custom air boxes - thoughts

[BiH-PULSAR]

Hi all,

i work as an engineer in VIC and do alot of 3-D modelling..boring stuff, but that's besides the point. I was talking to our sheet metal supplier and he said that if i provide him with 3-D models of air boxes/heat sheilds he can get cheap quotes as its direct from the Thailand manufacturer.

I dont have exact prices/quotes yet, but it would definatley be alot cheaper than buying them from k&n/coswroth. i was wandering if anyone is interested in getting their own custom heatsheilds/airboxes.

they can come painted/unpainted/heattreated whatever.

all i need is either a 3d model (as a parasolid/step file) and/or a drawing with dimensions that i can use to model it up.

once we have a model, i can give it to him to quote, then he will provide a quantity price (the more you buy, the cheaper each will be). example: heat sheild for a pulsar. send me dimensions - i give the guy the drawing, he gets the quote, get a few guys on pulsar forum to get some and hey presto, cheap sheild.

im happy to waste work time modelling boxes/sheilds if i have too, and can be the postage boy also.

let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions or ideas

[Gabe]

Are you after suggestions for if you should do it, or offering the opportunity to get custom made air boxes.

Either way it's probably worth it if you're planning to heat shield your air intake from ambient engine bay temp.
If I had the dimensions I'd most likely fit one to my car

[BiH-PULSAR]

Are you after suggestions for if you should do it, or offering the opportunity to get custom made air boxes.

Either way it's probably worth it if you're planning to heat shield your air intake from ambient engine bay temp.
If I had the dimensions I'd most likely fit one to my car

More offering the opportunity, and after suggestions to make this proccess as smooth as possible.

another thought is dimension an existing heat sheild and copy/modify it to your liking. so if you think it should have a top cover, then get the current dimensions and ill put a top cover on for you (if mechanically possible)

[Leprichaun]

I'm quite interested in the idea!

I've got a pod in my car, and definitely want to shield it from the engine as much as possible. I'll see if I can do up a sketch with dimensions. It will definitely need to be a one off though. This won't pose a problem?

Do you think you can find out a rough kind of price in the meantime?

[BiH-PULSAR]

I'm quite interested in the idea!

I've got a pod in my car, and definitely want to shield it from the engine as much as possible. I'll see if I can do up a sketch with dimensions. It will definitely need to be a one off though. This won't pose a problem?

Do you think you can find out a rough kind of price in the meantime?

the only problem with a one off is that it wont be as cheap as if you bought 5+ for example.

if you can find people with your car who want the covers, then it will be cheaper for you by a small amount.

to put it in perspective, i designs a cover which is a metre tall and a whole combination of bends/weldments/holes and it cost $200. so something small like an airbox would cost at max approx $100 says the supplier. a sheild even less. (note, this isnt including postage).

the quotes are free, so if i can get a design or two to him and he gives a quote, it is upto the buyer whether they want it or not.

[Gabe]

I'd be keen if there were enough people to warrant making one.
I reckon there'd be a few in the Jap range of cars that it might be worth it.

[BiH-PULSAR]

again, the more the merrier. but even for a one off it will be alot cheaper than buying a commercially branded on.

also the less processes it goes through, the less it will cost. so no paint, no heat treatment, no welds and so on means it will be cheaper.

if it is able to be folded out of sheetmetal (upto 3mm thick) and depending on the material you want, it will warrant the price it costs.

materials range from mild steel to zinc steel to pretty much anything that comes in sheet metal form.

[Leprichaun]

the only problem with a one off is that it wont be as cheap as if you bought 5+ for example.

if you can find people with your car who want the covers, then it will be cheaper for you by a small amount.

to put it in perspective, i designs a cover which is a metre tall and a whole combination of bends/weldments/holes and it cost $200. so something small like an airbox would cost at max approx $100 says the supplier. a sheild even less. (note, this isnt including postage).

the quotes are free, so if i can get a design or two to him and he gives a quote, it is upto the buyer whether they want it or not.

Unfortunately I won't be able to find anyone with the same need as me. I have a 1976 Holden One Tonner that's had an LS1 engine swap. There's not a huge number of these around, as you're looking at in excess of $15,000 without labour. I'll see if I can get some measurements together still though, and get the quote done. There's nothing I could find in a shop for this, so custom is the only way i can go.