Fabricating Front Strut Bar Options

[Qucifer]

Everyone,
I will be fabricating a front strut bar for my Celica GT coupe, and am looking to see if there is any interest in them here. If so, I will make a JIG, and pump some out. Here are couple of pictures of a production run we made for the Nissan S-13 240sx. These are specifically designed for 240's with a top mount turbo setup, tall intake manifolds, or an RB engine swap. They are made with 1" steel tubing with a .095 wall thickness, and are powder coated with a wrinkle black finish. The celica bar will be made with the same type of materials, but it will have a design similar to the TRD strut bar. Let me know if there is any interest.

Q

[torhne]

i would probably take one off your hands if they come out decent. how much are you thinking they will cost us?

[Qucifer]

We charged $150 plus shipping for the 240sx bars, and sold out of our first batch of 10 in 2 weeks. I am working on another batch of 15. On those each bar requires 4 bends which equals more time per peice. Its looking like the celica bar might have a total of 2 bends, so maybe $120 plus shipping. In the end it depends on the fab time per peice, could be more, could be less.

This post has been edited by Qucifer: Sep 30, 2007 - 11:26 AM

[purepunishment]

like to see one installed

[Qucifer]

When I get the prototype done, I will take pictures of it installed.

[94st_santos]

I would probably take one from you, these are going to be 3-pt strut bars right?

[Qucifer]

Yes they are going to be 3 point, and way stronger than the flimsy stock GT bar. I took the stock one off today to take some measurments, and it literally flops around. I am fabricating mine to tie into the stock location on the firewall, and it will have a full ring on each tower, and a bar welded straight across tying the two towers directly together. A big improvement over stock.

[j0e_p3t]

interested.

[Qucifer]

Thanks for the replies. I am actively working a prototype right now. I will try and post pics of the progess. Nothing wrong with showing you guys what goes into making one of these things. If anyone else is interested, please respond.

[xs94st]

sounds great, can't wait to see it

[Qucifer]

Like I said, I am keeping a photo log of the prototyping process. Here are a couple of pics. The first is the strut ring. It is oblong for maximum surface area to weld the cross bar to. I designed it today on my cnc plasma cutter. It is the same for both sides. Next is a couple of pics with the tube mitered to the proper angle. It is hard to tell, but there is a very steep angle cut on both side of the tube. The tube will be welded where it sits , and I will weld caps to the open ends of the tube. I will design the firewall bracket, and tubes this week.









And Yes that is duct tape on my air box tube.

[94st_santos]

yea 3-pt with the bar across is definitley what i had in mind, im interested...

[brthrurik]

definitely interested...

[jcbass7]

are you going to fab these so they clear a 3sgte motor as well? if so that would open up the market a bit more

[Qucifer]

jcbass7, I would need to have contact with someone who has a 3sgte swapped Celica to build one off of. Im located in Oklahoma City, so if there is a 3sgte celica owner near by, hit me up.

On another note, when the prototype is finished and I have the jig made, I will need non-biased test person to take the first production piece and do a write up on the level of difficulty to install, the overall look of the peice, and the degree of functionality. This will help iron out any bugs before I make a full production run. I will offer more details when the peice nears completion.

[Qucifer]

Just throwig this out there. Would anyone who is budget minded be interested in just the 2 point cross bar? I would be willing to let them go for $50 unpainted plus shipping.

Here is why I ask. Since I have been desgining the 3 point bar over the past couple of days, I have been driving around without any bar on the car. I welded the straight bar to the mounts today, and decided to take the car for a quick run around the block. Funny to say that one bar makes a huge difference in stiffness and steering response, so I know that its functional. I will still be making the 3 point bar, but the option for both is out there.

Thanks
Q

[xs94st]

id be interested. want to see how it looks though. the bars that ive seen in 350z's that have two parallel bars that are welded together and havea huge base are what i would like.

[zero07]

Also interested

[cjh4l22]

interested in either/or. 3pt, single bar, or would it be possible to do a double bar type design? w/e interested all the same.

[Qucifer]

A twin cross bar design might be possible. I will check the fitup today, and let you all know. Also, I am building my bars off of the GT, and I do now know if it will fit the ST. Can somebody let me know.