I will get some aluminumnumnumnum this weekend or Friday afternoon and start work on it this weekend. I will be getting a piece big enough to were if I screw something up I will be able to start over. If I don't, then I will be able to make a few more and possible send out to some that might want to test fit it on their car so that I can see what needs to be changed for their set-up or if they just want to check it out. We will hope for the latter.
So far, here is what I know...
It will be one piece, folded at the edges. I will still have a plate in the rear so that it can be bolted down to the tranny mount where the old intake box used to be. It will have the cut-outs for the wiring harness and all edges that will meet outside air will have weather striping around it or if I can find something else better I will use that. The stripping will of course be held to the sheild with an adhesive, so you wont have to worry about it falling off or anything like that. Also, I want to put some like some foam strips on the bottom of the sheild. That way it will not rub metal to metal and possibly damage the fender wall because of the paint that would be removed. I know alot you guess live in areas where you use salt in more ways then just the dinner table, so that is something that I have been thinking about.
There is another way that I could make it, which might allow it to be closer to the original templete I made. So, I might have to make two and see which is easier to make. But then again, I want to make this like I want it and I want it to function as such - work, easy to install & work with the fewest problems down the road. So, basically, which ever meets these three requirments I will deem the best and will be the one I make. After a few are made and others are able to get there hands on them, feedback will be crucial in making this a true CEG item.
As for making one for everyone else...
Right now, the templete I made is for a ATX Duratec w/o intake pipe. It would be a little different for each of the versions out there, not to mention the different lengths of the intake pipes for the Duratecs and I'm not sure about the intake pipes for the Zetecs. Also, I am concered about the mounting locations at the rear. I'm wondering if the SVT's stock intake mounted to the tranny mount differently then mine. And since I won't see another SVT in who knows when, well I will not know how to compensate for that.
I know it seems like a lot, but the idea of a piece of metal flapping around inside the engine bay is just not something that I like to think about and I want to be able to secure it. I will not be happy until I see that it can be secured well enough with one bolt at the front, but I think that the two in the rear (on the tranny mount) and the one in the front (ground wire) will be plenty enough to satisfy me.
Thanks for all the support guys and I will keep everyone updated as this develops over the weekend.
P.S. Ya know! I just thought about what could be done if the battery was relocted. Man! One project at a time.
