welds.

yes, this is just a mock up, not the end result. I am really just showing a new design that can be done with the stock DSM parts. Plus this stuff was all welded by me, not a professional welder. The ones i will be producing will be welded by my father, who is a professional. All of my stuff will be mig welded and look 100% better than what you see in the pics.. I am not going to be doing tig welding because we do not have the equipment.

I got material pricing on all of the stuff i need to make these manifolds out of mild or stainless steel, and it looks like about a 40 dollar differance, and the manufacturing cost will not go up much, so i plan on offering both.

As far as coating goes, that will just add cost, so i may offer it for an extra cost.

A couple questions about the setup you see in the pics.

Do any of you think that the fact that to use this setup you have to remove your A/c, and relocate the coolant lines is going to be an issue?

or do most of you guys that are boosting remove your A/c anyway?

my main target market is for the people that buy the megan racing stuff.. they buy it because it is cheep, and works. I feel my stuff will be a bit cheeper than the megan stuff, and should hold up better. another advantage to mine is you can buy my manifold, and a used DSM turbo and o2 housing, and then a big portion of your turbo system is ready to go with no work and not that much money.

I for one will not be removing A/C.

Same here... the A/C isn't going anywhere. However the pesky power steering pump is out of the way once and for all :)

well maybe i am wrong, i might need to rethink this..

who has removed there a/c?


and who else has not?

I still have my PS and A/C. I might remove my PS in the future but I'll most likely be keeping the A/C. If i had an NA i would trash the PS and A/C but with my '99 I want to keep it on there.

A/C ain't going anywhere. I even have many spare a/c parts and freeze-12 so if something fails, I'll have little down time.

A lot of DIY turbo people don't care about ps, but no a/c will be a deal breaker for many. I think kit buyers would prefer to keep both.

If I were you, I'd try to mock up equipment that will fit a/c and ps cars. Then you'll reach the largest possible market.

No a/c, no p/s.

i have ac/ps your turbo looks to be smack on your coolant line from the rad you might need to raise it a couple of inches to get it to clear those the megan stuff puts the top of the turbo/compressor about level with the engine and sits the turbin at about a 45 degree angle. fyi looks promising just though i would put that out there :bigtu:

yeah, the reason that i put it so low was for one to keep the heat low, and two, allow you to mount the turbo in the same rotation as it would have been on a DSM car. I think i may need to revert to a setup like atlanta93le is installing in order to keep it at that rotation, and clear ps/ac and coolant lines. i didnt realize all of that untill i had it mocked up in the car...

kinda figured the same, still looks promising though

PS and AC (texas gets stupid hot)

I'm so in on this deal for the 1.8 manifold and the dp. I don't mind paying a bit more for something that will last a bit longer.

If the welds broke, I'd be pretty pissed.