ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

It is a combination of metal and rubber. It's chrome in the middle to dress up our lackluster engine bays. It has rubber on each end to accomodate the engines torque movement. It will come in black, red, yellow, and blue for your individual tastes. On the dyno with one very similar to this it picked up 2rwhp over the stock bellows. This is the prototype. The finished product will look even better but almost identical. As usual Speed Inc and LM Performance will be selling this for me.

Here are links for the pics.
www.buickwe4.com/pic/DSC00021.jpg
www.buickwe4.com/pic/DSC00022.jpg
www.buickwe4.com/pic/DSC00023.jpg
www.buickwe4.com/pic/DSC00024.jpg
www.buickwe4.com/pic/DSC00025.jpg

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

NO F-BDY BS

Million $$$$$ question: How much?
Looks good though.

Casper9T9

iTrader: (1)

How is the hose attached to the metal? Looks good.

slow

iTrader: (7)

looks good, what is the size of the pipe? inner/outer? thanks.

Ryan.

Fenris Ulf

Does the metal tube taper at all? Looks like you left all the step-sizing to the two rubber couplings.

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Fenris Ulf:
<strong> Does the metal tube taper at all? Looks like you left all the step-sizing to the two rubber couplings. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As most people who have f-body LS1's know the MAF and TB are different diameters. That's is why it's hard to get the Fernco pipe on the TB side. The chrome part is a cone. It tapers down towards the MAF. You can see this in the picture where the bellows is lying on its side on top of the air filter(pic #4/DSC00024.jpg). There is a slight gap between the chrome center and the TB and MAF. The rubber bridges the gap and slides onto the TB and MAF nicely.

<small>[ March 24, 2003, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: ss1le02 ]</small>

unit213

It looks like you cut a Baker hose in half and fed the ends over a piece of an exhaust tip.

Country Boy

iTrader: (24)

Looks nice, but you still have the flex problem. The middle cant flex with the motor. The only rubber part is where it clamps the lid and the TB. The center needs to flex to move with the motor, the ends dont move.

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Casper9T9:
<strong> How is the hose attached to the metal? Looks good. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As many people know this is cutthroat industry. When a new product comes out it isn't long until someone else copies it and makes their own. Just look at suspension parts. As far as your question, how is it attached? Lets just say the rubber won't seperate from the chrome here. It's firmly attached.

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by unit213:
<strong> It looks like you cut a Baker hose in half and fed the ends over a piece of an exhaust tip. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not even close.

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Country Boy:
<strong> Looks nice, but you still have the flex problem. The middle cant flex with the motor. The only rubber part is where it clamps the lid and the TB. The center needs to flex to move with the motor, the ends dont move. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">There is about an eigth of an inch gap between the chrome center piece and the TB and MAF. The rubber bridges the gap allowing flex during engine torque movement. Remember the ends are rubber which stretches. Pop the hood and floor your engine. It doesn't move much due to torque anyways. In fact my first version was a chrome metal cone. I had this on for over a year with no leaking, warpage, or cracking. I decided to incorporate the rubber ends to allay anyones fears in this regard.
BTW, the Austin Bellows will only work with an aftermarket lid. The stock air box is incompatible with this bellows.

DARK AGE 53

Although a nice idea I also wonder if there will be enough flex, also the rubber looks quite thin.

Al

Country Boy

iTrader: (24)

Im still leary of the flex issue, but it does look real nice <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

I had that stupid Frenco hose and It broke the 2 passenger side tabs on my air lid. It doesnt move. The engine moves alot.. especially with the use of N2O. 1/8" isnt enough rubber to flex for anything.

Im not knocking it, I like it, but could use some improvement <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Just some constructive critisim <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

EJBADBIRDWS6

It looks good, but would it flow any better than the SLP or is it mostly looks.

Airlinker

It looks like it would flow about the same as any other smooth hose. This really looks nice. Finally some chrome for our engine compartments. What type of rubber is it. If the rubber is more pliable than the fernco stuff I'm sure there shouldn't be any problem with torque. Most important, how much?

2000LS1

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by NO F-BDY BS:
<strong> Million $$$$$ question: How much?
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">TTT

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

I'm hoping I can sell them for $39. This depends on how I can save money on production costs. I definitely want to be cheaper than the SLP bellows. I believe SLP's sell for $49

bdawg/98mechamta#9

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">ss1le02
Member # 4940 posted March 24, 2003 06:19 PM
--------------------------------------------------
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Pop the hood and floor your engine. It doesn't move much due to torque anyways. [QUOTE]

doesnt the engine move more under load ?

ss1le02

iTrader: (4)

Yes the engine does move more under a load. However, the rubber ends are a flexible rubber coating called plastisol(sp). This is the same stuff that you find on wrenches and hooks. It gives/stretches much more than the material that's used to make the Fernco or Baker hose.

Ike

I'd probably buy one if I could get the metal piece powdercoated glossy black.... or at least a high gloss, high-heat, black paint. Only shiny piece I plan on being in my engine bay is the ATI blower. Even then, I'll probably paint the intake box gloss black with some clearcoat.