[JRP3]

A mirror on the firewall? Polished stainless?

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by JRP3

A mirror on the firewall? Polished stainless?

That would be the least complicated solution. I'll try to get a piece of mirror tomorrow and test it to see how well it works, before I take the mount back to Eric's. It would definitely be polished stainless if it works, because then it can be modeled and machined to look right. You know I can't do anything simple right?!

[toddshotrods]

By the way, anyone with this motor that needs mounting plates, adapters, etc., I can accommodate. I was waiting to be certain the pattern was correct - it is. A simple plate with just a center hole and the mounting pattern can be cut lickity-split. More complex requests can be done quicker or cheaper, take your pick. The more reasonably-priced machine shops usually are moonlight, after the day job, types. You may have to wait longer... The ones that will make it a priority charge accordingly. PM if interested.

[MJ Monterey]

I may be wrong but it looks like the drive shaft will need to go through the current fire wall?

If so a shallow half inch to one inch inset that frames the motor that has the vertical lined with stainless. Build the recess contour on the inside of the fire wall and use it to mount the stainless plate and drive shaft tunnel.

Idle thoughts form a brain that needs caffeine......

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by MJ Monterey

I may be wrong but it looks like the drive shaft will need to go through the current fire wall?

If so a shallow half inch to one inch inset that frames the motor that has the vertical lined with stainless. Build the recess contour on the inside of the fire wall and use it to mount the stainless plate and drive shaft tunnel.

Idle thoughts form a brain that needs caffeine......

What are you waiting for, I start my caffeine drip around 6:30am!

You see well. The firewall has to be cut for the driveshaft to pass through, and there is a recess pretty much how you described it (minus the SS) in the rendering. That was always a part of the plan to highlight the motor, mount, and power transfer to the driveshaft.

I just can't put a flat piece of metal there. It's going to have to be cut or cast to have the detail I want. I can purchase a brand new 12 x 24" billet piece for $321 (.750" thick) or $425 (1" thick). That's not too bad, I'll see what they have at the local scrap place when I actually get ready for it. I did some preliminary research and CAD/CNC is probably going to be more feasible than casting, even with destroying a couple/few milling tools in the process. To be cast without losing the real stainless properties, it has to be done in a induction furnace, in a controlled environment (nitrogen liquid or gas sheilding). Sounds prohibitively expensive for a motor mirror.

We can probably come close enough to the mirror surface in finish machining to make it easy to hand polish. I also want to play some tricks with the finish and have a polished "window" in the center with brushed or machine finish on the outside contours. I've been working on plans for textures, hues, and final finishes. Brushed or machined stainless are a one of the accents I had planned, so this may work well.

[Jimdear2]

Originally Posted by toddshotrods

Now, I have another problem! Now that it's out of my computer screen, and "live in living aluminum", I hate the fact that the back of the mount is going to be concealed by the firewall. When the front (motor) side was being machined I had no clue what the CNC was doing because an overwhelming majority of my time was spent modeling the back side. I had almost forgotten what the front looked like!

I don't know what I am going to do about it yet, but somehow that has to be seen - clearly! This is just one of those things that comes up on a hot rod build. A part that was meant to be a supporting cast member suddenly develops star potential. You have to find a way to capitalize on it. Eric and I both have a good bit of time just getting those freakin counterbores right - and they would be completely insignificant with the firewall directly behind them. (Notice the inset side-view pic.) They can't play tricks with light if none ever finds them!

Todd,

It seems to me a transparent Firewall and Driveshaft Tunnel would be a very interesting effect. A fully transparent interior showing controller, Batteries and wiring would be an awsome effect.

Just a thought,
Jim

[MJ Monterey]

Left coast.... French press was steeping at the time. Your coffee was starting about the time I was getting to sleep....

Still not up to digging through the 50 plus pages (congrats!?) for a rendering. So as a fabrication concept (execute in either stainless or Aluminum):

1) Bend a hoop of tubing (2 to 3 inch diameter 0.120 wall or so) for a perimeter
2) Tig on a flange in the middle for the recess
3) Cut out the pasenger's compartment part of tube that is not needed.
4) Weld in attachment hardware if needed
5) polish and clear powder coat to taste

If you are standing over the motor looking at a cross section through the fire wall: the hoop on the drivers side (left drive) would have the plate flange welded at the 9:00 position. If you cut at 10:00 and then at about the 5:00 position (in the plane of the firewall) You will have a nice little sculpted in recess that mimics your mount.....

Let me know if I didn't get this down clearly and I'll draw and scan a picture.....

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by Jimdear2

Todd,

It seems to me a transparent Firewall and Driveshaft Tunnel would be a very interesting effect. A fully transparent interior showing controller, Batteries and wiring would be an awsome effect.

Just a thought,
Jim

It would be a neat trick, and with my obsessive tendencies what they saw behind the "glass" would be nice eye candy, but it wouldn't pass tech with sanctioning bodies (glorified race car). Even if the materials are stronger, you have to submit engineering data (for the specific application) and wait to be approved.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by MJ Monterey

...Still not up to digging through the 50 plus pages (congrats!?) for a rendering....

It's just a quickly hashed out representation, but that was the general idea.

Originally Posted by MJ Monterey

...50 plus pages (congrats!?)....

Originally Posted by MJ Monterey

...Let me know if I didn't get this down clearly and I'll draw and scan a picture...

I stood inside the motor, then inside the cockpit, then stopped to think where I would have to be to see the flange at 9 o'clock, flapped my wings and hovered over the top and finally saw what you see! Got it.

Next time drink more coffee before you do that, or make sure I haven't had so much!

I love the fabricaton process, especially the use of tubing to create the radiused surfaces! That would be fun to make, for sure. It has to have a larger overall radius than the motor to put the full image of the motor mount in the mirror; from a wide variety of viewing angles. As people walk around and look I want them to see the back of the mount almost as if it's playing on a screen.

I gotta go to the mailbox, then fix my car so I can get the mount to Eric's today. More to come.

[DavidDymaxion]

This is great stuff!

This is my ignorance: Can you have it plated for a mirror finish? If not, what are the obstacles? Thanks.

Originally Posted by toddshotrods

... To be cast without losing the real stainless properties, it has to be done in a induction furnace, in a controlled environment (nitrogen liquid or gas sheilding). Sounds prohibitively expensive for a motor mirror.

We can probably come close enough to the mirror surface in finish machining to make it easy to hand polish. I also want to play some tricks with the finish and have a polished "window" in the center with brushed or machine finish on the outside contours. I've been working on plans for textures, hues, and final finishes. Brushed or machined stainless are a one of the accents I had planned, so this may work well.