Slow Car Fast
LIFE OF A GT
March 24, 2010 - I can't do any work on the car for the next little while that involves flying metal, which is surprisingly limiting at this point of the build.
So instead, I took advantage of a nice sunny day to cast a spare intake manifold in aluminum. At least, that's what I'm hoping the result looks like. I figured the engine looks a little too plastic for the old car, so I shot my spare intake manifold with paint.
After some test sprays I decided a light hammered finish looked the most like metal. I think it'll be pretty good. I have to find some way to hide the coils that look appropriate. The proximity of the brake booster makes this a challenge. Maybe if I mount them remotely...
entry 316 - tags: intake
September 30, 2010 - Wow, three consecutive weekends of track days followed by a weekend of off-roading in the Colorado mountains.
Followed by a few days of being seriously under the weather. Lots of fun with cars, but no time for the MG. I'll be back on it this weekend, though. Various bits and pieces required to piece the intake together have been trickling in. It's going to be tight. Of course.
entry 395 - tags: intake
October 6, 2010 - All the parts have arrived for the intake system, but I'm still trying to decide exactly how to plumb it.
It's hard to get a 4" tube in between my engine and radiator! So, for the time being, I simply laid the filter on the fender for testing.
entry 399 - tags: intake
October 19, 2010 - The intake is coming along.
It's a bit of an awkward thing, dropping from 4" to 3.5" (the diameter of the MAF) and then down to 3". I could probably keep it 3.5" from the MAF to the filter, but 1) I have a filter with a 3" inlet and 2) I have a box full of nice 3" piping and mandrel bends! Besides, the actual throttle body size is pretty much 3".
Tight packaging though. No surprise there.
entry 409 - tags: intake
October 26, 2010 - The completed intake.
All of the silicone pieces needed to be cut down as short as possible to allow the MAF to tuck into a spot beside the power steering reservoir, but it all fits. An S-shaped tube made of stainless steel exhaust mandrel bends joins the filter to the MAF, and also has a tab to support the intake. It's mounted to a rubber isolator, but I think the engine movement will be small enough that the silicone pieces will be able to take up the slack.
Sharp eyes will notice that the blue silicone has magically turned to black. This was due to clever use of electrical tape. It's not high-end, but it worked a treat!
entry 410 - tags: intake
October 26, 2010 - Here's where the filter lives, tucked in just below the headlight and behind the turn indicator.
It'll get splattered with debris from the front wheel at the moment, but clever use of a metal shield will solve that problem.
You can really see the difference between the new, POR-15 covered sheetmetal and the the 38-year-old original stuff!
entry 411 - tags: intake