Helixx’s 818C

[Shawn818c]

Coming along nicely!

are you keeping the power mirrors? find a creative way to route the wiring?

[TheHelixx]

Coming along nicely!

are you keeping the power mirrors? find a creative way to route the wiring?

Nah, I liked the painted mirror look I saw on others so I went with the stock ones. Just cut the wire off at the base. In hindsight, I wish I would have put them on earlier in the build. The passenger side one is useless on the coupe. Totally eclipsed by the A pillar. I may try and pitch them back a little since I’m already committed at this point.

[TheHelixx]

This is another take on air to air cooling for the 818. I made this the same way I did the dash and door panels.

Started with PVC to get the mount points for the body.

BA4952C0-294F-49B8-BE83-A17D195FCB39.jpg

Pulled fleece over it all tightly and anchored with staples.

04B0F1D2-7F5D-4006-8D4A-1CC179766181.jpg

A thick coat of resin and it was now a solid box. Just needed some reinforcement with chopped strand.

773F2255-4AFB-4650-A2E4-A1D7452A8334.jpg BF45F4EE-DF7B-4CC2-80D5-C67C3F797AE3.jpg

A coat of resin and filler mix to take most of the texture off. Then work the rest with just body filler.

565809B9-546C-43E4-BF5B-88CD7A3461C4.jpg

Couple of coats of primer and some light sanding with 400. Then coated in POR topcoat aluminum.

157E43DB-8B16-44C3-98E0-E8AA606993CC.jpg0B3CABB2-8EE1-43CC-A65E-FFA1D14F7486.jpg

I attached it to the intercooler with rivet nuts.

190F7029-DCCE-4A18-AE89-BF0A8EB7B28F.jpg

I used some reinforced flex pipe to connect it to the roof scoop and it came out pretty good.

F28C3934-0142-4FA8-8095-154C45AB8F7B.jpg 7B5FD1D5-728C-42DD-9FC0-A1EB91EDDE78.jpg


Amazon

Flange
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083RV56S5...p_mob_ap_share

Flex pipe
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RZQ5FKW...p_mob_ap_share

[TheHelixx]

Been a while with the updates.. The car has been pretty much ready to go for a while. It took me almost 2 months to get an inspection with the state police. That was completed on 4/22, so now just waiting for my appointment tomorrow with the DMV to hopefully get it titled and registered.

As a side note.. I finally filled up the fuel tank to max to calibrate my gauge and found out it leaks…. It’s definitely not fun trying to get back to the top of the tank. Turns out the 2nd sender (round top) one had pin holes at the barb elbow.

I’m going to cut an access hatch through the interior with a removable cover in the event I need to get in there again. Really wish I would have done this in the beginning…

[Hobby Racer]

This is another take on air to air cooling for the 818. I made this the same way I did the dash and door panels.
... Pulled fleece over it all tightly and anchored with staples.

Wow, what a great way to make smooth and odd shaped parts! Wish I had known about this technic earlier.

[Dave 53]

Looks great! I recall a post about dividing the inside into two separate chambers for each air inlet. If the pressure isn't exactly the same for each inlet, the overall flow might be reduced. Or something like that.

I'll be uncovering my gas tank for about the 10th time next week to replace my broken timing belt cover. The first time was a ***** because the previous owner glued the panel on. If you glue this panel on to "keep it from rattling", I absolutely guarantee you will have to remove it at some later date. And mine doesn't rattle.

[TheHelixx]

I'll be uncovering my gas tank for about the 10th time next week to replace my broken timing belt cover. The first time was a ***** because the previous owner glued the panel on. If you glue this panel on to "keep it from rattling", I absolutely guarantee you will have to remove it at some later date. And mine doesn't rattle.

Thankfully I didn’t glue mine. I did however build my own dashboard which made taking the whole firewall out a huge chore. Would have had to remove the whole interior .. A couple of beers, box knife and an angle grinder later and I now have a 12x3 hole right above the 2 sending units. I just need to make a fancy looking cover for it now and fasten with some rivnuts.

[Ajzride]

I just need to make a fancy looking cover for it now and fasten with some rivnuts.

I've used a ton of rivnuts on the car, but in this application I think rare earth magnets might work a little better, just a thought.

[J R Jones]

Your ducting is an inspired design and remarkable implimentation.
I did a ram air (engine) intake for a road racing motorcycle to replace the crappy production single feed system. As you did, we used the complexity of two inlet/hoses to balance pressure and flow across the throttle body.
The result added 7hp to the original 120hp at 150MPH.
You did good.
jim

[TheHelixx]

As a quick update. I have managed to get through the state salvage inspection quite easily thanks to all the input on this forum. The following week I was able to get through the DMV and get a registration and plates. This got me out and driving on the public roads for the first time and that was certainly a learning lesson.

1. Holy crap is it a stiff ride.. I mean I expected it to be firm but it’s basically a go kart with a body.

2. Wow is it loud. Again I expected it to be noisy with just a cat and a resonator but… FWIW that’s not a complaint, it honestly sounds incredible. The turbo spool with an open large panel air cleaner is impressive.

3. Because of 2; I really feel like installing a nice audio system wasn’t worth the effort. I have to have it so loud to hear it clearly that I feel like a teenager driving around trying to show off.

4. This car will get a lot of stares. I have 80 miles on it and have been asked if it’s a Lotus four times and had 3 pictures taken. I’ve also only been out four times for shakedowns.

5. If your going to make your own splitter like I did, you need something strong. The PVC board I used with the fiberglass tip failed on the highway. I was going to try another of the same with additional struts but I didn’t trust it. New one is made of 1/2 Birch plywood. As I’ve read in other forums it should last now that I can actually stand on it.

Once I get through the MAC center for a non reject inspection sticker, I’ll be able to officially graduate 818 #575. More pics and updates to follow.

[FFRWRX]

For the top edge to hide the opening in the window cut, I used brush strip. They sell various types at Home Depot, the one I used was the white vinyl one. I drilled a hole every inch in it and epoxied it in place. To cut the brush shorter I pinned it between 2 pieces of steel with vice grips and ran a fresh blade down it. After blending it into the panel with body filler this is what it looks like.

That's a neat idea. I'm just finishing up my door panels. I bought some felt that I was going to use to close that gap, but I have some brush strip left over from making a dust collector for a CNC router. The felt I bought only came in light grey, so I'll have to dye it to use it; want it black. I'll put a length of the brush strip in place and see what that looks like.

[aquillen]

1. Holy crap is it a stiff ride..

2. Wow is it loud.

3. Because of 2; I really feel like installing a nice audio system wasn’t worth the effort.

4. This car will get a lot of stares.

5. If your going to make your own splitter like I did.

1 - Mine not so stiff, I was surprised that it is a softer ride than I expected. Tires may be a factor for example, and even over-tight suspension bushing setup. I used the stock springs setup.

2 - Loud. I've been all over with this. Original exhaust too quiet, was a large single can with all three cat converters before it. Next I went to a pair of "cherry bomb" style cans, with no third cat - honking loud police magnet. Next a pair of left and right offset oval cans, no third cat. Sounded super except above 50 it started droning which by 60 was unbearable. Now on another single can but much smaller and the third cat back in. Sounds great pretty much all over, almost no drone, just gets louder with speed and power.

3 - But can only listen to the radio at in-town cruising speeds.

4 - several thousand miles last year, several Lotus questions, lots of Porche guesses, and a few "love your FFR 818" remarks from guys who "know". But for sure plenty of gas pump talk time, and at car shows you won't get to sit down and relax. Oh and I let them all get in it to see how it sits and feels. Never seen that at a car show and still don't - not ever.

[J R Jones]

I have done exhaust development in a couple of recreational industries and find that size does matter. Big cans and little holes keep the noise in.
Case in point, in the last week I searched for and bought a little car to tow behind an RV. My Jaguar was traded for a Fiat Abarth,
The Abarth has a reputation for a loud performance exhaust. The first car I drove had no muffler, it was loud and caused tension/fatigue.
Ultimately I found a stock car with the big Abarth muffler transverse across the back of the car, approx 41 X 12 X 3 in. The engine is a 1.4 ltr turbo at 160hp. It sounds terrific and I drove seven hours home listening to Sirius; no drone. With a 90 inch wheelbase I sit close to everything. BTW I saw an Abarth muffler on ebay for $375.
jim

55d791d6830f2ee37e16f6299dcf977fx.jpg