fibreglass turbo
Turbo Mini Forums

im in the process of being given a clubby fibreglass shell in good condition(a barn find). wot kind of heat shielding would i need to fit my turbo lump or is this idea a total non starter? also how would i fit a turbo box to the bulk head?

heat shielding would be fairly easy jacko , some of that silver backed fibreglass matting one sees at kit car shows ,with the bulkhead id either use the mirage t2 combination (search)or make a box from glass and matt it into the space, then insulate it .
regards
robert.

Edited by robert on 7th Feb, 2007.

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM

i dont know fibreglass shells too well, but some have steel bracing in them

remember to incorporate that in if its present

definately put some matting in though, and maybe some alumium between them both

Id just go for a remote turbo mounting sith a custon manifold, rather than cutting up a glass shell.

Would make heat containment a much easier task too.

J

iv seen a domino shell with a (fiberglass) bulkhead box. was a rather large box and had lots of heat sheilding on it, but was otherwise fine!

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

cheers all for the posts will let u no how it goes

will be fine just cutb out and fit a turbo box with matting and resin, then cover hole box with the stuff then fit out with ally plate with a couple of pot rivits.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

The shell sounds quite interesting. Is it all fibreglass?
Do you know who made it.
Is it a lightweight racer or a Heavy duty road shell?
Regards
Dave

not sure havent got it yet danboy its a fully clubby shell. will try have a look sometime maybe get some pics to post.

i seen it but its covered in boxes n sheets got stuff resting against it hopefully its not damaged. the bits i have seen look in really good condition n the lady who is giving me it says its in good nic she just wants rid n i was in the right place a the right time lol

Jacko, I am also building a grp shelled turbo, one of the late 70's minus shells. I have a friend who works for a theming comany (making stuff for places like alton towers etc), he spends alot of time playing with fibre glass, I picked his brains with regards to this before I purchased the shell, he told me it was very simple job to fabricate a turbo box out of fibre glass and bond it in if your using the t3. Im using the t2 on my build with mirrage set up (so less need to have a box), but am still going to make a relief in the bulkhead to give clearence, and a little airflow.
When I was looking into building the turbo grp shell, I was unsure about the heat generated from the turbo and the resistance of the fibreglass to it, as long as you use polyesther resin (has heat resistance of approx 75 Oc) and a decent matting, and take measures to heat shield the area around the turbo (as mentioned above) you will be fine, you may want to concider a heat sink/ shield in side and spaced off the turbo box too as a good measure (eg a s/steel box the same shape as the turbo box but 10mm less in dimensions so it sits inside).
I dont know who your shell was made by, but as mine is the minus, it is 3" less in height, this being in the area between the sill step and the underside of the line where the glass strts, this means the engine sits higher in the bay, which has a knockon effect on the placement of the turbo box, so please consider this before you start chopping pieces out.
Another friend of mine runs this web site www.miniminus.co.uk (it was him that found me my shell (my car is no 29, on the weekend I bought it). Its dedicated to fibreglass shells, there is a wealth of knowledge to be had on that site as well as this one.
If there is any thing else I can help with please ask, also some pics would be good!!
Shane.