Making Fiberglass Airbox scoops, need help/ideas

[CrazyTexan]

Been loving the style of the airboxes with scoops but cant believe the prices on them so I decided I'd set out to make my own.

Started with A spare Airbox cover I traded for, and Then began a visual of the scoops with Clay from walmart.

using my thumbs and pocket knife I got it where I wanted it.

Then Used Mr.Heater to bake it in a 55gal drum.

After they were baked I used a block sander to get them smooth and then hit it with flat black to see how its going to turn out, and also see if there was any un-even surfaces.

From there I layed fiberglass over one scoop and today just peeled it off. Sadly the clay wasnt attached to the plastic cover well enough to resist me pulling the glass piece off. Luckily though, I have a fiberglass duplicate I can make another one out of if need be.

Where Im stuck at now is Who has experience messing with moldings? I'm debating on building up the exterior of the fiberglass and sanding it smooth and then attaching it to the airbox cover and blending it togather, OR Making an entire airbox cover out of glass or some other material. Another option is make a molding from the INSIDE of the existing fiberglass mold I have and hope it turns out smoother being it will be made from the clean inside of the female mold. Please Any suggestions, tips, ideas welcome. I'm starting to loose hope figuring this out.

 

[GAXB9R]

Looks like you had a good start and it had god hope from the beginning. If you did an entire molding of the cover there would be less pieces to fall off, break etc. I can picture the other way though the scoops being riveted on to an existing cover giving it that industrial look. Have you looked into prefabbed scoops for cars and trucks. I know they have different designs and sizes and you may be able to attach them less intrusively than rivets. I was just thinking the rivets would kind of match the Mad Max style of the scoops Let me know what your thinking. I like projects like these.

 

[4EvR]

Are these going to be functional?
I was thinkin you could make them out of carbon fiber/ resin by laying one whole piece over the top, cut and finish the edge and apply with strong 3m double sided tape, like the type for car badges.

Food for thought, if you make it out of glass, is it strong enough for us to lay on it as we ride 'fully tucked' or would there need to be some reinforcing or thick layering of the glass. Maybe carbon fiber over the whole thing scoops and cover would be stronger with less material?

Some ideas there, I hope this works for you, I might buy one!

 

[GAXB9R]

carbon fiber/ resin

How much would this cost? Never worked with the carbon fiber.

 

[CrazyTexan]

I never planned on riviting the scoops to the cover. I was thinking cut holes and attach tje scoops from the inside of the cover and use an epoxy around the glands of the scoop. And then use body filler to seal it up on the top and make it look pretty. Or the other way around and attach them from the top using same method.

 

[GAXB9R]

I never planned on riviting the scoops to the cover.

Yeah it was just an idea that popped in my head when I saw the pics. Keep at it because I think you are on the right route. I would attempt a mold from the inside like you described with the fiber glass of one scoop and see how that turns out.

 

[4EvR]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Fibe...oxy-/190567604811?vxp=mtr&hash=item2c5eb6e24b

Here is a kit, maybe to make 4 setups?

I like the rivit idea, would match the bolts on the windshield on my 1125R![up]
I would make the spacing the same, it would flow.

Hmmm I wonder if this is how EBR makes the stator and clutch cover protectors that they sell for $140.

 

[CrazyTexan]

Th glass scoop in the pic is strong enough to hold a persons body weight in a full tuck. And if I may even add more onto it.

Yes they are meant to be functional.

I've never looked at carbon fiber. Thankyou for the link. I'll check it out.

 

[Fock347]

make em out of fiber glass and sell em on ebay. its ok if the top is uneven as long as the molds are thick enough to smooth out, and you can all ways use glaze

 

[CrazyTexan]

make em out of fiber glass and sell em on ebay. its ok if the top is uneven as long as the molds are thick enough to smooth out, and you can all ways use glaze

Are you saying just the scoops or the whole cover..Im Thinking about building up the scoop i've done already and smoothing it out at this point. But that carbon fiber looked fun. Then again, so did fiberglass and I learned quick this stuff sucks messing with.

 

[netty2424]

Cool idea! Keep us posted! I think it'll turn out bad ass! [up]

 

[CrazyTexan]

Just looked at a showyomoto cover...I think I need to make the front of the scoop come out toward the front of the cover like they originally were. before i laid glass on them I sanded them down so the opening would be "Inside" the scoop not out. I'll fix tomorrow, and do a molding of that. Thanks for the support. Really thought about trashing this whole thing today.

 

[snrusnak]

Personally the way I'd do it is vacuum form a mold from the inside of the stock cover, then clay mold your scoops onto that, then use that as the final mold to once again vacuum form over top this time and get the finished piece. Then do some dremeling to cut out the scoops.