Crazy idea for the Type IV engine shroud..., ..but I think it would look crazy good! Options

[horizontally-opposed]

So I've seen a lot of people do interesting things with the stock Type IV shroud to make it look more interesting. Body color, silver, red, orange, you name it. But none of these has really appealed to me. I've thought about ideas like CF (too modern for the car for my tastes) and wrinkle black (the way I would probably go). But then I saw the shroud in this thread:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=81971

I like this color, as it reminds me of the old Bosch distributor caps. But then THAT got me to thinking about another material I associate with this color, and that's the ultra-trick and way cool naked fiberglass Porsche used to use on 906/911R motors as well as throughout the 908s and 917s. Morspeed has duplicated it, albeit at far higher levels of quality and MUCH higher gloss, for its restorations.

Question is, could it be done for reasonable money? Could the stock shroud be used to make a mold? I frankly can't think of a cooler looking, period-correct hotrod 914-4 engine bay than this setup with a pair of carbs so long as the finish can be nailed. I think I'd like it even better than the Fat Perf. setup and the DTM, though I know it wouldn't outperform the latter.

pete

[Jake Raby]

Some of the ridges are there, but a few have to be removed to make the units from glass inside molds.

The only killer is the "llok" can't be achieved with components that need to be super strong as the glass gets too thick to allow the transparency. Thats what would make the blower housing difficult to make because it has to accomodate an alternator bracket and needs rigidity.

The cylinder tins would be fairly easy to do since they need little strength or rigidity.

My X4CS DTM Carrera cooling system should do enough in the looks department to take things to the next level and its being made for effectiveness more than a "look" as I have little to no desire to make blingy items that don't increase the longevity/reliability/efficiency or power of an engine while looking good.





I don't think we'll have any "attractiveness" issues after I reveal this baby in mid 2009

I don't

[horizontally-opposed]

Some of the ridges are there, but a few have to be removed to make the units from glass inside molds.

The only killer is the "llok" can't be achieved with components that need to be super strong as the glass gets too thick to allow the transparency. Thats what would make the blower housing difficult to make because it has to accomodate an alternator bracket and needs rigidity.

I think the only way this idea makes sense is for those who don't need/don't want/can't afford the DTM setup.

So, as a replacement for the stock tin on the engine (which many building your motors retain) could it be done? I get the sense you mean the structural issues are only issues with your upgraded cooling systems. And the setup you hint at here, as well as the Fat IV setup (too bad it seems to need an internal redesign), don't need any aesthetic help. Just some gloss black paint, or whatever color people want.

I am also not interested in items that look blingy, either. Period. But, as someone wise once said, once the man is made, clothing greatly improves his appearance. The 914's Type IV has never been, uh, particularly nice looking, even with carbs. Just trying to think of ways to address that... I also like the idea of the appearance of the engine bay reflecting the idea that 100-150 pounds have been saved over installing a 911 engine... and nothing says "lightweight" like 911R cues.

The opposite of bling, in my book.

Looking at that four-cam motor prompted me to wonder if you of all people have played around with twin-plugging the Type IV. I remember an article way back when about RPM in Florida doing it, and that the writer said the "smoothness" of the twin-plug Type IV was very noticeable. Given that you're doing your own heads, and the availability of V8 distributors out there (as opposed to the no easy/cheap way to fire a twin-plug flat 6). Or have you arrived at the conclusion that it's not necessary?

pete