Project Snorkel

[JimD]

If I'm not mistaken, this is used to make the impression on the outer layer to be fastened. It would be perfect for two metal sheets, to attach one on the other. But the snorkel is fiberglass and will be the top layer, so I don't believe this tool can work in this instance? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

So what you're saying is you don't really know.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

What I'm saying is do you know?

I have a dimple tool for installing Dzus fasteners and that's how mine works. But I'm not certain is if yours is the same.

 

[Eastep]

I'm not completely clear, sorry. So this is not a quarter turn fastener, but a version of nut-cert? More like the other one you pictured but the nut floats?

Now your confusing me. I have access to 1/4 turn / dzus fasteners. I have not pictured them or the floating "wobble bolt" style nutce The floating nut cert looks similar to the nutcert I posted, but not. The blue domed nut cert is a fixed type, and the domed part is the bottom. Technically all of these could be made to work with by strong chemical bonding, but with the exception of the gold cylinder style, are meant to be riveted. (That's what the tiny holes are for) I'll search the racks tomorrow, and post up some various options. Most also come in a variety of sizes.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I have not pictured them or the floating "wobble bolt" style nut

Ahhhh, the source of the confusion. You posted about two types of fasteners and said you would post pictures of them. Then you posted two pictures of fasteners. Imagine us assuming that those were the same ones. Silly of us.

 

[carl]

You know, without more pics this thread gets more and more confusing.
Notes:
1. I considered Dzus fasteners but as noted you can't make a depression in the fiberglass. I considered a hole in the glass to match the dished depression but the depressed dish portion would have stuck down below the glass flange and acted as a spacer against the engine cover...unless I missed something.
2. I noted Als' comments about slide connectors but no one has indicated what those slide connectors would be made from.
3. Todd, the price I paid for the snorkel was a steal. Besides, people tend to not walk near my Fiats unless they have had a recent tetanus shot.
4. My use of the fuse box 1/4 turn fasteners is effective, elegant, cheap and uses Fiat parts!

 

[Eastep]

A few more options.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Judging by the types of fasteners you have access to at work, I'm guessing you work in the aerospace or aviation industries? Way back around the time of world war 2 my dad worked for a aircraft company for a while, and I found a couple of similar fasteners in his old stuff....lock nuts with two small rivets to secure the base.

 

[carl]

More progress, I think. I cut a hole in the cover to match the base of the FAZA snorkel. Removed the rain tray and cut out the center section to also match the base opening and then riveted the two rain tray sections back on. Installed four 1/4 turn fasteners used on the Bertone fuse box retainers.
The base of the snorkel is not flat, from age or prior use it's wavy and not much I can do about that. I suppose I could rivet the base to aluminum strips to reinforce the edges and flatten them. I'll see, for now I'll leave it as is and let anals make a big deal about poor fit and how could anyone be satisfied with that (I'm not but there are realities to life).

The biggest issue for me is having the guts to put this on my car!

 

[toddr124]

Do you want closed cell foam to form a gasket?

 

[carl]

Todd, Ace Hardware is a lot closer to me than you are. This is more of an aesthetic issue than a function issue.

 

[lookforjoe]

Looks good, overall. Good use of the factory retainers!

 

[gene cooley]

This doesn't address the gaps between the snorkel base and the engine cover but if you are looking to clean up the edge of the cover you could use a door edge moulding strip. It's a U-shaped flexible "channel" about 1/4" wide with sticky back (inside the channel) to hold it in place. You might have to work it some to get it around the radius of your corners, but it should go on ok.

What I've been using is black, but there's also chrome. Seems to take paint ok too.

 

[carl]

Hmmmm. I'll think on it, thanks.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

There are similar edge trims made of rubber, plastic, soft vinyl, etc, and various sizes (widths). Some are very flexible (to bend around corners) and will also insulate any rubbing. And you could choose a size that will clear the fasteners at the corners.

 

[carl]

The fasteners I'm using really can't take much more thickness than the engine cover and fiberglass base thickness so anything that would tend to lift the snorkel base is really not going to work. Probably only a foam fill strip as suggested by Todd would work. I'm not worried. I did some fiberglass repair on the snorkel and should have it presentable in a few days.

 

[darwoodious]

How about black electrical tape? Keep with the "fatrat" concept?

 

[carl]

Gorilla tape would be more appropriate from a stylistic standpoint.

 

[Michael Albers]

Carl,
Glad to see the snorkel actually being used.
I think that I had sent you photos of the way it had been installed previously, with the snorkel pop riveted to the engine cover, and the engine cover then secured with four hood pins for total removal of the engine cover.
Pretty clunky but it worked.
I personally prefer the way you have done it. Much slicker.
Again, glad to see it on the car!

 

[carl]

Thanks. I did feel bad it was sitting in the attic for months and months but admittedly it's more fun to play with dual carbs than a snorkel. I saw all the pop rivet holes and assumed that's the way it had been mounted but I just don't have decent upper body strength to pull an entire engine lid/snorkel off on a somewhat regular basis (always tinkering in the engine bay) so my system was a compromise. Surprisingly, it does not block that much rear view.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Surprisingly, it does not block that much rear view.

That's good to hear. It is one question that always seems to come up on the topic of snorkels.

The intercooler on my boosted project is being mounted a bit higher in the engine bay than I originally planned. Basically it came down to the tradeoff of preferred esthetics or better layout for proper design. So the top of it (laying horizontally or flat) will be about an inch or so higher than the stock engine lid (naturally the stock lid will be replaced with another design). One concern that crossed my mind is if that would hinder rear view. Especially considering the seats are being replaced with ones that sit lower in the car. I guess I really won't know until everything is built though.