I have not done anything new lately. In fact I haven’t even been driving the car. It’s still just a one-off that I printed for myself. I did purchase a better printer so that I could print with better materials, but I’ve only assembled about ½ of the printer so far. I also need to make some design considerations for how to attach the pieces.

I've been using topgunz new setup which is turbo guard plus the micro screen and like it.

I think I'll join in with everyone else and try my own luck at making a custom intake, I don't even care if it's not super efficient and only makes the same/similar boost levels as the existing filter, I just refuse to put that filter on again. Going to try full 3.5" piping. Ordered a 3.5" silicone couple with a 1/2" offset to get it slightly closer to the radiator core support hole. My brother has a friend who does fabrication for a living, I'll get him to take a look at it some time in the next week or so and get his opinion on it.

I thought Topgunz was going to be selling an intake option that used a filter. He posted some photos of the partial setup awhile back.


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Too expensive to manufacture from what he told me, plus I'm just a bit tired of waiting in general. I'll make something work one way or another.

Its true. The match plates were too expensive and I have invested $20K into intercoolers alone. Also, that money is going to be used to invest into something better for the community.

My solution is only a half measure that is suitable for daily driving but nothing more at the moment.

Around 10psi, suction pressure at the supercharger input overcomes the ability of the silcone tube transition through the front framing. The biggest problem is that it has to transition from 3.5" round to rectangular-ish, back to round. It's at that rectangular transition where the collapse happens. Current boost production with no filter is around 14-15 psi (Slight over-spin).

I do have some 3.5" aluminum tubing that I bought in hopes of shaping it into a support structure to insert into that transition while also preventing it from potentially dislodged and sucked into the SC, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

I got a good bargain on a supercharged Mini Cooper that I plan to use as my daily, so I have been spending a good bit of time working on a full service for it. Service requires taking that supercharger off which REQUIRES me to basically take the front of the car off..... Dumb.... and frustrating haha.

Once the Mini is road-worthy, the Z will get some more work and R&D.

Sorry guys I haven't been keeping up with this site. But yeah after I put the 3d printed intake on the car the thing loved it! Last winter it was nuts driving it with cold dense air being at 5000ft elevation.

This is a youtube video I uploaded back in January

https://youtu.be/6YVHLzsSg4A

when I started taking the supercharger off because the compressor impeller came loose and was rubbing against the side walls. Then covid hit and I pretty much left it alone. Unfortunately I am not going to be able to fix the supercharger until later this year or summer time next year. So I will not be able to give you guys any boost numbers or power numbers for a while.

Chopping as much support as I did out of the front of the car actually makes the hood a little loose at high speeds because the hood pin is flopping around on a cantilevered piece of metal, so I am going to weld some support in around that area so my hood does not fly open! Other than that the radiator is fine

If you guys want the 3d model I made for the intake PM your email address and I will email it to you.

Just to warn you guys! I had 3D hubs print my air intake last November 2019 for $555 dollars shipped to my apartment. I just checked and the same model printed with the same ABS plastic is $1300 now!!!! I think Covid has caused them to raise their prices due to the demand of 3D printing masks or something??? Or they are not using their Chinese partners any longer for 3D printing??? No idea. To me 500 dollars was too much but I had to do it because I had spent all this time working on the 3d model I really wanted to see how it would turn out. But $1300 is insane. So I would say wait until 3D printing is not in such high demand. Or shop around

Here is a list of other items you will need / things needed to do if you print this (just copied a response I made to a fellow Z boi thinking I was selling this intake)

This is not something I sell. This is very much an experimental use at your own risk send it! kind of item. I can give you the 3d model and you use a website like 3d hubs to 3d print it. You want to print it out of ABS plastic. Anything else is either too expensive, too weak, or not heat resistant enough and it will turn into a floppy noodle! You can even print it yourself if you have a massive 3d printer with an enclosure.....or chop the model up and glue it together (only for people with advanced 3d printing skills)

This fits the stock 370z bumper without a crash bar! So any slow speed crashes will smash this intake and your radiator....I actually crashed my car and did this. But I never changed my intake design.... now that I think of it that was very dumb.

I would recommend coating the 3D print in an epoxy resin to make sure it is air tight. I used this Art n Glow clear epoxy resin and applied it with a foam brush all around the outside and as far as my brush would reach on the inside. You do it however you want. This resin is "non flammable" and did withstand the heat of being near the engine.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My $500 3D print was kind of rough! The thing with 3d hubs is they are like a general contractor that sub the work out to small businesses across the world. It matters greatly on the quality of 3d printer you are using and this super cheap $500 dollar price tag may have come from someones ghetto 3d printer in their garage which 3d Hubs has gotten rid of due to complaints??? And now only offers the high quality prints?? That is what I am hoping.

I had to sand some areas of my 3D print to make it smooth. I had never had to do this before with my previous prints in a similar price range....but, this model is a very difficult print! It is a full tube like 3ft long! So there was no complaints from me. I was kind of amazed they had done it for so cheap. I would recommend printing with the most amount of infill 80%-100% and smallest layer height 100μm. That will give you the strongest bomber intake and the smoothest sides. I printed mine at 100% infill and 300μm layer height and although it came out strong the larger layer height made the print turn out a little rough and chunky.

Installing the air intake requires a lot of cutting of the existing plastic radiator support / steel supports in your engine bay! So you may not want to use this 3d model. Take a look at my youtube video and compare it to the front of your car to see what I cut out.

https://youtu.be/6YVHLzsSg4A

You will also need a 6"x9" air filter from a GT500 shelby mustang from JLT performance. SKU# SBAF69... Should be around $100 with shipping. https://www.jlttruecoldair.com/jlt-r...ir-filter-6x9/

You will also need a silicone hose coupler to attach the intake to the supercharger $15 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can buy a pre-filter cover too if you want to make it waterproof, but I would say this is not needed unless you are driving in wet / snowy conditions often. Costs around $40. SKU # #20-2943
https://www.jlttruecoldair.com/jlt-a...ilter-20-2943/

Good luck brothers!

Did we figure out a solution for V1 A2a guys yet??

Being that he's moved on to the Rotrex kit, I doubt that the vortech intake is in the works anymore

Got it - Thats unfortunate. I must of bought my kit right before the new one came out. Guess I better get use to changing this filter! haha

Any tips tricks out there to get the unit out? Do most remove from the bracket or take out the blower unit and bracket completely?

Mainly a street car, so a filter is must.

Thank you!

Last I saw soho had an intake in the works but then they never mentioned it again and I could never find it for sale.