i installed a quick drain valve, all i need to do is hook a small hose to the end of the quick drain valve and it will be easy to drain the oil. Also, I plan to use some quick release type fasteners so that the undertray will come off relativly easy.

I'll post pics when i have it all together.

you could also make a small hole in the undertray for draining.

 

good questions, so far the material alone was around 800 for a sheet big enough for 2, so im guessing its gonna be around 500-600 once its cut out, edges expoxied smooth, et, et.... i could do a run of cheaper material (heavier) and a run of more expensive material (lighter) too. so far it looks like we still will meet our goal of being well under the 800-1000 mark I have seen in other undertrays/splitters.

the first set are for the ms gtc bumper, but i will soon be posting some questions about other bumpers so that I can see how well it fits without too much modification.

 

Damian, I just saw this thread, and I'm all over it. You just let me know when it's done...

Oh and regarding cost...I'd be more than willing to engage in a "pre-buy" if you will, so that if you can buy the Teklam in bulk, thereby bringing costs down even further, and you're guaranteed to sell the trays you make, because ppl have pre-paid (or paid a deposit, etc).

Lastly, I'd love to see the quick-release fasteners...that would be perfect (esp. for draining the oil as SlingShotRX7 mentioned.

~Ramy

 

sounds good Ramy, I'll get pics up and cost numbers as soon as I can. Once that is in order then I can figure out a pre-pay-group-buy thing to see if it helps get the cost down.

 

Yea...don't spend any money first. Call up the place you're getting the Teklam for, tell them I'm using your product to make this and that, and I have 37 orders, and at 2 peices an order, that around 80 peices. What kind of bulk discount can I get? Strongarm him a bit if you can. I'm sure selling 80 peices in one day is a VERY good business day for them haha. Plus, you'll save big on shipping...having them all come to you at once.

~Ramy

EDIT: oh and Kudos to you for finally doing what we've all wanted for a looong time... I've spent a pretty penny on undertrays...I've went through 2 CF peices, a plexiglass piece, some weird rubbery material...I've lost each one within a week or so of use lol. Usually it's the 140mph runs that get them haha. But then again, mine weren't all one peice...it was a 2-peice design, and the air would get in between the 2 peices, and rip the rear part off... I was actually considering sheet aluminum as the next step, even tho it's heavy, just cuz nothing else worked...

 

Ramy..

Did you use the stock underbelly tray and modified it to fit your bumper??
Or was it some undertray you got from else where???

Because I need a undertray.


BTW Damian any updates??

 

yeah I'm definitely interested in this as well

 

Hey

This is what I used for the front peice... http://www.visracing.com/catalog/pro...oducts_id=1574

It's CF, and it's rounded, so it fit my C-West front bumper. The stock undertray won't fit the C-West front bumper at all.

As for the 2nd part, that began where that peice ended, in initially, I did use the stock undertray (or more accurately, I used part of the stock undertray...I had to cut away certain parts). The undertray came off like a week later lol, after a 140mph run at night. Afterwards, I tried CF, a plastic/rubber type of material, and even plexiglass. I honestly don't recall anything lasting more than a week (it was the summer, and I would regularly make 140mph runs hehe )

Oh and on a side note, the CF front peice shown above, that I got from VIS, it's STILL on my car lol. No probs. whatsoever. But it doesn't go back very far...

 

ill have updates for you guys soon, the material should be here in a few days

post what kinda front nose you guys have, the first run of these may only work with noses that are as 'low' as the mazdaspeed gtc nose i have, but I'll post more on that as i find out more.

 

C-West nose here...and I think it's just as low as the MS one.

 

Stock Nose, maybe do a run with the 99 spec nose.

 

update:

I took off the aluminim prototype and traced it on the crazy teklam (honeycomb) material and cut out the shape. I weighed them both:

Aluminum undertray/splitter = 25 lbs

Teklam undertray/splitter = 7 lbs!!!!!

ONLY 7 freeking pounds!!! I was very impressed, i wasnt expecting that light of a tray. More to come as I get it finished. I hope to finidh it tomorrow to test it at RA the following weekend.

 

Damian,

Wow...7 lbs?? That's freakin incredible man. I def. wanna hear from ya how it performs and of course how it holds up at the track

 

another update:

I got most of the Dzus fittings in place:

shot of the recieving end, the spring and support plate, mounted inside the nose:


shot of the head mounted to the underpanel:


shot the the teklam version test fiting:


its coming together well so far, ill do more updates as we do the finishing touches.

 

Must.....have..... lol

Damian...that's awesome work. Hey, are/can you leaving a bit of the teklam material to stick out in front of the edge of the front bumper, to work much like a front splitter?

 

yeah, its the same shape as the aluminum original, look at the 2nd page of this thread and you will see how it works as a front splitter too. It was my original intent to have it be both and undertray and front splitter in one piece.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...9&page=2&pp=15

I did make a small adjust ment to the shape and kept more material on the very far sides of the nose. I'll post pics when I can.

 

Oh my fault. I forgot about those pics haha. Simply beautiful. And I gotta compliment your excellent workmanship...you're obviously taking the time to secure it properly, doing the job 100%. I'm very impressed man.

EDIT: Oh yea...if you have any scrap peices of the teklam w/ you, do me a favor and try going at it w/ some rocks etc (attempt scratching it) or punching at it. I'm curious how it'll hold up to rocks skimming along the bottom of it at high speeds, or possibly being dragged against a slight curb...if it'll take it and keep going, or will it gash wide open??

 

thanks for the compliments :-)

one of the reasons for the dsuz fasteners instead of bolts and locknuts was that i knew i was going to have to take it off easily and quickly for oil changes or in case it gets damaged at the track. also, it allows me to take it on/off easy in case i am in a situation where it will rub goin up a curb or some other situaton where its in the way.

good idea on the taklam test, although I'll have a good idea after 2 full days running at roadamerica next weekend :-)

 

ill have more pics coming soon, here is a random pic of the tamplate and outline on the teklam:

 

Thought you were going to make it all carbon fiber cause its lighter?

 

carbon fiber = too much $$, and the taklam was very light, did you read the previous posts on the weight?

carbon fiber skins on the nomex honeycomb would not gain major weight reduction, but gain serious cost.... also the skin would be a bit stronger....but again, in my case not enough for the big price jump

if you read my first posts my goal was a light 'exotic' material...like carbon fiber, but not nessisarily carbon fiber, ...although if i had another 1000 to spend on it I would go carbon fiber cuz its cool ;-)

 

Sign me up Damian. I'll take one. Will you be including the zuess fastners?( not mounted but a bag of them.)

Also what grade Teklam is that? I went to their site and they have commercial and aircraft grade etc.. Thanks man. It looks very nice

On second thought shipping to me will be a biatch. I may just pay you for the rights to the design
From the pics of the aluminum fitting. There is a gap for the air to come out at the rear correct? Sorry if you answered that already. I read thru pretty quickly on lunch.

 

Damian,

You know what else? I can't say this for 100% certain, but from the looks of it and your description, this teklam material looks to be quite resiliant...I'd guess it can withstand a few blows. CF isn't like that at all...Not only does it crack like fiberglass, but it doesn't contain itself like fiberglass. CF will shatter into a million and one peices if it's hit hard enough. Plus, you can't repair it....

 

yeah, this stuff is pretty cool stuff, it should hold up well, its not ment to take a serious blow, but im not worried about common track/road debris.

 

Is it ok for it to be flat without any defuser type waves/splits? The oem version has runners/ridges or whatever they are called. Will a flat version cause lift?