Would anybody be interested in a one-off recreation of the Top Secret strut bars?

TheWolfe · 02-03-2016, 08:55 PM

Title.

Hey guys!

I'm looking to spiff up my engine bay and the stock strut bar is really plain, IMO. I'd rather not get it powdercoated (I want to be a little more unique than that... just sayin'). My solution is to make my own titanium struts and burn them to sort of make a one-off of the original JDM Top Secret struts.

Let me know if this sounds like a good idea or not... I still have to model the strut and send them off to my parts manufacture, but it seems like a rather simple DIY.

Additionally, if anyone could point me in the direction of where to find the strut bar mounts for USDM shells, and their dimensions and stuff, that would be really great!

I'll keep this thread updated with how things are going

Also, http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...pse94cf056.jpg here is an image of the original strut!

EDIT: I may modify the original design slightly, but I'm not sure whether that's going to be a structural difference or maybe just different burn patterns. We'll see!

DEpointfive0 · 02-03-2016, 09:10 PM

Why not like the Zele?

TheWolfe · 02-03-2016, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEpointfive0

Why not like the Zele?

Well, firstly, I can't find out where to purchase it /:

Secondly, I could probably manufacture a very nice one-of-a-kind addition to my Z for much less than, what, $3000 or something like that? Just saying! The Zele strut isn't bad by any means, though. I wish I could see it installed without a billion filters on it, too.

Duc_Z09 · 02-03-2016, 09:21 PM

What advantage does it have over the stock piece?

TheWolfe · 02-03-2016, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_Z09

What advantage does it have over the stock piece?

Purely aesthetic, or so I'm aware of. Like I said, I'm just looking to spiff up my engine bay. That's also why I wouldn't spend quadruple digits for something like this, but that's just me!

Duc_Z09 · 02-03-2016, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWolfe

Purely aesthetic, or so I'm aware of. Like I said, I'm just looking to spiff up my engine bay. That's also why I wouldn't spend quadruple digits for something like this, but that's just me!

IMO you're better off spending money on parts that both improve the aesthetics and add performance, like a nice set of intakes. The open tube brace looks unfinished on a car like the Z (just my

). I'm all for DIY though.

TheWolfe · 02-03-2016, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_Z09

IMO you're better off spending money on parts that both improve the aesthetics and add performance, like a nice set of intakes. The open tube brace looks unfinished on a car like the Z (just my

). I'm all for DIY though.

Right, I agree. It's not gonna happen for a while, by any means. I kind of like the open tube brace more than the others, but that's probably because I'm a huge Mad Max fan

and I love me some rat rods

Rusty · 02-04-2016, 02:59 PM

You know what the price of Ti is? 1"OD x .035 wall x 1ft long is $31.52. How many feet you need? What alloy of Ti you what to use? You want seamless or welded tube? And there may be a minimum order too. You know how to weld Ti? Ti flexes more then steel of the same tubing sizes.

TheWolfe · 02-04-2016, 03:01 PM

Yeah Rusty, I have a machine shop and we have a loooot of spare Ti. Depending on if other people want some, I may not need to order any more.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TerribleONE · 02-04-2016, 03:02 PM

Subd.. but I think this is going to be extremely tough to do. IF you end up making one though and it looks good, I would definitely be interested.

You wont be able to find a TS bar though just like the Zele, they are all discontinued.

Rusty · 02-04-2016, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWolfe

Yeah Rusty, I have a machine shop and we have a loooot of spare Ti. Depending on if other people want some, I may not need to order any more.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good for you. You got knowledge of it.

A lot of people jump into trying to use Ti without knowing anything about it. And end spending a ton of money on a wasted project.

pokeyl · 02-04-2016, 03:26 PM

I have been thinking of doing this with carbon materials from dragonplate.com.

Thought about the doing the front crash bar as well.

TheWolfe · 02-06-2016, 05:36 PM

Alright, so I did some thinking, and I'm definitely going to have some hollow Ti struts going on. Now I just need to figure out how exactly I'm going to mount them to the points... Does anyone know what size the bolts are and how exactly the strut it attached near the windshield? I really don't want to take mine off for like 30 seconds and put it on again...

TerribleONE · 02-06-2016, 09:57 PM

Your gonna make a strut bar out of titanium but don't want to take yours off?

Rusty · 02-06-2016, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerribleONE

Your gonna make a strut bar out of titanium but don't want to take yours off?

02-03-2016, 08:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
TheWolfe Track Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Age: 27 Posts: 520 Drives: like a maniac Rep Power: 47869	Would anybody be interested in a one-off recreation of the Top Secret strut bars? Title. Hey guys! I'm looking to spiff up my engine bay and the stock strut bar is really plain, IMO. I'd rather not get it powdercoated (I want to be a little more unique than that... just sayin'). My solution is to make my own titanium struts and burn them to sort of make a one-off of the original JDM Top Secret struts. Let me know if this sounds like a good idea or not... I still have to model the strut and send them off to my parts manufacture, but it seems like a rather simple DIY. Additionally, if anyone could point me in the direction of where to find the strut bar mounts for USDM shells, and their dimensions and stuff, that would be really great! I'll keep this thread updated with how things are going Also, http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/s...pse94cf056.jpg here is an image of the original strut! EDIT: I may modify the original design slightly, but I'm not sure whether that's going to be a structural difference or maybe just different burn patterns. We'll see! Last edited by TheWolfe; 02-03-2016 at 09:04 PM.

02-03-2016, 09:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
DEpointfive0 Premium Member Bitches Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 14,824 Drives: a lot Rep Power: 17151	Why not like the Zele? TerribleONE likes this. __________________ Do YOU want to know what/where I got my username from? ( Click to show/hide ) NSFW due to language:

02-03-2016, 09:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Duc_Z09 Track Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Frederick MD Posts: 876 Drives: With the blinker on. Rep Power: 23	What advantage does it have over the stock piece? __________________ 2009 370z #206 (all mods are Home Depot) 2009 Ducati 848 (full Ohlins, Termignoni, etc) 2003 Grand Cherokee (long arms, big tires, 4.56, lockers)

02-04-2016, 02:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 34,905 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684436	You know what the price of Ti is? 1"OD x .035 wall x 1ft long is $31.52. How many feet you need? What alloy of Ti you what to use? You want seamless or welded tube? And there may be a minimum order too. You know how to weld Ti? Ti flexes more then steel of the same tubing sizes. TerribleONE, GaleForce and Ghostvette like this. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html Last edited by Rusty; 02-04-2016 at 03:01 PM.

02-04-2016, 03:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheWolfe Track Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Age: 27 Posts: 520 Drives: like a maniac Rep Power: 47869	Yeah Rusty, I have a machine shop and we have a loooot of spare Ti. Depending on if other people want some, I may not need to order any more. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ // *Jotech Tuned* / UpRev w/ ARC / K&N / Berk / TrackDecals.com

02-04-2016, 03:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
TerribleONE A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Socal Posts: 10,203 Drives: WOT Rep Power: 5850	Subd.. but I think this is going to be extremely tough to do. IF you end up making one though and it looks good, I would definitely be interested. You wont be able to find a TS bar though just like the Zele, they are all discontinued. __________________ 638WHP 541WTQ @ 13.5PSI Build thread

02-04-2016, 03:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
pokeyl Track Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: DFS Posts: 896 Drives: ??? Rep Power: 54	I have been thinking of doing this with carbon materials from dragonplate.com. Thought about the doing the front crash bar as well. __________________ It's not my fault I'm old, I was born a very long time ago!

02-06-2016, 05:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
TheWolfe Track Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Age: 27 Posts: 520 Drives: like a maniac Rep Power: 47869	Alright, so I did some thinking, and I'm definitely going to have some hollow Ti struts going on. Now I just need to figure out how exactly I'm going to mount them to the points... Does anyone know what size the bolts are and how exactly the strut it attached near the windshield? I really don't want to take mine off for like 30 seconds and put it on again...

02-06-2016, 09:57 PM	#14 (permalink)
TerribleONE A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Socal Posts: 10,203 Drives: WOT Rep Power: 5850	Your gonna make a strut bar out of titanium but don't want to take yours off? __________________ 638WHP 541WTQ @ 13.5PSI Build thread

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