That's how the exhaust manifolds were cast, molds were 3D printed from sand and clay.

Here are the test ceramic molds around which the silicone inlet will be formed. They have to last the wrapping process but then be easy to break and get out of the hose/boot. John's trying a couple different thicknesses and making methods to get them just right before sending them to the silicone hose fabricator.

 

Here's how the compressor inlet will be modified to accept the custom silicone hose. There will be a hose clamp and a heat shield separating the inlet ducting from the exhaust manifold.

Notice the inside of the inlet, the shape is there to maximize the flow. John is doing everything to minimize the inlet flow restriction.

 

Next, we need a reusable metal tool. This tool will attach to the single-use ceramic mold. The other end of the metal tool attaches to the silicone hose winging machine. The metal tool and the attached ceramic mold will rotate and the silicone strip and the steel reinforcement is fed to wrap around the ceramic mold.

Here's the computer model / print of the metal tool that attaches to the winding machine:

 

The tool and the ceramic mold took a trip to Mexico:

 

 

The cover fabrication is done:




The color scheme will be black-and-white for the turbos around this area. The hit parts and pipes will be white and the compressor side will be black. The compressor housing and some of the pipes will be crinkle black and the custom silicone hoses also black.

 

Fully baked, crinkle black.

 

 

...but here they are:

 

Outstanding!- how many thousand hours of work on that table?

 

It's a work of art. Beautiful work on parts few will ever be able to see.

 

Probably a single digit. Why count? ;-)

But one thing that is for counting is how many hours and how much material cost will it take to reproduce these parts. Despite the complexity and the huge number of hours designing and prototyping, creating another three sets like this is not a precursor to a Chapter 7 or 11 event and will not cause the CDS to trigger. John will never, ever recoup the design and prototyping cost, but the additional sets have a reasonable marginal cost.

The things you see are mostly functional. The white lightning is a TBC. The v-band clamps allow for clocking during assembly. Etc. But I agree having some of this stuff visible would be cool.

 

Awesome. Has JK filled his order book?

 

I have no idea. I'm just focused on my car, and by my guess so is John...

 

LOVE IT ! I'd just read my way through several pages of children bickering about how to build a better NA inlet manifold, got well sick of that. So searched out this thread to see where you were up to, LOL no BS here just get on and make sweeet horsepower !

Getting excited to see what numbers this will push out......Looking fabulous