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Starwars Aircleaner base - protoTIGHT!

Discussion in 'Repro Parts' started by black70buick, Oct 12, 2024.

  1. black70buick

    black70buick Well-Known Member

    The quest continues, Producing the first ever 3d printed one piece SW aircleaner base. With 3D printing there are normally a few iterations to compensate for the material used for shrinkage, deformations etc. So I had printed in sections for fittings to check dimensions leading up to this first single print piece - protoTIGHT!

    Yikes, I knew the SW base was tight hearing from folks as I worked through this design, but yeah, its definitely tight leaving little space between linkages.

    Next print will likely be final material high temp plastic, going to try something else before driving myself into insanity with poly-carbonate. IMG_20241012_074850784_HDR.jpg IMG_20241012_075608782_HDR.jpg IMG_20241012_075657657_HDR.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  2. gsfred

    gsfred Founders Club Member

    Looks good, and there should be plenty of demand.
     
    STAGE III and Starc Traxler like this.
  3. black70buick

    black70buick Well-Known Member

    Turning the dials - wow, I have printed large parts in pieces, but printing larger pieces as one with more engineering grade material is painful. It took many tweaks and iterations to get the two wire clips dialed in. These air-cleaner bases are proven a worthy challenge and I am not yet printing in the targeted final material - Polycarbonate. I am 5 failures in (two failed shown in picture) and one in the intermediate plastic - (the shiny one is a high temp plastic). More material on the way, wanting to dial in things a little more this weekend.

    IMG_20241018_140556187_HDR.jpg
     
  4. Couch

    Couch '67 GS400 Guy

    It's just amazing the things we can do now for replacement parts.
     
  5. black70buick

    black70buick Well-Known Member

    The larger printer is giving me fits. Decided to price a printer service....Just for reference the model if printed by a service was $1200 for High temp plastic....WOW. No design work for these people just take my design already and print.

    maybe I am not charging enough for my work...

    Anyway, I am bound to get this printer and material sorted....
     
    Dadrider, bostoncat68 and 69 GS 400 like this.
  6. black70buick

    black70buick Well-Known Member

    Ok. After two of my trusty machines giving me fits and fighting warranties I have the next iteration.

    So, I consider this the beta version ready for testing. The shape is right and allows plenty of movement for the linkages while keeping things tight and neat. I would like to test it out on a car. The temp rating of the plastic has a glass transition temp around 200F.

    Pictured with a Luber-Finer AF96 Filter Element.

    If anyone is interest this is a decision point, I may only produce these in this plastic. Without testing these are more that sufficient for short runs and mounting the whole assembly for car show displays etc. Beta's will be sold for $50 plus shipping. Send me a PM.

    IMG_20241030_072311618_HDR.jpg IMG_20241030_072330428_HDR.jpg IMG_20241030_072425531_HDR.jpg IMG_20241030_072458244_HDR.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2024
    mineseats9 likes this.
  7. Herman Gross

    Herman Gross Well-Known Member

    I was talking to a old timer he said back in the day him and his friends would steel the air cleaners and just threw the nut on the ground and left the base I thank that might be why they are in such demand
     
  8. finitebidder

    finitebidder Well-Known Member

    Just seen this thread. The critical dimension on the base is keeping the same height of the lip the air filter rests on & the lip that sits on the carb. There is not much room for hood clearance even making it the exact same dimensions as the factory.

    Thanks, Rick
     
  9. black70buick

    black70buick Well-Known Member

    I agree. Folks believe originals are drop bases but pictures and reality tell a different story. The airfoil for the qJet and associated linkages gives the illusion of a drop base. Of the GS models (Skylark GS vs Riviera GS) the Riviera has the least clearance @ roughly 1/2" to the hood!
     
    finitebidder likes this.

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