I don't like how much stress is on the rear body/fiberglass where it mounts to the gearbox subframe so I 8115'd a piece of unused hood to double the thickness. This guy on eBay accepted my $45 offer, cheapest I've seen it. Ordered some more, anticipating more 'bonding' time with the GTM... https://www.ebay.com/itm/225585734410
Shoulder surgery has laid me up, so nothing getting done that requires any significant physical effort.
Finishing up the headlight buckets, a few revisions for the internal feature that will support the DRL/turn signal LED strip. Each revision improving positioning of the LED strip with regards to visibility from the front as well as positioning relative to the Lexan lens and overlying bodywork. Also avoiding the beam of the projector headlight which requires more effort and packaging creativity. Latest revision on the printer now, only printing enough to index the lens, to speed up the print. PXL_20240107_235206251.jpg PXL_20240107_235130790.jpg PXL_20240109_014130534.MP.jpg
One thing to keep in mind is the flexibility of the LED strips you plan on using for the DRL/Turn Signals. The ones I chose from The Retrofit Source are flexible in one axis (the surface you would stick them to, but not flexible at all trying to bend left to right. Looks like you are putting a bit of a twist on the surface for them, if I'm looking at it correctly.
Pretty awesome being able to design, print, and iterate on the design until you get it just right. I love my printer.
One thing to keep in mind is the flexibility of the LED strips
You are correct, I have confirmed the flexibility of the LED strip in that plane. It may be hard to visualize in the 2D images, the strip will only curve in 1 plane. The iteration (3.0) that is printing now has even more curvature than the previous 2, to better match the contour of the adjacent bodywork. I went with a longer LED strip which has required some massaging to fit, to be clear of the bodywork, and to avoid the projector headlight beam.
Very cool! I'm going to have to look into investing in a printer down the road here someday......love the possibilities!
Shane Vacek
VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC www.vraptorspeedworks.com
Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts
You are correct, I have confirmed the flexibility of the LED strip in that plane. It may be hard to visualize in the 2D images, the strip will only curve in 1 plane. The iteration (3.0) that is printing now has even more curvature than the previous 2, to better match the contour of the adjacent bodywork. I went with a longer LED strip which has required some massaging to fit, to be clear of the bodywork, and to avoid the projector headlight beam.
Very nice!!!!
Originally Posted by VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC
Very cool! I'm going to have to look into investing in a printer down the road here someday......love the possibilities!
You totally need a printer Shane. Go look at the air hose that passes through the front wheel wheels on my GTM. I didn't want some cheezy install of zip-tying the air hoses to the A-Arm, so I designed and 3D printed two separate pieces that when assembled and epoxied together would hold the 90 deg air fittings, allow me to rivet them in place, and be the passthrough in the wheel wells. Then the carbon fiber button plate on the tunnel wall on the drivers side was designed and printed in several configurations before I sent the final design to a guy to cut it out of expensive carbon fiber. Possibilities are endless.
Shane Vacek
VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC www.vraptorspeedworks.com
Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts
Thanks, I think they will work well. I still need to do some post-processing/ smoothing of the ABS to make them look less "printed", but I'm very happy with how they turned out.
I actually found a local shop that can pull moulds and make my new hood and front fascia, less than 10 miles from my home.
Getting the driver's side matched to the passenger side. Gotta love cutting out previously completed work, but that's happened before on this build.
1st step was recreating the exact position and angle of the driver's side headlight. Lots of measurements, pencil marks, paper template, etc. Tried weatherstrip instead of clay to create the edge of the new bodywork, first layer of mud done.
dave, do you have a CAD design of what you envision your front to look like?
The last rendering I did still had the modified Yamaha R1 headlights, these headlights were designed to fit the shape of the front of the car and help address some aerodynamic issues and design issues. I wish I had a 3D scanner though...
Finishing up the last corner of the hood. Lots of measurements from midline and A-pillars, poster board template. Fiberglass shop owner is ready to receive the hood to make a mould then a part as soon as I get it done.
Wow. Exciting. Can't wait to see a finished product.
Thanks, Mike!
So the plan was to trailer the whole car to the fiberglass shop, this would prevent distortion of the hood that could occur with removal. Instead, I decided to build a frame on the outside of the hood to get it off the vehicle, now I'll build an inner frame to allow for removal of the outer frame. Then off to the fiberglass shop.
It's been so long since I've seen under the front hood...
Wow....tons of work and time involved there! Can't wait to see the final result!
Shane Vacek
VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC www.vraptorspeedworks.com
Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts
Sometimes you just need to admit defeat and leave it to the pros. Hood might be done next week. They are still blocking it, seems I missed a couple low areas, imagine that.
Cool! Not many people understand the amount of time and effort that goes into projects like that.
Shane Vacek
VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC www.vraptorspeedworks.com
Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts
Got the hood back from the fiberglass shop. Really happy with how the part turned out, nice mould too. Gray buck, orange gel coat mould, black part. Life is busier than ever, need to make time for the GTM.