Grassroots...composites?!?

People fit in there, ps page two pwnage

looks like a helmet on steroids

OK, time for an update...here’s the individual pieces for my MAF adapter that will be needed to get the MAF inline with the intake and can either accept more tubing for a true Cold Air Intake, or I can put a cone filter on the end to make it a short ram type. Note, I used an old plastic container as the mold for the tubular section. The container was a cone shape that was 3” at the top and 2” at the bottom…think of it as an improvised velocity stack, like an ITB or the like.

and the tube from before has made some progress as well. It’s been sanded with 60 grit and painted with some rattle can goodness. Here it is with the assembled MAF.

Both still need work. The MAF adapter's finish is so rough, I think it would leak air. I’m gonna brush on several coats of epoxy and sand it smooth. The tube isn’t particularly smooth either, but I think it will suffice. The tube also needs bungs mounted for emissions junk (threaded pipe fittings mounted into place either mechanically or with resin...not sure yet) and I am going to also need to get couplers, but it’s getting there. I’m amazed at how truly light these pieces are. Seriously, I don’t think the 2 pieces are more than a pound if that combined.

I am still learning a lot every step I take, and I really think it’s gonna pay off when I really take a stab at it (read: when I really sink some bucks into this project). So far I’m really not into this more than 20 bucks give or take.

-$4 for the PVC -$8 for the fiberglass - ~$5 for the amount of resin Ive used

That’s about it...not counting incidentals like screws for mounting the mold while applying the fiberglass, brushes to apply the resin, blades/tools for finishing the pieces etc. I think the real deal may set me back more like $45 and that includes the lower "cold air" section that will route from the fender up to the TB, and a no name cone filter. Still, that's not too bad, considering brand name units go for over $150 or more in some cases. And the $45 includes upgrading to an outer skin of Carbon fiber...gotta keep the eye candy value in there

I have also been fiddling with the idea of creating a mold from expanding "Great Stuff" foam in a can. I need to test whether or not the resin will stick to the foam too bad or not, and also if the foam will adhere to PVC or not. The idea is to create the bend out of PVC similar to the beginning of this post, but split the PVC into 2 even halves. I will hose clamp the pieces back together and fill it up with the foam. If the foam will release from the PVC well enough, I will wrap the foam core with the fiberglass, and then 3" heat shrink tube to get a consistent thickness of resin, avoid bubbles from developing between the layers, and also get a smooth as glass finish. Then once the resin cures, I will use a paddle drill bit and remove the foam from the inside.

However, all that depends on whether or not the foam adheres to PVC and if epoxy/fiberglass resin adheres to the foam. I may be able to get around either of these caveats by using a mold release wax in the process, so that may not be as big an issue as it seems. It will just require some investigation and research, but I think I may start really making an effort at this in the next several weeks. I will at least have what you see here on the car by the end of next week. Stay tuned