Custom Machined Parts For Your 370Z

scruffydog

I have a manual Tranny....so i don't mind taking a crack at the plastic trim housing for the MT shifter (I think the AT is a little different).....but so far I haven't heard back from AG....i can draw as complicated of a part - we just gotta make sure his CNC machine can actually make the part. I have a bit of knowledge for machining parts, so if AG says it's hard to do because of the smallest Mill radius or whatever...i can always make it to be more machinable.

Either way, I have a list of projects of my own in which are less of replicating existing stuff, rather things that are not made yet which i'm sure a lot of people would want dips in it. So stay tune...

spearfish25

Awesome, I truly hope you guys keep those parts in mind. I'd KILL to replace my POS silver plastic pieces on my 6MT.

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2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

scruffydog

It'll also be a challenge to draw, but I'm also up for the challenge...but I can tell you right away that there's a reason people injection mold parts that has that much contours, it's typically hell of expensive to machine. I haven't taken my shifter plastic trim apart yet....is it attached to the fake leather boot?

AgStacker

Damn those nubs. The first badge (not listed 1,2,or 3 but the badge that doesn't cover the nubs) I'm almost willing to shave my bumper it looks so good. (j/k that's not the road I want to go down) I cant believe this badge doesn't come stock on the car. Damn those nubs. But alas we must work around Nissan's decision.

I remember seeing a photo on this forum of a PW with the front badge removed. I seem to remember that the nubs stick up much higher on the front bumper than the rear . Thus in design #2 the thickness of the blacked out area will have to accommodate. I could be wrong, but I think its worth finding a picture so we can know that were dealing with. I've tried searching for it but haven't found it yet maybe one of the members following this thread could be of assistance.

I'm not able to access the soldworks files tonight because my home computer edition is only 2005, and since you have a newer version it will not let me view the files, but I will be checking them out the first spare moment I get tomorrow at the shop.

As the designs stand right now I'd have to say that I like #2 the best. It looks real good, and it takes care of our nub problem. It's gets away from the burger look a bit, and its got that big fat Z right where every one wants to see it. Machining will be moderately difficult but nothing to worry about.

#1 is practical and attractive. It's a clean look and it does remove the word Nissan from the front and rear of the car. However, its just not different enough for my taste personally. It looks a lot better than the stock badge that's for sure, But it think its a bit too subtle to go to all this trouble for. Not that I'd be opposed to making it if people like it, just wouldn't choose it for my car.

In my opinion #3 has the most potential. Its sleek lines rival those of the Z it self. I like the shell or dome look to the blackout area. Unfortunately the dome will make this part considerably more time consuming to produce but I'm definitely not ruling it out because of this. I like the oval inside the circle. However if I may critique your design just a bit I think it may be improved by slightly decreasing the diameter of the oval, in effect making the ring thicker and filling out more of the black area. I also like how the side tabs (or all beef patty if you will) are minimized in this design. I wouldn't mind seeing a similar concept applied to badge #2.


long post...will continue with discussion of allowed radii for ease of machining

scruffydog

I'll send you the Parasolid format instead, you should be able to open it even in 2005, it'll just be converted into a Part file in 2005.....check your e-mail in a minute.

Also, I took your advice and reduced the size of the circle in the middle for the 3rd option...let me know what you think.

AgStacker

Wow Kevin you've out done yourself with the badges. I really like your Z It looks a lot closer to the OEM than I could have done. I had to look over your posts and designs several times, hell I even took notes.

I want to start off by addressing your first and last posts concerning future projects such as brake ducts, under body bracing and the shifter surround; The brake ducts sound to me like a job which is out of my area of expertise. What I am picturing in my head is basically a funnel with a tube that channels air from the front of the car to the brakes. Parts like these are not cost efficent to make via machining. I am not a fabricator, I can not weld or bend sheet metal/ metal tube in a precise manor, although I do know people who can. I would be happy to provide any machined parts necessary, and participate in the project in any way that I can be helpful.

I'm not exactly clear on what is meant by under body bracing but again if it requires welding or bending, we'll have to talk to West Coast Fab about that.

The shifter surround will be a tricky bastard. The compound radii/angle of the two tabs that house the S-mode and hazard light buttons will require me to use a technique known as ball nose milling. This is not a problem, in fact it is the style of machining I will use to make the badges, how ever it is quite time consuming on a larger part such as this. ( basically I will trace the entire surface of the part in linear passes with a .125 diameter ball nose endmill, moving the tool up and down to follow the contours of the part, stepping over .005 inches each time. ) Work holding while machining the back side will also be complicated/problematic. BUT do not think that I am backing down from this challenge, it can and will be done. I just want to take this one project at a time, no need to get ahead of our selves.

That said I must step away from the computer for a short while and will return later this evening to comment on your wonderful badge designs... I took notes remember?

scruffydog

Thanks for the update. As for the brake ducts, which i'm aware is a very popular mod that everyone's waiting for. I'm thinking even if we don't have anything weld together such as bent sheet metal (scoop) to duct air into the brakes/ rotor, I was thinking about taking a look at some of the existing attachment bolt holes I could use to bolt something (bracket which i'll design) that can hold those off the shelf flexible hose (used for brake ducts) and all we'd have to do is have it plug right into the bracket and we'd just have to use a hose collar clamp to wrap over the hose to the bracket. And similarly, any attachment points that need a bracket to hold the hose or route the hose, I could look into also creating something. Similarly, the front bumper...where the shark fins located...I've taken my bumper apart to take a good look at it awhile back and maybe I can also create something that attaches to where the cover lids located next to the shark fins.....just a thought.