[esahlin]

I've designed/built the mold for a carbon fibre pontiac tunnel ram. Full carbon fibre (Cloth Fabric is 2x2 Twill 6K 10.9 oz) construction with 1/2" x 3" aluminum head-to-intake interface plates. Ive built one prototype from the molds and total intake weight turned out to be 9 lbs. (no water crossover...lol). I was surprised at how strong it turned out with only a few layers of carbon fiber cloth.....much stronger than I imagined.

The particular prototype ive built has been designed around one of my particular engines 462, Dports (2.3125 x 1.25 inlet 275 cfm).....plenum volume, runner length (to some extent), runner volume and runner taper angle are all designed according to my engine combo and the specifics of my head ports. The nice thing about the carbon fiber construction is that its possible to easily make all the runners exactly the same shape, size and taper....no casting flash. I'm working on a few other runner molds for different runner designs to accomodate my upgrade to some higher flowing e-heads (330 +) and much larger cam. Also, have a new runner/plenum design for the 350 I'm currently putting together. Its nice that the plenum size is adjustable with "stuffers" and or carb spacers. I would have liked to incorporate longer runners, but time and packaging (hood height) were limiting factors.

Theres nothing like a nice straight shot from the plenum to the intake valve. Starting, out with a couple of modified Holley 600 DPs that flow 700. Will see how well these things act on the street.

Was alot of work but also alot of fun....nice to have the ability to make a custom intake to suit my particular combo for the cost of materials...with no foundry/casting help needed. I'll try to get some pictures posted of my proto....it needs 1 more layer of carbon fiber too be cosmetically appealing.

[johnta1]

Cool!

Can't wait to see the pics.

[esahlin]

A picture

[esahlin]

One picture

[Ron Landis]

SAWWEEET!!!! Looks remenicent of the old "Rat Roaster"...remember?

[esahlin]

A bit more sanding to do in these runners

[esahlin]

Top....needs cosmetic work...will be done in a week or two.

[Silver Judge]

Very impressive !
Nice work Esahlin

[CH3NO2 Pontiac]

Nice.

Larry at Brandywine did one of these 10+ years ago.

Let's see some numbers vs. what's currently available.

[LouisianaGuy]

Saw a fella op the turbomustangs boards making carbon fiber body panels for his mustang...he made a roof panel first, I think he said it weighed 4 lbs after completion I would liketo know how to make carbo fiber stuff...where do you start out with so far as the molds go?
Mike

[esahlin]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Looks remenicent of the old "Rat Roaster"...remember? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jegstek....I havent seen it? Do you have a pic?

[esahlin]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Larry at Brandywine did one of these 10+ years ago.

Let's see some numbers vs. what's currently available </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Blown Nitro- Ive been out of the loop for a while so I dont think I know who Brandywine is...gotta link or picture?

Numbers? THe only other intakes I have are an RPM, Performer and a few irons laying around....anyone in WA want to donate their car/intakes for some testing, lol.

[John Bailey (GTOKID)]

1-610-793-1184 Larry Woodward call early in the day....They do killer work.

[Jack Gifford]

Congratulations, regardless of numbers; love to see the do-it-yourself approach!

[esahlin]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">where do you start out with so far as the molds go?
Mike </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Louisiana-

THere are so many different techniques to build the molds I couldnt describe them. There has been alot of advancement in carbon fiber part manufacturing...so now it is much easier to get very cosmetically appealing parts quickly (a process like vacuum bagging works awesome). If your looking to do parts like the guy doing body panels thats going to pretty involved....The molds are probably made the same way they make molds for Fiberglass panels...lots of molds for panels and such are made out of fiberglass then coated with wax and silicone to release the part when its cured. If you do a net search you will find some sites that talk about carbon fiber/fiberglass molding process and they also have a list of books/information etc. I used a high temp chemical resistant aerospace epoxy resin that was very difficult to work with.....very very sticky and it was super difficult to get a layup that would be beautiful enough for a hood or body panel. If you are looking to do smaller components like flat accesory brackets (I will be doing some in the future) etc or flat pieces....now those would be quite easy and definitely something one could easily handle in the garage and produce with some beauty.

[Half-Inch Stud]

2 Brandywine Cyl (West Chester, PA) fellas brought their sheel-metal & sheet-aluminum Pontiac manifolds to me @ my parent's house in 1988. These manifolds looks similar to the Wensler, yet much more like yours.

I'd say your manifold looks better, more developed, having the 1st carb ahead of the 1234 ports, and perhap both carbs having the twist mount. Pretty much leaving the only issue to being momentum conservation during the transition from the Carb-base transition to the Plenum/runner topwalls. HIS

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LouisianaGuy:
Saw a fella op the turbomustangs boards making carbon fiber body panels for his mustang...he made a roof panel first, I think he said it weighed 4 lbs after completion I would liketo know how to make carbo fiber stuff...where do you start out with so far as the molds go?
Mike </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


hmmm could carbon fiber 69 T/A or R/A GTO hoods be close behind ????

[esahlin]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Pretty much leaving the only issue to being momentum conservation during the transition from the Carb-base transition to the Plenum/runner topwalls. HIS </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

HIS-

Interesting point....I used the old trick (Wilson or Vizard?) of laying back the runner dividing wall at an angle to help reduce the momentum loss the charge would exhibit making the turn.....I dont know how well the trick works but? I looked at alot of newer Dart SBC BBC, BB Ford single 4 bbl intakes and some of the Edelbrocks and one can see that almost all of them implement the layed back dividing wall technique....or extending the dividing wall in a curved fashion into the plenum....supposed to help keep the momentum loss to a minimum. I dont own a Pontiac Victor....but from pictures it looks like they do have the dividing wall extending somewhat into the plenum.

Interesting about Brandywine Cyl...I was not following Pontiacs at all back then.

[cgeise]

Esahlin -- were you at the Division race at PIR this last week end? Our Pontiacs held there own with the Chebbies pretty well.

[esahlin]

I havent made it out to PIR this year....my car is in pieces...but I do need to make a trip to go and watch sometime soon.