Cold Air Intake Edge ST & Sport 2.7EB

[Xtra]

The underside, The reason it is hollow on the bottom is to create a manifold or plenum chamber. All the vacuum holes I drilled on top pass through the mold and go into this open area where the vacuum is applied. I was able to locate the original mounting T-nuts that were covered by the rebuild. This saved a bunch of time, but now I need to buy some longer mounting bolts as the threads are cast deep into the mold. 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Finished ready to mount... I still need longer bolts, but the fabrication is done. 

 

 

First I laid out the cut lines with a felt tip marker.

 

 

Then adjusted the saw cut depth. I needs to be a shallow cut so the ABS will not pull into the slots.

 

All the slots are cut and it is ready to mount to the wood base. These vacuum slots pull the ABS into the bottom edge and hopefully create nice flat sides on the Adaptor.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Managed to scrounge up enough bolts to do the job, and only had to cut one to length. It is now ready to go to the plastic shop for testing. Test to see how well it works, and test to see if I was able to correct the problems. Hopefully everything is fine ... if not it is back to making more adjustments. I believe that everything is fixed on the top of the mold, but I am concerned if I made it tall enough. If it turns out that it is not tall enough,  I won't have to rebuild it again, I will just add a wood spacer to the bottom and raise it up some.  

Edited February 10, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Dropped off the mold at the plastic shop today,  They said that a prototype would be ready sometime next week. I am having them use the thinner material as a cost saver, and it is easier and faster to work with. I just need to see if the mods work and test the new latch options I have been working on. I hope everything works and I don't have to make any more modifications. 

Edited February 12, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

The shop made me a couple of prototypes and now I have to cut them out to see if the clearance problems are fixed. 

 

 

This is the mold ready to go mounted in the vacuum form machine. 

 

 

 

There is very little of the wood box that a extends past the mold, and it caused a problem with the thicker material. 

 

 

Here you can see how the thicker ABS was damaged when puled over the mold. The wood box will have to be made larger to have more material to draw from. I made the wood box small trying to get the maximum amount of units from a 4X8 foot sheet of ABS. The size it is now will make 10 units per sheet, after I make the box larger it will make 8 units from a sheet.

 

 

When we tried to pull the thick ABS off of the mold this happened.  Making the box larger should fix this problem as well. 

 

 

We found some scrap of the thinner ABS at the shop, because it is a prototype we decided to use it even if it is white.  

The thinner ABS molded great and no mods to the mold are needed to make it work. Now if the shape is good all I will have to do is fix the box, then I can expect results like this with the thicker material. . 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

When I saw how well the white ABS worked I thought about how the V2 and  the V3 Adaptor could be made in custom colors. 

[Duece McCracken]

3 hours ago, Xtra said:

When I saw how well the white ABS worked I thought about how the V2 and  the V3 Adaptor could be made in custom colors. 

 

 

OMG!!!!!

 

THE COLORS!!!!!!!!!!

[Xtra]

Both of these are reject prototypes but, the one the right is the original version, on the left is the new improved version.

It is much taller now allowing it to be trimmed to the correct height, and the steps make room for the filter. The mold works better as well with more holes drilled in it. Now the ABS is pulling in nicely giving better definition.. 

These are both prototypes it is slowly getting there. The one on the right is the earlier version, neither are there yet. 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

There is now room for the filter . This is looking at the bottom of the Adaptor that connects to the OEM air box.

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Everything appears to be fixed and lines up much better than before. I trimmed it down 1/2 inch after this photo was taken. 

 

All the parts fit together much better than before.    At the top is the V3 Filter and Lid

 In the middle is the  white V3 Adaptor 

At the bottom of this stack of parts is the top of an Edge Sport Air Box. 

The next step is to design and attach new latches. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Xtra

[Duece McCracken]

3 hours ago, Xtra said:

Everything appears to be fixed and lines up much better than before. I trimmed it down 1/2 inch after this photo was taken. 

 

All the parts fit together much better than before.    At the top is the V3 Filter and Lid

 In the middle is the  white V3 Adaptor 

At the bottom of this stack of parts is the top of an Edge Sport Air Box. 

The next step is to design and attach new latches. 

 

Well, Looks like Im going to have to buy this version too. Lol

[Xtra]

Working with aluminum for the latches was difficult and expensive, but it did do a good job for the proof of concept prototype. I just redesigned the Gate as I call it, for lack of a better term, in 1/4 inch thick ABS. The ABS is much easier to work with and I can use a combination of rivets and glue to create a very strong bond.  

 

The rivets hold everything together as the glue drys.

 

 

My drill press that I use as a mill can deal with ABS much better than aluminum. I am able to cut much nicer slots in the ABS without much effort, but they still suck. . These slots are not perfect, but I am no longer fighting the machine and my skill will get better with time. The aluminum fought me as the press shook and vibrated making straight cuts impossible.  This is not the final shape of the gate ( now called the C-Clip ),  but it is very close. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

The bottom edge of the Adaptor will have this black gasket/ edge protector material go all the way around. It was distorting the shape of the thin material and that is why the corners are not on this prototype. I did have to put the gasket on in order to set the final height so the latches will clip properly.  

 

 

There is a 1/4 inch thick pad that the Gate attaches to. This creates a standoff so the Gate does not get in the way,  and the gasket can sit  properly to create an air tight seal. 

Edited February 26, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

These three small tabs replace the aluminum hooks, and are invisible once installed on the OEM Air Box.

 

The first prototype looked like this. Yuk!!

Edited August 14, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

I have replaced all but one of the the latches with ABS, and it looks much cleaner. The glue I used melts the ABS then when it drys the parts are welded together. The rivets held the parts while the glue dried and adds a mechanical connection.

 

Most likely the rivets will not be used on the finished units as the glue is more than enough. This is one of the things I learned with this prototype.

 

These are the same parts in aluminum on the first prototype.

 

 

This is the one aluminum part remaining on the Adaptor. 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Here is the complete bottom half of the  OEM Air Box with the Adaptor and the V3 lid and filter in place. 

 

 

It is a great fit with no rattles or slop. I still have to see if it fits in the car as it sits up a little more than the OEM lid by a couple  inches.

Edited August 14, 2022 by Xtra

[Duece McCracken]

4 hours ago, Xtra said:

Here is the complete OEM Air Box with the Adaptor and the V3 lid and filter in place. 

 

 

It is a great fit with no rattles or slop. I still have to see if it fits in the car as it sits up more than the OEM lid by a few inches.

 

Ohhh, its an adapter, not a whole bottom airbox!! Could I run this with your lower? Like a mad man!!

 

 

[Xtra]

2 hours ago, Duece McCracken said:

 

Ohhh, its an adapter, not a whole bottom airbox!! Could I run this with your lower? Like a mad man!!

 

 

The lid, filter and Elbow Reducers are the only compatible items.  This is a much simpler way to go. Making this is much less work, and easier to install. Because I am not cutting up a bunch of OEM Ford parts to make it, that translates into savings. This sits higher than the original V3 and I still need to check that it fits in the car. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

This is where it all started

 

Foam core cardboard and hot melt glue.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Then I moved on to a wood model. Before committing to making a mold. 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Xtra

[Duece McCracken]

38 minutes ago, Xtra said:

The lid, filter and Elbow Reducers are the only compatible items.  This is a much simpler way to go. Making this is much less work, and easier to install. Because I am not cutting up a bunch of OEM Ford parts to make it, that translates into savings. This sits higher than the original V3 and I still need to check that it fits in the car. 

 

Yes, I gathered all that, but you havnt actually put it in a car yet? C'mon meow!!!

[Xtra]

51 minutes ago, Duece McCracken said:

 

Yes, I gathered all that, but you havnt actually put it in a car yet? C'mon meow!!!

I was going to put it in the car today, but i want to show it to the plastic shop first. I need to go there anyway to pick up the mold and work on the wood box. 

[Xtra]

Just got back from the plastic shop and picked up the Adapter mold. Besides making the wood box larger the mold needs a small adjustment on two corners so the ABS will form better. 
Also did the test fit in the car and it fits great ??. Will fit in both the 2.7EB Sport and ST !! 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

This is the new lid for the Adaptor mold wood box. It is larger to allow more ABS to draw from as it is pulled over the mold. This should allow the use of thicker ABS that will produce a stronger part. I will keep rebuilding it until it works properly and makes quality parts. 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by Xtra

[Xtra]

Have finished putting the wood box together.

 

Have filled all the counter sunk screw heads with Bondo and sealed the edges and corners to prevent vacuum leaks.

As soon as it drys I will sand it for the finish coat. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by Xtra