1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

we all know how rare and expensive LT1 WS6 air boxes are since they are no longer being produced. how hard would it be to take one and make duplicates of it using one of those 3D printers? since there are no moving parts and its made of plastic anyway it seems like it wouldn't be that hard to do.


any thoughts?

stevo9389

as cool as it would be to have i think the market is too small for it to be worth anyone's effort especially since you need to throw down on a hood to use it. now if it were for a reasonably priced and/or much less brittle crash pad then i think you would have something that every 4th gen owner would be wanting.

lt1slowz28

How about an intake manifold that one is composite.... and also doesn't suck.

Dave357LT1

All intake manifolds suck seriously tho why do you think the lt1 manifold sucks? Or composite that dosnt suck? What you talkin bout Willis?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Is the plastic that comes off one of those printers suitable for underhood?

Not just temps but at shutdown hydrocarbon vapors will seep back up the intake tract exposing the intake to that too, a little spilled oil or oily hands going to melt a section?

I honestly don't know, these are just concerns I would have.

wrd1972

iTrader: (12)

The company I work for has them and I really doubt it would. The stuff I saw was brittle and did not look like it would survive in the environment like you sescribed. Watching that machine work is simply bad-***.

Shownomercy

iTrader: (1)

Depending on the material you choose to use, it will most likely not work.

They do not hold up well to continued shock and higher temps will break them. They also are notoriously bad with holding any sort of decent tolerance. Its a rapid prototype, not something to actually be used.

With some of the 3D scanning straight to CAD these days though, if you know someone who would try it, it may be interesting to see the results. But trying to model the air box is a good week of work.

Puck

iTrader: (17)

3d printing materials have come a long way.

I would be more worried about drafting and development costs then reliability.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/5...it_works_.html

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Do you honestly think that a 3D printer produced product would be cheaper than a good used airbox?

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

maybe? a good used box can bring $500+ (saw one sell on ebay for $550 and several in the $350-$450 rangei was thinking maybe if a perfect replica could be made much cheaper it could make someone money. FWIW i already have an oem airbox i was just curious if it could be copied with a 3D printer.

Jr.Samples

I wish that would happen. I have the bottom part but lack the part to cover the air filter. I rigged up this cover from thin metal and added some weather stripping around the edges. It just sits there but looks better than the open air filter.