High Downforce eclipse body kit, gauging interest

[VETTE_50_TH]

so you are going to sell these hoods?

 

[gixxerdrew]

We green lighted the project but we are waiting to hear back about the prototype right now.

 

[snowborder714]

 

[1990AWD]

Ever thought of making that design for a 1ga?

 

[agarc023]

I would think it would end up like robispec coilovers they wanted to make for you 1g guys, everybody wanted them, but when it came time to order, no one did and the idea kinda died out unfortunately (I'd like to get a 1g someday)

 

[ViciousLord]

GEEZ! I'm holding off on getting a hood so I can get this thing once its for sale, even in fiberglass I'm sold since I'd probably put paint over the CF anyway.

Ditto... I will hold off buying a hood too. I will be painting over the CF.

 

[hypergenesis]

I'm not really trying to get into the body kit business and if you sell a lot of these they will get copied. Thats the LAST thing I want is to see my body design getting bastardized by some china made ebay crap.

With making just a handful we can build something unique into each part and know who to sue if its ever copied There will be a thing for you to sign that you will not replicate and sell the parts.

Ahmen, good stuff making this that body kit looks very nice with the 2gs and the amount of downforce is ridiculous.

Hey the DSM crowd can look at this as the VeilSide for our DSM's made by a fellow DSM'er

 

[gofer]

We green lighted the project but we are waiting to hear back about the prototype right now.

As Brian always puts it...

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This might be out into left field but will you be in the states this July, specifically for Mitsubishi Owners Day in Cypress, CA? Every year I'm looking for Andrew Brilliant's 2g but leave disappointed because all I see are Evo's with somewhat functional wings. I'd like to see your Spyder parked next to the Sierra-Sierra Time Attack Evo this July...

 

[1990AWD]

I would think it would end up like robispec coilovers they wanted to make for you 1g guys, everybody wanted them, but when it came time to order, no one did and the idea kinda died out unfortunately (I'd like to get a 1g someday)

yea...your probably right. its too bad.

 

[GSX_TC1]

Ever thought of making that design for a 1ga?

+1 on this

 

[Flash]

Everyone pressured him to make a hood to fit the stock body, and now people request one for the 1g. He gives an inch and you all take a mile. Ease up.

 

[krackit]

if this happens I may consider picking up a hood to get shipped to canada...haha...maybe.

 

[unplugme71]

I wish I tracked my car, I would so buy this. Either way, great job designing the kit. I wish other companies would do the same.

 

[gixxerdrew]

I would love to do MOD but I'm going home to JAPAN this summer at that time but maybe the guys can bring it.... We will have to see what state it is in. Our #1 priority is racing and winning.

 

[TSiAWD666]

Well, I have SOME progress on the car heh. My fab shop did a very basic mock-up with the bumper cover and fenders so we could mount the new intercooler.

The fenders we mounted by drilling the indentations left in the moldings along the engine bay edge which look like stock fender holes. On my car this didn't lead to what looks like the proper alignment. In the current mount the fenders are sitting about an inch away from the body on the rear lower mount points, and at the surfaces that mate with the bumper cover at least a 1/4" off. You can deform the bumper cover by pulling it to meet the fenders for the most part, but I suspect the fitment of these panels was designed a bit better than that and that some adjustment in the installation is in order after which these surfaces should end up pretty close.

Can anyone else that's gone further with this comment on how much massaging of the body panels they had to do for proper fitment? i.e. at least have the front faces/edges of the fenders meet the bumper cover properly without deforming either.

Right now I've told the fab shop to stop work on this section because I suspect this is all wrong, and asked the body shop to take over and get these panels oriented properly before proceeding. I can see the bumper cover being mounted somewhere in a .5" range as it sits and since I want my fmic and radiator ducting sealed well I'd rather the bumper cover be in its final resting place rather than risking having it shift from where it is now.

Don't mind the fmic to bumper cover gap... installer totally botched that and cut too much off the mouth and so now has to fill in the gap with aluminum sheeting. Sigh... New FMIC core does fill the entire mouth.

 

[gixxerdrew]

John, are the guys putting this together experienced in aftermarket body fitment?

 

[TSiAWD666]

The fabrication guys handling the fmic ductwork, fmic mounting, etc., do not have experience in aftermarket "body kits". When I noted the irregularities they said "Well, we drilled the holes where the indentations were, so it should fit." Obviously that's not the case. That's why I put a stop to further work on the radiator ductwork until the body shop guys (who are right next door) come "fix" things. The body shop is actually a sort of a hot rod place rather than specializing in modern cars. They won't be able to look at fitment until next week.

While you're responding here, in regards to the ductwork and fmic orientation, did I understand your explanation from our conversations months ago or was I wrong? The fab guy despite his disagreement has changed his mind and doing it the way I explained (which is how I thought you explained it to me), but I want to be sure I'm getting it right per your design. A simple yes/no is all I'm hoping for...

 

[gixxerdrew]

Yah, my $.02... the way you are going about it is not the way I have seen experienced body shops put it together for us. I am not a body guy, but I work with them a lot and the experienced guys I have seen do this do not pin anything down until they have them fit together right. It seemed out of order from how I have seen this done. We have fitted these on a 100% stock body that we measured the body points to OEM specification within a much tighter tolerance than a 1/4 inch.

I wish I had time to explain the details about why you cant use those holes to line up the fenders like that... I need to explain about how composites form and stuff.... but basically, just hold out for your experienced body shop, or you can end up digging yourself a hole and now you might have slotted out holes rather than ones drilled where things will fit right. They have to do this kind of manipulation for even OEM body work to fit on a car once its "been around the block". A totally perfect chassis is very rare on a car this old.

To answer the next question, honestly, your biggest asset will be to find a good solid experienced fabrication guy and go with what he thinks is the best way. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat and the telephone game can lead to confusion. My way of doing it is my way of doing it and it might not always be the best way either.

Hope that helps

 

[TSiAWD666]

Your thoughts on fitment are in line with mine. Thanks.

In regards to the fmic orientation and ductwork... like in my email his proposed design completely contradacts yours in multiple key design points. I am not clear how his fabrication experience trumps your cooling system analysis and design conclusions, but if you say ignore what you told me previously and just go with what a fabricator says then so be it. Thanks.

 

[greengoblin]

For the other guys that got this kit, if you haven't already done so I might recommend some fixing plates for the aerocatch latches. This is the second time I've gone through installing aerocatch latches and these made it soooo much easier, plus made me feel a bit better with load spreading on the delicate fiberglass hood. I've never seen these for sale in the US but found them from a store in the UK:
Aerocatch Fixing Nut Plate | 120-8000 | Merlin Motorsport

They shipped fairly quickly and at a very reasonable rate. Overall I got my aerocathces and the fixing plates from them for muuuuch cheaper than anywhere in the US, even with the extra shipping for international.

You can get the fixing plates from:

Coast Fabrication Inc.

Aerospace Hardware & Fasteners

You have to call them.
120-8000 is in stock # at $17.52/pair

It's where I picked up mine.

Kevin

 

[TSiAWD666]

Nice! I knew if I said "I've never seen..." someone would show me they were sold in the US. Shortly after the above post I saw that Password JDM was selling them but at like $40/pair.

If you're getting aerocatch latches though the price from Merlin of the latches ($63.93) plus the Fixing Plates ($12.84) and shipping of I think around $25 you still end up under any place in the US. You just have to wait a week and a half or so.

 

[1LLeAgLeDsM OH]

Its been done though. I saw this with my own eyes. The fitment was still not to our standards though. It would have to be modified in other ways but the front edge fitment was not a big issue. Places that are experienced with installing aftermarket body kits know all the tricks. The real body with all the real parts for it, fenders, front bumper has really excellent fitment. Better than the "top brand" JDM stuff IMO

please tell me that if you dont have the kit you can still buy this? and could a carbon fiber version be made?

 

[greengoblin]

please tell me that if you dont have the kit you can still buy this? and could a carbon firber version be made?

It can be made in Carbon but it will be VERY EXPENSIVE. I'm pretty jaded so when I say expensive it is. At least it was when I checked on the cost when I order my kit.


Kevin

 

[gixxerdrew]

We just didnt see the point in offering fake carbon. The stuff you see in the consumer market is fiberglass with one layer of carbon fabric on top. We only did offer REAL carbon for this. Which meant vacume bagged, oven cured, with a core material.

 

[import2nr4g63]

Drew??? Is the hood in an stage of production?? Or are you going back to Japan??