LQ4 in a 1971 Nova
I have a head gasket to do on an Acura, and will use the funds to farm out the mini-tub.
The neon console is absolutely money. It has made the interior markedly better.
LEDs are going on all but the headlights. I have ambers wired up for the front markers, reds for the rear markers, and the whites for the front bumper markers with ambers (not shown) above and below for the turn signals (aka bumper lights will be white and flash amber with the turn signals). I still have to build 12v voltage regulators and the controllers for the tails/turns/brakes.
I'll have to check the serpentine belt and get back to you GTA.
The neon console is absolutely money. It has made the interior markedly better.
LEDs are going on all but the headlights. I have ambers wired up for the front markers, reds for the rear markers, and the whites for the front bumper markers with ambers (not shown) above and below for the turn signals (aka bumper lights will be white and flash amber with the turn signals). I still have to build 12v voltage regulators and the controllers for the tails/turns/brakes.
I'll have to check the serpentine belt and get back to you GTA.
Last edited by hookemdevils22; Jan 14, 2013 at 12:25 PM.
clint, I finally got some pics of the fuel line.
I used a braided piece from the fuel rail inlet...
...to the subframe mount.
then hard line down the driver's side...
...and made two 90° bends to go inside the rear subframe right at the rear of the subframe connector. It then follows the rear subframe to the corvette FPR and ultimately the in-tank pump.
like I said, not the prettiest, but gets the job done.
I used a braided piece from the fuel rail inlet...
...to the subframe mount.
then hard line down the driver's side...
...and made two 90° bends to go inside the rear subframe right at the rear of the subframe connector. It then follows the rear subframe to the corvette FPR and ultimately the in-tank pump.
like I said, not the prettiest, but gets the job done.
That doesn't look messy at all; it looks great. I like that you have the lower fitting outside the frame rail so if it leaked it wouldn't hit the headers and start a fire.
Not too much to update other than I've been sodering LEDs like a madman whenever I've gotten the chance. Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have the LED boards done. I also sold a Ford 5.0 I built, and am using the funds to finally get the mini-tub done.
I did have success building LED turn signals for my 67 Mustang's hood. I don't have before pics, but it turned the signals from 'something like this' to 'this' for muchmuch less than the $50 they sell for online.
I also took the plunge this weekend and cut the back of one of the Nova's side marker housings off to fit the LED assembly I made. And while it would work, the OEM housing isn't deep enough to allow the PC board to sit inside like the front turn signal and tail light housings would. Further, I'm not a fan at all of the classic 'pillowed' lenses.
Solution: Custom molded housings and lenses. I'm thinking of either building a vacuum-former to mold parts or casting using something like Alumilite's products to create my own parts, including reproducing my lenses with smooth exteriors. And clear side marker lenses could be easily reproduced using the molding/casting technique.
Does anyone have experience molding plastic bits that wants to give me some pointers?
I did have success building LED turn signals for my 67 Mustang's hood. I don't have before pics, but it turned the signals from 'something like this' to 'this' for muchmuch less than the $50 they sell for online.
I also took the plunge this weekend and cut the back of one of the Nova's side marker housings off to fit the LED assembly I made. And while it would work, the OEM housing isn't deep enough to allow the PC board to sit inside like the front turn signal and tail light housings would. Further, I'm not a fan at all of the classic 'pillowed' lenses.
Solution: Custom molded housings and lenses. I'm thinking of either building a vacuum-former to mold parts or casting using something like Alumilite's products to create my own parts, including reproducing my lenses with smooth exteriors. And clear side marker lenses could be easily reproduced using the molding/casting technique.
Does anyone have experience molding plastic bits that wants to give me some pointers?
Last edited by hookemdevils22; Feb 19, 2013 at 09:18 AM.
Oh boy... I am a plastics engineer and am looking at 28 injection molding machines from my desk right now...just outside my office window, LOL
The cost for a simple single cavity mold is going to be $10K for the cheapest CHINA mold...then, $2,000 to set it, plus resin costs and $65 /labor hour cost to mold.
So, in short, you need $20,000 + $10 per part....and you will only get about 10K parts per that mold.
It is not a bad idea, just very hard to get something like that off the ground unless you have some extra coin sitting around.
Injection molding is the most expensive route BUT, if there was a market, you could corner it!
Not to mention, you could also produce lenses/lights for Camaros, Impalas, etc.
The vacuum forming is not a bad idea, you will just need a secondary operation for the holes.
The cost for a simple single cavity mold is going to be $10K for the cheapest CHINA mold...then, $2,000 to set it, plus resin costs and $65 /labor hour cost to mold.
So, in short, you need $20,000 + $10 per part....and you will only get about 10K parts per that mold.
It is not a bad idea, just very hard to get something like that off the ground unless you have some extra coin sitting around.
Injection molding is the most expensive route BUT, if there was a market, you could corner it!
Not to mention, you could also produce lenses/lights for Camaros, Impalas, etc.
The vacuum forming is not a bad idea, you will just need a secondary operation for the holes.
Last edited by Chicago TDP; Feb 18, 2013 at 03:58 PM.
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Verdad Gallardo Do you have an approximate design in CAD?
I also work in plastics (though much less experience) and I think you could get a short run single cavity prototype / soft tool for quite a bit cheaper, especially if you build some forgiveness into your design, but I think it would still be a couple thousand invested for injection molding. Here's one of the more economical routes: http://www.protomold.com/
I have used the company below before to make one-off cosmetic/nonfunctional plastic parts. They use resins and essentially cast parts from flexible molds made using SLA and other rapid protoyping processes. I think something the size of a lense would be in the neighborhood of $200-300, but you'd have to talk to them. They can't do a lot to guarantee dimensions or surface finish because the process is very manual and the mold is flexible. I don't think it would be good for more than a few parts.
http://www.rapid-products.com/
Don't discount machining. You might be able to machine something that would work.
Whatever you do, I think UV resistance needs to be top priority. I honestly think your best bet is adapting something OE from a newer car.
I also work in plastics (though much less experience) and I think you could get a short run single cavity prototype / soft tool for quite a bit cheaper, especially if you build some forgiveness into your design, but I think it would still be a couple thousand invested for injection molding. Here's one of the more economical routes: http://www.protomold.com/
I have used the company below before to make one-off cosmetic/nonfunctional plastic parts. They use resins and essentially cast parts from flexible molds made using SLA and other rapid protoyping processes. I think something the size of a lense would be in the neighborhood of $200-300, but you'd have to talk to them. They can't do a lot to guarantee dimensions or surface finish because the process is very manual and the mold is flexible. I don't think it would be good for more than a few parts.
http://www.rapid-products.com/
Don't discount machining. You might be able to machine something that would work.
Whatever you do, I think UV resistance needs to be top priority. I honestly think your best bet is adapting something OE from a newer car.
I had a feeling injection-molding would be expensive on a large scale... I'll see about Alumilite's process to at least make my lenses, if not the housings too. I don't have anything CAD'd up yet. I'm planning to make a rough prototype by hand and either vacuum-forming or (most likely) casting a few reproductions. It's going to have to wait until next week though - I'm getting married on Friday.
I also wonder about 3D printing. I see some small printers for less than a grand, and am interested to see how the products would stand up over time. If they were robust enough, that would be a great way to make a bunch of housings (I doubt it would work out too well for lenses).
I also wonder about 3D printing. I see some small printers for less than a grand, and am interested to see how the products would stand up over time. If they were robust enough, that would be a great way to make a bunch of housings (I doubt it would work out too well for lenses).
Last edited by hookemdevils22; Feb 19, 2013 at 09:13 AM.
That's a phenomenal idea. Looks like a trip to the hobby shop is in order.
Car's off to the fabricator for a mini-tub (finally...). First time she's seen rain in a loooong time - totally worth it.
Car's off to the fabricator for a mini-tub (finally...). First time she's seen rain in a loooong time - totally worth it.
I had a feeling injection-molding would be expensive on a large scale... I'll see about Alumilite's process to at least make my lenses, if not the housings too. I don't have anything CAD'd up yet. I'm planning to make a rough prototype by hand and either vacuum-forming or (most likely) casting a few reproductions. It's going to have to wait until next week though - I'm getting married on Friday.
I also wonder about 3D printing. I see some small printers for less than a grand, and am interested to see how the products would stand up over time. If they were robust enough, that would be a great way to make a bunch of housings (I doubt it would work out too well for lenses).
I also wonder about 3D printing. I see some small printers for less than a grand, and am interested to see how the products would stand up over time. If they were robust enough, that would be a great way to make a bunch of housings (I doubt it would work out too well for lenses).
)I am in the same boat. getting married at the end of June. Best of luck!
Injection molding would be sweet, but capital cost is HUGE ($20000 for simple molds)! I was also going to contribute an article I found about making re-usable silicon molds for reproduction plastic parts but it seems you have seen it before! IMO, silicon molds would be the best bet for med to low volume, high quality, low cost reproductions
Thanks guys. It went well, and we got dusted with snow the night before, making the red rocks of Sedona even more beautiful.
Side note, the Nova's still waiting to go under the knife. And I'll hopefully finish soldering the LED circuits this week, now that the family has left. Here's hoping I can get her back with the new wheels and install the LEDs by our honeymoon (3/9).
Side note, the Nova's still waiting to go under the knife. And I'll hopefully finish soldering the LED circuits this week, now that the family has left. Here's hoping I can get her back with the new wheels and install the LEDs by our honeymoon (3/9).
I've gotten my left tail, reverse, and front markers/turn signals installed. I'm still working on housings and lenses for the side markers. I picked up some Alumilite products. One note, these old pillowed lenses are terrible... And I'll probably refine the LEDs now that I have some experience.
I also sold the wheels. They were a Ford pattern, which would have cost money to have my axles drilled to fit. I'm also doing the mini-tub later this month (again, to save $$$). Tony, what's that website you bought your wheels from? I'll be pulling the trigger on a set after the mini-tub is done.
It's kind of hard to make out the LEDs. My phone's camera doesn't do nearly a good enough job to do the LEDs justice.
Can't really see the turn signals in this pic. I bought some higher-intensity amber LEDs, since the whites overpower the current ones.
Tails (passenger side is the OEM bulb for reference)
Tail 'C' pattern
Brakes
Brakes light up the entire array, including the tail light 'C' section
I also sold the wheels. They were a Ford pattern, which would have cost money to have my axles drilled to fit. I'm also doing the mini-tub later this month (again, to save $$$). Tony, what's that website you bought your wheels from? I'll be pulling the trigger on a set after the mini-tub is done.
It's kind of hard to make out the LEDs. My phone's camera doesn't do nearly a good enough job to do the LEDs justice.
Can't really see the turn signals in this pic. I bought some higher-intensity amber LEDs, since the whites overpower the current ones.
Tails (passenger side is the OEM bulb for reference)
Tail 'C' pattern
Brakes
Brakes light up the entire array, including the tail light 'C' section
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 497
Likes: 4
Hey, Phillip over on Steves has everything to do plastic molds, he builds grills for the newer novas and the turn signals. Really nice stuff, Hit him up. He is a great guy and helpful. He would prob let you use his stuff for the cost of material and just to be a part of it.
Hookem I bought my wheels at wheelstudio.com. You will have to do some digging around as they dont go back to our year models. I used the oldest camaro listed(same lug pattern 120.65mm) and went from there. I took a piece of plywood 1/2" thick and made it 26" in diameter so that I could gage the nearest obstruction. After that was figured in I did the math to get the right offset. It worked out perfectly. Wheelstudio.com did a helluva job with on time delivery and customer service. The price was cheaper than expected and the product was exactly what I wanted. I highly recommend them. If you have any other questions shoot me a PM.