The Project Anklebiter Build Thread., 8/29 Lid latches and glamor shots... Options

[jd74914]

The views really speak towards the craftsmanship. The work is awesome and your attention to detail is amazing. :trophy"

I think threads like this just increase the quality of everyone's work. Looking at your thread and others like Jeff Hail's are really good motivational tools for me. Now I feel compelled to finish every little bit to the best of my abilities. Thanks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[g911]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Very nice work

[749142]

this is will be the sweetest modified 914 ive ever seen. keep up the awsome work. keeps me motivated

[LarryR]

I think the thing that I like the most about this project is the hint of old school hot rodding, coupled with excellent handling and extreme power.

What is not to like about this car. I cant wait to see it finished.

[tdgray]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif)

Anything... this is my favorite build by far... second only to Chappy's

[plymouth37]

Sorry for the lack of progress guys, the whole engineering degree thing is really eating up a ton of my time, I am averaging about 6 hours of homework a night, sheesh. I have 4 huge tests next week, after that I should be able to finally get some work done!

[byndbad914]

Sorry for the lack of progress guys, the whole engineering degree thing is really eating up a ton of my time, I am averaging about 6 hours of homework a night, sheesh. I have 4 huge tests next week, after that I should be able to finally get some work done!

don't miss those days! Best o' luck with the exams.

while getting my BSME a few year back I carried 17 units, worked 40 hrs/week and had an agreement with my GF (now fiancee) that Wed night and Sat night were the only nights I could go out. Averaged 6hrs of sleep per night so I hear you. I didn't even touch my project during that period.

Got the BSME, got a better job, and went from idea and bodywork to running in less than a year. I did my engine conversion stuff as my senior design project with a full analysis of the engine mounts, etc - figure out how to make the car fit in and kill 2 birds with one stone (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[charliew]

The me is so important in your life. My son hotrods a STI but he is chomping at the bits for my start on the 914 suby. He has a great job as a me and a great place to work. He has dropped in on a Seibon vender in Oregon on a business trip to see why his damaged hood had taken months to resolve. He travels about once a month. He is single and has a great income and he also has a great mechanical apptitude. The science and math overwhelm me on my hotrodding challenges. On that subject he is outstanding. He only lacks the hands on that will come very fast as he helps with our fabbing projects. To him programming is a fun but very time consuming challenge. I took programming in college (to me very boring) but when it makes the car go faster it is way more interesting and of course very different.

GPA is pretty important in looking for a big job but the mechanical apptitude that you have is something that can't be taught.

I was too lazy to finish college in the 60's, I thought my mechanical apptitude was enough so I switched to Industrial Engineering, welding, machine shop, drafting and design and etc. Not as much boring math and science, a lot more hands on. Needless to say I never got to where I could just buy the car of my dreams.

really though I enjoy making things other people want to buy.

[byndbad914]

Charlie brings up a good point - the mechanical aptitude will serve you WELL. I didn't get my ME until I was 30 (started out of HS, dropped out of ME when the Aerospace (AS) economy collapsed in SoCal, got an AS in Auto Mechanics and an AA small biz mgmt degree and went off to hot rodding.

After getting my BSME I got a job with a large AS company.. with just a few weeks of experience messing with the simulation software I was asked to consider a structural issue. I applied all I had learned working on tube chassis cars and where tubes work and don't work, real world load paths, etc... I beat the senior analyst and the computers optimizing software and I could hardly use the software at the time. I was the lead on that in 3 months... out of college 3 mo. and a lead analyst.

I am not BSing or tooting my own horn, just making a point that instead of going straight thru college - doing the auto thing was a better education and put me further in my career than 5yrs of engineering experience would have. You will hands down kick the ass of every one of your classmates when the time comes to start interviewing assuming you keep a good GPA of course.

I had a guy one night in DiffEQ ask me why I was so greasy (would literally go straight from working on building race engines and managing that biz to class), told him about my work and he said "You're fuching up the curve. Engineers are supposed to be stupid from the elbows down!" I will NEVER forget that comment.

[tronporsche]

Dana, I know you are moving toward your design, but I have to ask you something. Since you have the skill, and are transfoming your car, but still have the 914 bloodline "look" (does that make sense ?) have you considered doing the front end like the "concept" car we have seen? I know what you are doing is a lot of work, but I just can't believe no one has done it yet.........Also- I know this sounds crazy, but for some reason, I keep seeing a chrystler 300 front end on a 914 !! I'm going to see if the computer artists can do one up to see what it would look like over in their post going on rite now (fake band challenge). Your car is looking great.

[charliew]

I have crossed paths with several engineers that can talk very effectvely but can't hold a wrench or turn it without going the wrong way first. On my son and my adventures I have repeatedly told him to try to take something apart that he has designed. He is amazed at the effort of some disassemblies we do and how awkard they seem. I told him the first time is always the hardest and if you do it every day on "high maintenance units" IBM's term for junk, you get real fast, it's called specialized. In his job he travels and supports a product he helped design and of course tries to teach proper maintenance, but sometimes the operators really frustrate him. Overall most of the good engineers I know have loved every job they have had though. My job fixing business machines was not nearly as rewarding, and usually depressing. Only when the asian competition came along did we see a improvement in or own designs. I know they sort of copied us but their engineering was better. Electro mechanical control versus relay logic/mechanical control mostly. Most jap bikes are many times over better engineered than a harley. Even the vrod is a take off of the 83 honda magna, 130 hp., and still not as powerful it is a better harley though.

To me the front of the 914 is screaming for improvement especially on the radiator cars.

[carreraguy]

To me the front of the 914 is screaming for improvement especially on the radiator cars.

As I recall, it was Dana himself who did this nice look on my car! Improvement enuf? ;o)

[plymouth37]

As I recall, it was Dana himself who did this nice look on my car! Improvement enuf? ;o)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
I plan on keeping the front end pretty simple, I am planning on a F/G version of what I did on Tom's car except with the headlights in the foglight holes. Light and simple are definitely the two main driving forces on this build, oh yeah it has to look awesome too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) .
I got 2 tests out of the way this week and have 2 more on Wednesday (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) , after that I plan on doing some more glassing before the weather turns. Progress will resume in a couple more days.

[plymouth37]

No big progress but given my crazy schedule I am amazed I got anything done!
The stock Boxster humps were made out of two thin fiberglass layers with a gap between them. Since I am doing extensive work on the humps I needed a thicker fiberglass base than the top layer was made out of.

I cut out the lower layer to expose bottom of the top layer.


I then added four layers of 'glass to the underside.


Now that the fiberglass is strong enough I can sand and smooth the final layer of 'glass on the top of the lid. This thing is almost done!


Hopefully I can get the rest of the 'glassing done before the snow falls (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[r_towle]

I still vote that you do the carbon fiber look (could be vinyl or just top coat) to the rear bumper, rear trunk, humps/decklid, roof, front trunk and front bumper...

Then leave the sides all metal exposed and clear coat that...

It would look awesome.

Rich

[plymouth37]

Then leave the sides all metal exposed and clear coat that.

Or I could just replace the fenders and doors with 'glass and wrap the whole damn car in C/F (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Right now I am thinking about a simple non-metallic paint job, probably black or dark grey.
If I do a single stage I can spray it myself in my shop so I may go that route.

[r_towle]

might be interesting with flat black satin finish...

Or
Chrome paint...that would be cool.

Rich

[Twise]

Glasurit used to have this anthracite grey in a single stage. You could darken that up a bit and it would look dope. I like the idea of a black or dark grey - it will really show off the lines. Bling will just draw attention away from the shape of the body...

This is the first thread I have ever bookmarked. You got me checking this shit like every day. Keep up the good work...

[sean_v8_914]

Trev just turned me on to this insane build. sweet concept.

[biggy72]

I just finished up my ME degree in May. I really didn't have that great of a GPA and I will blame most of that on being in Formula SAE.... but I had a job before most of my friends so it worked out. Compared to the other younger guys I work with I am far and away more experienced at actually doing pretty much everything besides writing reports which I am catching up on pretty quickly. I don't know how much my boss is noticing of what I am capable of yet, but I know the guys in the shop notice it. Out of everyone at work I know the most about composite work and I learned it all because of FSAE.

How far into your degree are you? I know my junior year was the worst... and my senior year left me in the lab about 6 hours a day, then I would go home and do more hw.

What type of resin are you using for your fiberglass? If you want to make your glass parts lighter I would suggest pulling a mold off of the part you currently have, then make a new part with just the shape that you want. Also vacuum bag everything. We don't do it at work yet, but it only makes your work lighter and stronger, and it can be done pretty cheaply if you do it right.

After graduation, but before the FSAE competition I built the body for our formula car by myself in my garage. I wish I had a little more time and I wish the mold was nicer, but I think it turned out pretty well for only having about a month after work to build it.