RED X19

Another option to reinforce the top of the strut towers might be to make the attachment points for a 'strut bar' also act as a full circle mount onto the outside of the tower, with a couple extra bolts to help secure it. If needed it could be larger across the top and thicker than this example:

Strut reinforcement 3 - Copy.jpg


This is what I mean by bigger on top:
Strut reinforcement 3 - Copy (2).jpg


This design of brace still allows the top to be stored in the frunk.
 
OK- I hadn't thought about them being stainless, but it makes perfect sense!
I don't deal with much shiny new metal anymore and certainly didn't try to drill or cut them.
I haven't seen mine for 4+ years since they went in; sorry for the confusion, I turn 65 this year.
 
Aftermarket seats with a fiberglass (or carbon fiber) shell and foam padding are very light compared to the stock deats. But ones with a metal frame and springs,
By coincidence I had my Mirco seats mounted today. They are made of glass fiber and the FIA label on them says 7.05 kg, but including mounting brackets it is probably about 8 kg. If I remember correctly the stock seat was 14.5 kg.
 
will try to buy scales tomorrow, haven’t seen ones that are meant for hanging on for two months..
It doesn’t feel that mines are 14kg
(Non vital shops were closed for ~6 months because of virus)
 
FYI
First issues showing up with my rear mounted radiator.
As I have a digital gauge from ECU..
On 1hour 30min drive at ~90km/h ~3000rpm, coolant temperature started to grow up very slowly, when it reached 94*C, slowed down to ~70km/h to let it cool.
It was ~ +15*C outside.

On the next week am planning to open right side scoop.

Summer is coming.. if these scoops won’t help on highway then will have to move radiator to the front.

I guess that already can start to be prepared for that :D
 
Sorry I don't remember for sure, but the radiator does have electric fans on it? If so, is it possible they aren't big enough? Normally at faster speeds the fans aren't needed, however with the radiator in the rear maybe they are needed all the time - and bigger than normal.
 
I have two fans. Radiator (Nissen iirc) and fans are from Mazda 626.
After my previous comment I googled about rear mounted radiators and understood that have two stock size inlets into engine bay that are meant for ventilating engine bay not cooling radiator 🤦🏻‍♀️ One of them has been warmed up by Intercooler and the other is missing plastic scoop after crash.

It’s entertaining to play with X19 and learning what did I wrong :D
 
Radiator (Nissen iirc) and fans are from Mazda 626.
Most factory fans (for any car) are pretty robust, so they should be moving a fairly good volume of air across the radiator. And I assume they also have a shroud to control the airflow, which also helps a lot. Therefore I would think they are good enough. Make sure they are moving the air in the desired direction, toward the rear of the car.

What controls the fans? Radiator mounted temp switch, or ?? It might help to have it set so the fans come on sooner (lower temp), to prevent heat build up (heat sink).

But what you said sounds right, just not enough air coming into the rear trunk for the fans to keep the radiator cool. ;)
 
Pretty much all off road race trucks also mount the radiator in the rear these days. It is typically down in the bed of the truck, burred by lots of other stuff. And those vehicles generate a ton of heat (some are near 1000 HP) while operating in extreme desert temps. So there is no reason why a rear rad shouldn't work well.
6-TSCO-Ford-Raptor-7-14-11.jpg

2017-05-02_22-11-20.jpg


I may do it to the "Outlaw X" if I ever get around to building it. Mainly because that car needs the long under-car coolant tubes replaced and I really don't want to bother making new ones (like I am for the "turbo X" project). Plus the "Outlaw X" may get the floor pans radically modified if I decide to go with the major redesign I'm considering. And it would be much easier to do that if I don't have to think about running coolant tubes under it. Not to mention it will need all the ground clearance it can get. But the other option might be to run the long tubes to the front inside the car rather than under it.
 
Fans are controlled by ECU.
Don’t know at what temperature secondary fan turns on.

Anyhow again topic change :D

As You may not know, my car actually have some serious rust issues. I hide them temporary with bondo.
Front hood is trash
Both doors are trash.
Rear bonnets are in the trash for some time already.

I would like to sort this problem.

Buying used parts that are going to rust soon or are mint would cost a lot with shipping to me. This is not considerable option.

I’m planning to make them.

Front bonnet will be easier, because am going to keep original steel structure on bottom side, of course it needs some welding. This doesn’t make any questions for me. Top steel part will change for aluminium.

But doors do raise questions for me.
From safety point of view - is it safe to glue on inner steel frame aluminum outer panel?
*I will make new inner frame from steel.
Also am considering to change roof’s top part to Aluminum.

**still haven’t called to “Road Traffic and Safety Directorate” to find out is there a street legal way to install Dallara body kit with submitted and approved technical project . Otherwise only street legal way I see could be like wearing sport pants over jeans :D
 
A lot of modern cars use bonding for many structural components, including major drivetrain mounts, etc. So I think that should be good if done correctly.
 
I was just wondering the other day about replacing the front hood sheet metal with aluminum. In my thoughts I would remove the outer skin but leave a two inch rim all the way around and just pop rivet the aluminum sheets to the rim. I can't do any bending or forming so my replacement skin would only be flat sections. It wouldn't look stock but would have a "custom" look to it with all the rivets. Not sure how much weight it would save though. On the rear trunk I removed all the bracing underneath and except around the edge, basically just the cross bracing and cutting back some of the reinforcing around the edge and leaving the stock steel skin. I actually removed a few pounds and holding this modified lid and then a stock one showed a very noticeable difference in weight.
 
I once had a police pull me over for speeding. He questioned me about the car being stolen because when he looked at the car's papers it did not say "AMG" like the badges on the car, it just said "Mercedes Benz". Took quite a while to explain to him that AMG was a special edition of a MB. There aren't a lot of qualifications required to become a police officer.
When I first had my X up for state inspection, they couldn't figure what it even was. They labeled it a "Torino" because that was written on the badge
 
When I first had my X up for state inspection, they couldn't figure what it even was. They labeled it a "Torino" because that was written on the badge
Too funny. As I read your post, I had to think about that for a second because when I saw "Torino" my mind automatically envisioned the American Ford product. And I thought how could they think that?? Then I finished your sentence and realized why. But it is in the name: FIAT, Italian: Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, lit. 'Italian Automobiles Factory, Turin'

Fiat Torino:
1968-ford-torino-gt-fastback.jpg
 
Regarding replacing sheet metal with aluminum, have you thought about glueing on glass fiber panels instead? The Swedish guy that is making Dallara kits is also making doors and hoods etc. I just bought a trunk "skin" from him. It does not have the inner braces etc as I am going to modify it for a rear wing. Glueing ready made skins on to existing braces would be fast, cheap and easy compared to fabricating aluminum panels. And very light.
You can probably buy skins for frunk, trunk and doors for 3-400 EUR.
 
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