My weekend project...

Well I decided to work on a little project this weekend. Its still not done but I figured I'd share.


I decided I was going to put my turbo timer on the top of the steering column trim pieces. I didnt just want to slap it on there, so I decided I'd order a new set of the trim and "mold" the timer into them. This will also hide all the turbo timer wires which are are connected to your ignition wires. I never really liked the idea that someone could just snip the wires off your turbo timer and have instant access to hotwire your car.


Anyhow...


I began by cutting up some styrofoam into the same width and height of the turbo timer. I made the foam a little longer so that it would give me room for the wires coming out of the turbo timer.

I hot glued the foam to the trim piece and then began to lay some resin and fiberglas over it to form a "shell" for the timer to sit in.

http://www.unxplodedbomb.com/images/47.jpg

http://www.unxplodedbomb.com/images/48.jpg


Once the "shell" was set, I began to lay more fiberglass and resin over it to form more a shape to it. I tried to get it to contour into the shape of the original trim.

At this point I really couldnt snap anymore pics because my hands were covered in sticky resin. I really needed an assistant. Ooops!!


Once the basic shape was cured, I covered it all in body filler. I let that sit for awhile until it was rock hard. When the time came I started sanding away!!!


Here's where I'm at now.... (still need to fine tune a bit)

http://www.unxplodedbomb.com/images/51.jpg

http://www.unxplodedbomb.com/images/52.jpg


I cut out the inside so I could remove the foam. I wrapped the turbo timer in ghetto shrink wrap (food wrap and then heated up with hair dryer for a few seconds). Now I can use the actual turbo timer (without scratching it up) to test fit it.


I should be done with the final sanding by tonight. Now I just have to wait for my heat shrinkable vinyl wrap to get here! :D

Way to jump right in, and get started/almost finished:D

Good job.

http://www.minorannoyance.net/~spin/Smilies/otn/wink/thumb.gif

Very nice!

Thanks...

Hopefully the vinyl gets here this week. It should look really slick when its all done.


I think my next project will be molding some guage pods into my A-Piller. I think I'm going w/ a 60mm boost gauge, and two 46mm guages (oil press, and EGT). :)

I didn't even know you had a turbo!! lol.

I'm still aquiring the parts for it. ;)

The TT is one of the things I've gotten so far and I was bored so... hey.... :D

on the second pic, is that plastic looking sheet that is holding down the styrofoam fiberglass w/ resin applied to it? i never knew it was that thin? you used the sheets right? looking good :D

Originally posted by AznVirus
on the second pic, is that plastic looking sheet that is holding down the styrofoam fiberglass w/ resin applied to it? i never knew it was that thin? you used the sheets right? looking good :D

Yeah this one is a little thinner. It is woven fiberglass mat. (woven like carbon fiber). Its thinner than most "chopped" fiberglass mat (the type that looks like a whole bunch of fiberglass strands swirled together) but its not as thin as the pictures make it seem. When you wet it with the resin it makes the fiber transparent which is why you think it looks so thin. ;)

I used that type since its more flexible and holds together better when you are applying the resin to it.

Wait a sec, Maybe I'm not remembering right, but didn't you say you were selling your car a couple of months ago?

Looks real good so far, I am looking foward to the finished product.

Originally posted by Swonder67
Wait a sec, Maybe I'm not remembering right, but didn't you say you were selling your car a couple of months ago?

Guess you havent been to the G20 forum since August? :p


I was going to get rid of it but decided not to.

Originally posted by radicalG20
Looks real good so far, I am looking foward to the finished product.


Thanks again to everyone for all the positive remarks. :)

very cool. like modding a plastic model car. :D

Originally posted by b-b00gie


Yeah this one is a little thinner. It is woven fiberglass mat. (woven like carbon fiber). Its thinner than most "chopped" fiberglass mat (the type that looks like a whole bunch of fiberglass strands swirled together) but its not as thin as the pictures make it seem. When you wet it with the resin it makes the fiber transparent which is why you think it looks so thin. ;)

I used that type since its more flexible and holds together better when you are applying the resin to it.

hope you didnt get any chemical burns :D how easy is it to work with fiberglass? when applying the resin did you have to use your hands to stick it to the plastic piece? or did it just "glue itself" to it?

Nope. It doesnt burn. You shouldnt get it on your hands but if you do its not the end of the world.


You apply the resin by "painting" it on w/ a paint brush. You position the fiberglass and then start brushing the resin on. Resin is basically just a special glue with some hardener mixed in.


Getting it to stick to plastic is a bit of a pain sometimes but it depends on the strength of your resin/hardener mix. To avoid any seperation later on, I scored the plastic up w/ a razor. I made a bunch of cuts and scrapes on it so the resin could bond around them for added strength.

Since you cut out the bottom, hows the timer gonna stay up? brackets?

Yep. Thats the best way I've thought of to do it.

I had to cut the bottom out. If I hadnt there's no way to put the timer in. I cant just slide it in through the opening because the timer is narrower at the front than it is in the rear. I made the opening the perfect size so everything sits snug at the face of the timer.

I see. it looks like it's coming out really good. this isn't your first time working with fiberglass, is it?

Its my 2nd time ;)

Will you still be able to lift your steering column with the TT mounted that way

Yep... no effect on that at all.

Brian: looking good, cant wait till the finished product comes about. Nice to see someone has some free time...

SWEET!!!!!!!

I REALLY like that idea . . . and you say you're gonna wrap the whole thing in vinyl?

That's cool Brian . . . way to think out of the box!!!

i was wondering, you know when body kits are cut in half and "put" back together because of fitment issues? do they just fiberglass the back of it where its not seen and do they use the strands or mats?

Yep they usually put a seam in the rear and bondo the front. The choice of fiber type is up to them...

Woohoo!!! My vinyl got delivered this morning. Cant wait to check it out when I get home from work... looks like I'll be busy tonight. :)

excellent job for the second time around working with fibre glass and resin, brian! well done.

question tho, will you be able to read the tach and speedo with the timer mounted on the steering column? what's the visibility there?

...doesnt block anything at all ;) If it had I wouldnt have put it there. Once it's all ready I'll get some pics.

I can't wait and see how it turns out.....

hurry take pictures!!!

I cant wait to see Boogies turbo project completed all together. Its going to be great to learn how to turbo a 2000+ G20.

holy crap thats awesome, good job good jop *pats you on the back* that's gonna look so good when its done, it inspires me to mold my blacklights into the carpeting of my G!!! LOL heehe, anyways good job again I cant wait to see the finished product

Update:

OK.. the vinyl came in the other day, but the adhesive spray still never showed. I'm hoping its here in tomorrow or the next day.


I had a weaker adhesive spray (yeah it said dont use it for high temp use, but what the hell, heh) and tried using that. It was coming along "OK" but the glue wasnt holding perfectly. I decided I'd just peel the vinyl off and wait for the proper glue, no sense in messing up the project...

I snapped a pic before I took the vinyl off. It actually looks pretty good.


The new glue should hold everything super tight and silky smooth... I'll post pics when I'm all done...


http://www.unxplodedbomb.com/images/timer.jpg

looking good :D nice fitment :D

b-b00gie,

what is the spec on the timer display?

It looks real awesome bud!! way to go!

Thanks guys... the final product should look way better... just waiting on the proper glue.


"spec" ? ...if you mean what type it is:

HKS Type-1 Black (US spec w/ reads in MPH, etc...)
-Basic turbo timer funtions
-0-60 timer
-1/4 timer
-Lap timer
-Rev warning (flashes at a certain speed like a shift light)
-Speed warning (flashes at a certain speed)
-Voltage display

..might have some other doo-dads that I cant remember.

Nice, got lots of goodies!!

Specs, I meant dimension. What is the dimension of the timer?

is it 5.5L x 4W x 2D?

Rough guess would be...

3.5" wide, 3/4" high, and 3.5" deep... It looks longer than 3.5" but thats only because I made the "shell" longer to accomodate the wires coming out the back. You can see it in the first pic.

Originally posted by b-b00gie
Update:

OK.. the vinyl came in the other day,
VINYL! Brian I was expecting Coach Leather. Very disappointed in you man! Your G deserves better than this. :(



:D

Originally posted by b-b00gie
Thanks guys... the final product should look way better... just waiting on the proper glue.


"spec" ? ...if you mean what type it is:

HKS Type-1 Black (US spec w/ reads in MPH, etc...)
-Basic turbo timer funtions
-0-60 timer
-1/4 timer
-Lap timer
-Rev warning (flashes at a certain speed like a shift light)
-Speed warning (flashes at a certain speed)
-Voltage display

..might have some other doo-dads that I cant remember.

Have you considered the Blitz Timer? What are the differences, do you know?

Originally posted by b-b00gie
Update: OK.. the vinyl came in the other day, but the adhesive spray still never showed. I'm hoping its here in tomorrow or the next day.
Out of curiosity, what type of spray adhesive are you using? I use 3M 77 on a lot of different projects. A light coat on both surfaces and let it tack up then sitck, makes for a really good bond.

Thats what I had, 3M 77. But when you heat it up it doesnt stick too great. Doesnt like heatguns much.


I'm waiting on the 3M 90 which is stronger and heat resistant. ;)

3M 90 is GREAT!! the only thing I didnt like is that it doesnt spray out as nicely as the 77. Comes out more like snot and not a fine mist. Just thought Id warn you on that one.

any progressive updates on the project, b-b00gie?

got any new pics to show? I'd be curious to see the final result!

Ran into some problems...


I saw someones website and they said they used 3M Super 90 spray adhesive to glue their vinyl. I ordered some and it was taking forever. I saw some Super 77 spray at Home Depot and tried it. It was "OK" but due to the sharp curves the vinyl was lifting in some areas, so I peeled it off.


The Super 90 got here. Yahnozha was right. Pure snot!! It made a mess and it takes way longer to set!!! It ended up holding even worse on the curves and by the time it starts getting tacky the vinyl wants to lift.


I called the place I got the vinyl from and they said recommended something that is made JUST for this job. Its a heat activated glue that you spray on and its not tacky at all. Once you heat up the vinyl and lay it down, the glue reacts to the heat and performs an almost instant bond (about 10 secs).


This should be much better than 10 minutes!! :bloated:


...waiting on the glue :)

Originally posted by b-b00gie
Pure snot!!
...waiting on the glue :)
hehehehe....:D

Brian: Let us know what type of adhesive it is, just curious...

duuude, nice job!! ok, i am gonna contract you to do some custom stuff for me now hehe

Originally posted by G22DET
duuude, nice job!! ok, i am gonna contract you to do some custom stuff for me now hehe

Luke, in case you didn't know, I am also talented! LOL :p

Brian, sorry to hear the adhesive didn't work well with the vinyl. One advice though, adhesive do not work on any kind of material. :D I would have initially guessed that crazy glue could have worked better at sharp corners than adhesive. Then again, be cautious that crazy glue has the tendency to burn cloth-typed materials.......

well let us know the end results..
cheers...

Huh? Who said anything about crazy glue? :confused:

BTW glue is a type of adhesive. Every thing I've tried so far was "glue" and so is the new stuff thats on the way...

Originally posted by b-b00gie
Huh? Who said anything about crazy glue? :confused:

BTW glue is a type of adhesive. Every thing I've tried so far was "glue" and so is the new stuff thats on the way...

Never mind...I was thinking about something else...:bloated: