Derek

I just finished the Hemi Manifold that was consuming most of my time. I'm hoping to start carving the core molds next week and hopefully the patterns right after that. Scrap is ok if your making mail box parts but anything that requires machining has to be poured from ingot. The amount of inclusions you get in the casting goes way up when your pouring metal with a high scrap content. Tea strainers would work but I'm afraid they would be kind of restrictive. The only thing (in my mind) that the screens are there for is to hold the foam elements in place so I want as much open area as I can get. If I go into production I'll get a price on laser cutting some custom blanks out of stainless.

Independent CNC patternmaker for the foundry industry. This is a pattern for a Desoto Hemi I'm just finishing up Derek

Hi Josh The air filters will be a round disk of perforated metal that sits on a ledge inside the bell, then a chunk of air filter foam that is held in with a domed shaped piece of stainless steel wire cloth like this: The holes are .295 or so. I'm making a set of simple dies to press the screens. Not sure how well this will work but that's where I'm at filter wise for now. Derek

This looks like a winner http://www.eautoworks.com/product-Thermo-Tec-259081.htm Attach this to the bottom of the stainless plate and I'd be good to go. There's enough to do a couple of shields. Derek

I'm basically with Tony on this. I'll make it out of what ever is on the shelf. From a corrosion stand point mirror stainless corrodes less than mill finish. There is less tooth on the mirror for the salts to hang on to. In my thinking mirror is a little to much bling for this application. I think a mill finish would probably be more like what a works team would use. And that's the look I'm going for. One thing I'm going to do is to keyhole the mounting holes so it will be easy to remove. I'm almost done with the Hemi manifold so hopefully I can get something done on the next set of patterns. I finished my CNC conversion of my lathe so I can make my dies for pressing the air cleaner screens. So Much to do! Derek

Thanks Kyle. C'mon it's only 7 pages! If the manifold performs well as in "runs and idles" Then I'll offer them up for sale. The original mantra for this project was: #1 Look Cool #2 Look Really Cool #3 Actually Run So far I think I have 1 and 2 nailed I just need #3 to happen! When I get ready to install them I hope to do a before and after on a Dyno. I will say they won't be cheap though. There's a lot of hand work that goes into these things. Derek

Well I Think I have enough 16GA mirror stainless to make up a heat shield. I's a little harder to work with than aluminum. Does the mirror act as a reflector? Also I really want to do a sandwich of some sort as I don't want to have the insulation visible. Remember "Function follows form" on this project!

I Have some ceramic blanket that I use for the linings in my kilns but it's 2" thick. Mcmaster Carr has this in 1/4" thick: Flexible Silica Insulation Temperature Range: 0° to 2000° F Heat Flow Rate: 0.78 Btu/hr. x in./sq. ft. @ 800° F Density: 10 lbs./cu. ft. Color: White I really don't know how to calculate the amount of heat soak but it's only $13.00 for a 12 x 36" piece so I'll probably give it a try. Derek

Hi Tony I also heard about a Chrysler TPS with an arm on it for attaching to the throttle linkage directly. At this point Ill leave the bosses in place. This will give me plenty of options. Derek

Great news on getting your car back! It would be nice if they had a security forum that we could post to anonymously. Then Info could be shared without any one knowing the geographic location of the poster. Realistically the internet is full of great ideas for security measures. All I'll say about mine is I don't have an ignition lock cylinder in my car at all and I sleep very well at night. I have multiple systems that can be engaged depending on the location and level of security I want. Of course a flatbed or a gun changes all of that! If someone really wants your car their going to get it. Derek

Thanks Phar I have bosses (the gray ones)on the bottom of the manifolds for mounting a heat shield. I'm thinking along the lines of a sandwich of aluminum and ceramic insulation. Maybe a ceramic coated piece of aluminum would be enough. Derek

Kevin from Extrudabody was kind enough to send me a 3D file of their TPS switch. I have it mounted on the bottom of #6 tube. The only thing you can see from the top is the plug so It won't be too bad. Thanks for the reminder on this Phar. I totaly would have forgotten to put the bosses in place. I'm pretty sure I'm going to cast a vacuum log as well. This will be machined to accept a Jeep 4.0 IAC and a bleeder arrangement for the main idle setting. It will have a small air cleaner for the intake air. This will mount on the firewall near the booster. This way I can have a single hose leading over to the manifold and it keeps the clutter kind of hidden. Anyone see any problems with this? Thanks Derek

Thanks! You can see a ridge just at the inner end of the bell. A mesh screen will sit on the ledge. Then a piece of foam air cleaner will go in the end of the bell with a domed mesh screen on the outside holding it in. Derek

Hi Phar I plan on using one from extrudabody http://www.extrudabody.biz/servlet/the-126/TPS-dsh-1008/Detail It will mount under one of the throttle shafts, Probably the rear one. Thanks for the reminder I needed to order one so I can put the bosses on the pattern. Derek

Thanks Scott Also I wasn't trying to shut you down. If you have Ideas throw them out there. That's what this things all about. Derek

Now PalmettoZ if you had carefully read all 6 pages of this thread you would have read the post where I proposed this very thing! Thanks for the suggestion and offer. That's exactly how I'm going to do it. I'm going to cut the blanks out on the mill and then true them up on the lathe. Derek

Hi basically if the manifolds perform well and are drivable then I will offer them for sale. But there's a lot that has to happen before I get to that point! Derek

Well that's good to hear. Having never designed a manifold before I'm really guessing on a lot of this stuff. Now you guys have me chomping at the bit again for this thing. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze it in after the Hemi manifold. There's still so much to do after the castings are complete that at times it's a little daunting. I'm in the process of hanging a couple of servo motors on my lathe so I'll be able to automate some of the turning ops as well. It won't be a speed demon but it's better than me sitting there throwing levers! Derek

Hi Phar The balance tube is 1/2" ID so I hope it's enough volume for everything. I'm hoping the first manifold works right the first time but in all reality will probably need some mods. What ever I do to my manifold will be reflected in the patterns if and when I go into production. On the Hemi manifold that's $10,000 just for the patterns. That doesn't include the first actual casting or machine work! The person I'm doing the pattern for feels that there's enough of a market for him to recoup his money and then some. Pattern making is very laborious even with the CNC machines. I use a variety of plastics in my patterns depending on the usage. Some epoxies some PCV. Derek

Your looking at $10,000 for the tooling which includes the top and bottom (cope and drag) patterns and three core boxes. The customer supplied the 3D model. Otherwise it would have been about $2500.00 more. There's a ton of work involved in making tooling. On a project like this you have to figure it's not going to work the first time and require some modifications. I'm not sure what the foundry is charging for the castings. Here's a shot of the one of the core box halves with a core that has been "blown". This sand is what will make the casting hollow. Derek

Hi Phar Well I've been working on a manifold just not mine! It's a paying job for an old hemi. Hopefully as soon as I'm done carving this I'll be getting back to my manifold. The CAD and Cam work is all done I just need to get enough free time to run it. There is a internal balance tube that runs through the manifold and has a boss on the rear manifold. I'll probably run a vacuum log for the booster and IAC. Not sure exactly where the MAP will pull from at this point. There's plenty of wall thickness to drill and tap anywhere on the manifolds. All of the bosses are going to be on the bottom of the manifolds. Derek

For me that is. I've been battling with this problem for years. In Florida I mainly run with the windows up and the air on so it hasn't been too much of a problem. But with the windows down and during down shifts it was getting pretty bad. I had made all the usual repairs. New weatherstripping, sealed the tail ights, checked for holes with a flashlight, etcetera etcetera. All to no avail. I then came across this post by Zs-ondabrain over on Classic Z “Here is one thing you can do. Get a smoke machine, a shop vacuum and some cardboard. Cut the card board to fit in the window opening with the window 1/4 of the way down. Cut a hole the size of the vacuum hose into the card board and slide the card board into the felt groove in the upper part of the window frame. Then tape the lower part of the cardboard to the upper part of the open window. Turn on the vacuum. Start the smoke machine and blow the smoke to the suspected areas and there ya go. Or have someone on the inside watching for the exact spot that the smoke comes in, while you're out side with the machine.†The only thing I changed was I was on the inside of the car and my buddy was on the outside working the smoke machine. As I laid in the back of of the car my thoughts quickly switched from wondering if I wasted $45.00 on the smoke machine to “ I hope I can get out of here alive†as I was immediately engulfed by smoke. Okay I know the smokes non toxic but it was a bit freaky! We aired out the car and decided to go for a more measured approach. This time I was able to spot the areas where the smoke was coming in. In my case it was the body seams between the rear body panel and the inner floor that were leaking. I had put a new rear body panel on the car years ago and didn't do a good enough job of sealing the seams. The biggest culprit was the very bottom seam. This is the one you see if you look under the car and follow the inside of the panel upward. This is also where the bumper brackets mount. Although this channel doesn't directly lead into the cabin, the ends are open and spill into the ¼ panels under the tail lights. It then became a game of sealing leaks and the re smoking the car. All told I found 3 minor and 1 major leaks that I probably never would have located without the smoke machine. Now's the time to buy one because of Halloween. The party stores all stock these things. This really works! Derek

This may sound lame but check the battery terminals. With all the rain we were getting you may have developed some corrosion between the post and the clamp. Derek

Wow Jeff that came out very nice. I really hope to see it before you split. Derek

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Nissan-GTR-on-Top-gear_172852.htm WOW! Derek