91 Masami Stealth replica (Photo Comparison Uploaded)

[Seabass]

Email sent Reg

[ck33]

That panel is sweet. My runner has a Composite Craft graphite chassis from BITD. Was wondering what the heck to do when/if I break the nose. Is there a glass layer in the middle, or carbon all the way through?

[Seabass]

From what I understand with Composite Craft, it was carbon all the way through. The panel I got from Kim is carbon with a weave fabric on the top and bottom.

Jake

[ck33]

Even better. Mine has a glass layer in the middle (looks like 3 carbon / 5 glass / 3 carbon layers) from back in the 90's, but carbon was relatively so much more expensive then that practice was common.

Was worried when I broke the nose on my chassis I would have to learn to make a mold, and lay-up CF. Most of the stuff on ebay is in teribble shape, and dread the though of switching from carbon to a tub chassis. Good to know I can just call the pros!!!

After reading your post I sent Composite Craft an e-mail telling them how great I thought that plate was. I also told them how great it was they supported us "Vintage Crazies" (aka long time customers)!

[slotcarrod]

This is amazing Jake! This is one of the most desirable cars ever. I remember calling AE from Jamaica (when I lived there) over and over again (not a cheap call BTW), asking when they were going to make that car for public sale! They always told me (misled me) it would be a few months down the line. I was so sad when they came out with the Worlds Car and then the B2 and never this one.

Now the big question: Are you going to make a conversion kit available for sale If so, mark me down for one please!

[Seabass]

Thanks Rod the car is definately coming together. I have thought about possibly doing that very thing that you mention but if i do it will be a ways down the road. The only set back from doing something like that is I want the car to be absolutely as close to the real thing as possible. We will see how close I can get without actually ever seeing the car in person. If the results are good I may explore making the parts need to build a replica however, I can tell you it probably isn't going to be very inexpensive. The cost will definately deter most except the most diehard. We will see.

Jake

[scr8p]

as cool as it would be (for me) to have one, i think it's cooler (for you) having something no one else has.

[Seabass]

Chassis was cut in the material and turned out great. My measurements are spot on except on the rear battery cup, for some reason I am off about 1/16

Anyway, I was able to mount the tranny, bulkhead, and a few other parts. Unfortunately my program had the mill climbing on the upper brace and the endmill was burning the material instead of cutting it. Too bad I didn't catch it before hand. It will still work for mocking up the car, and this is the precise reason I did a practice run before running the CF panel. I need to make a few minor changes but it shoudl work out great.

I am using Kydex for the mock chassis. The reason I chose this material is I can heat up the front and get the 30 degree bend in the material and it will hold.

I still need to machine the injection molds for the arms.

I will have pics in about a week since I left the cam at the house.

[Y'ernat Al]

...and this is the precise reason I did a practice run before running the CF panel. I need to make a few minor changes but it shoudl work out great.

I am using Kydex for the mock chassis. The reason I chose this material is I can heat up the front and get the 30 degree bend in the material and it will hold.

Very smart man. Thinking two or three steps ahead of us regular folk...

..since I left the cam at the house.

Wait, he's human like the rest of us after all!

[slotcarrod]

[Seabass]

Got a ton of work done last week. As I stated earlier the chassis and top brace was cut from 1/8 kydex so I could have something to build the car as I go. I also drew up the front shock tower and cut it from the kydex as well.

I started machining the molds for the arms and ran into several problems. I eventually figured it out and was able to get the molds done. I am very experienced with casting but injection molding is a bit new to me. I still need to polish the inside of the molds but I should have them ready to send out in the next few days. The guy doing the molding for me is using a 20 ton press to inject the arms and we are still not sure his machine can handle the volume of nylon 6 I need, we will see. I did not put any vents in the mold and the guy told me he wants to try it without the vents first. If that does not work he is going to machine the vents in the mold for me.

I am placing another material order today so I can machine the front bulkhead and rear castor blocks. From there it will be putting the car together and making changes to the final drawings, then cutting the material for the final car.

As I get more done, I will be sure to take pics.

Jake

[askbob]

Very high top shelf Jake. Aside from the complexity of this project, it would be über cool if you could also have one of these as a runner. Ultimate old is new car.

[Seabass]

Trust me I have thought about running the car when it was done, probably wont. On a side note though, I have thought about making the parts same dimensions, not as detailed though to run. Hell if the mold works whats stoping me from pumping out more than one set right?

Jake

[jwscab]

mold forms look awesome but I think you are going to need some small vent holes at the 4 'corners' to get the nylon out to the ends consistently, especially if you think you are light on the press tonnage. You may also find some problems in the front arms where the nylon has to flow 360 degrees around the middle 'hole' in the arm. Is this plain nylon or glass filled?

[JK Racing]

I'd build one and run it for sure

Looks great Jeepz, keep it up and us updated!