brodysZ28

So i have access to cnc mills, lathes, and software to model it. But the question is, what should i make?? I thought about a set of heads but i couldnt cast them, and that would be really hard for somebody who has never done it before. but what else could I do? something performance would be cool, but a unique exterior part would be cool too. Anybody got any ideas?

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

hmmm. first im jealous but maybe sum custom drop spindals, not sure what else there is, heads/intake/TB/ waterneck/valve covers/strut tower caps, suspension like LCAs, etc.

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

Aluminum or Stainless Steel badges, shifter plate, guage trim rings, horm button, dash plaque/ badge for passenger side. I also do CNC programming and may have access to some machines at some point and those are the things that I've thought of so far.

RUSTYM38

A billet steering wheel would be cool.

brodysZ28

thanks for the responses guys. as for suspension, what would help the most? LCARB's? i'm not real familiar with suspension stuff... but those just lower the mounting point right?

I'm kinda liking the idea of custom valve covers with something unique written on the top.

A steering wheel would also be cool. how much does billet cost?

RED_DRAGON_85

add wheel centercaps
shift ****
gauge needles (thats cool)
any trim pieces
random badges
hood ornament...
jk on the last one

as for suspension, i wouldnt make the LCARBS out of machined billet because machined metal tends to be weaker than metal that was hot or cold formed into shape.
if you cut a shape out, you have grains like this:

=====
=.....=
=.....=


if you bend it it goes like this
====
||..||
||..||


the second one is much stronger...



anyway,
lca's would be awesome
spindles
custom diff cover with cooling fins
valve covers
transmission pan with cooling fins
heck, you could even do wheels if you have a big CNC and a lot of metal

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Don't forget custom brackets for all kinds of stuff - Engine Accessories, Ignition Coil, 1LE/LS1 Brakes, Rear Drum-to-Disc Conversion, LCA's, The interior stuff is the first stuff I would work on if it was me - Shifter Lever/****, Pedals, Steering Wheel, Door Sill Plates, Dash/Console Trim, Custom Buttons, Headlight ****(they are really ugly in the 90's dash), Underdrive Pulleys, TBI/Carb Spacer. That's about all I can think of right now.

brodysZ28

A shift **** is up there in the list... I need need the 1,2,3,4,5,R shifter trim piece... that would be easy. I did a carb spacer last year. never put it on my car though cuz i just did a prototype and didnt have any time... im gettin a good variety of choices though!

Brennan

see the nose badge in the top left corner with tgo on it? that would be cool to have, kinda stock looking and shows our tgo pride!

brodysZ28

i thought about rims, but the material alone would cost too much since i couldn't cast it i would have to buy 4 big hunks. an emblem would be cool, but i think i want something that would stand out more.

AlkyIROC

One off CNC rims would put you back about $1000 per rim. You wouldn't want to CNC them out of cast and a huge chunk of billet aluminum isn't cheap.

Any plastic badge, cover, emblem on the car can easily be fabricated out of aluminum on a CNC machine.

Get some polished fabricated valve covers and cut something on the tops.

racing geek

iTrader: (5)

Would you be able to make a key chain of the camaro nose emblem for me? I can't find anything like it for sale that doesn't say SS or anything like that on it. What program does the CNC machine use? I may be able to make a 3D model of it and send it to you... it would save you time, and then I could get the exact thing I want.

brodysZ28

yea rims would cost way too much... I use solid works then put it into mastercam, but other programs are also compatible with it.

If i have extra time i will try to do that key chain, but def not making any promises.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Billet, direct-fit filler door.

JamesC

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

how would it be different than the stock filler door? just the aluminum finish or did you want to remove the bump for your finger to grab? That isn't and easy part to make on a mill with the slight curvature across the part.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Race type seen on some trucks and imports (yikes, I said the word). No one said fabbing would be easy.

JamesC

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

While 1-piece valve covers would be cool, think about how much wasted material would have to get carved out of the center to make them.

I used to be a CNC Mill operator & looked into making valve covers like that....Until I looked into the material cost!

Your valve covers would be like this I made....
I made me a cool, boy-scout type, aluminum pine-wood derby Camaro. Made the wheels for it out of aluminum, ball bearings for the spindles & Delrin (a plastic) "tires".

The class rules was a max of 1lb...Mine weighs EXACTLY 1 pound. I slowly milled out the inside until I got it down to 1lb.

mfaust

would like to have some custom hood hinges

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

yeah, it sure isn't easy at times. Even with access to a CNC Lathe and Mill though, i would go with a different method for that part. There are a lot of other vehicles that have a similar gas cap to ours without the bump and that are made out of steel (I picked one up off of a mid 90s Blazer). The curvature matches well and the diameter is just a tiny bit smaller... less than .05" difference I believe. You can take that, remove the paint and have it chrome plated to get the look you're describing. I know at least some plastics can be chrome painted pretty impressively too, so maybe you don't even need to swap parts.

shibbykins

iTrader: (1)

id like a set of RS-SS badges with a matching RS-SS badge for the interior

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

Stephen, That Aluminum Camaro you made is pretty sweet! Nice work! Do you have a picture that shows the headlight pocket area better?

Brennan

i would love to have one of those!

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

all kinds of stuff you can make man..

Heres a bunch of stuff Ive done.

http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Billet%20Parts/

305sbc

iTrader: (3)

How about underdrive pullies or pullies of all types?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Check the following for the direction I was talking about:

http://www.autoanything.com/chrome-a...A1996A0A0.aspx

JamesC

brodysZ28

TPI383 thats some good looking stuff you made, i see key chains in there and there are two ppl in this thread who would want one i think, did you make extra or just one?

Stephen that camaro is cool, i did something very similar to that, except I made it out of REN, a wood-like material. it came out great, i will try to get a pic of it.

Slick89RS

iTrader: (1)

I really like the SS emblems, Is there any possibility you could get me a set

PM me if possible

jensen73110

iTrader: (4)

Door sill plates.

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

Thanks !

Ya I made a handfull of em. Have one left layin around. but can always make more.

brodysZ28

well, racing geek and brennan u got your key chain right there. I might be interested in one too...

so i'm really thinking about steering wheel, valve covers, door sill plates, or LCARB's.

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

LCARBs make no sense on a mill for the both the reasons given earlier regarding the grain of the metal and because it just isn't efficient use of metal. They should be bent from a plate... milling out all of that steel from a solid block is very inefficient and time consuming. The same goes for valve covers unless you're taking an existing set and engraving a design on them (also mentioned earlier). The Steering wheel idea... yeah, you could make the center section I suppose, but you'd still have to attach the outer rim to it. The sill plates could work if it's a flat insert. Replacing the entire sill trim again would be much more effient if you bent flat stock.

also, what kind of experience do you have with CNC programming and maching so far? That will impact what projects would be good for you to take on first if you're still early in the learning curve.

brodysZ28

oh, i see what your saying bout LCARBs... i was thinking make all the sides for the valve covers then have them welded together.

the only problem I could see with a steering wheel was the rim, which I was going to see if I could buy from somewhere.

Sill plates would be a flat insert.

I have a good amount of experience with programming, i mean i can model most anything... I have used a cnc to make a carb spacer, and a pretty detailed model car. My manual machining skills are pretty good too.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

why not do some race style 3 piece rims? you could buy the innter and outer rim and just mill the center that gets bolted between them, or most billet rims use an outer hoop that has a center pressed and then welded into them...

VAN454

I'd love a set of the TA gauge rings, how much? And wheat about a GTA nose emblem key ring?

acadburn

i love the gauges man

brodysZ28

Hmm, that would be cool but idk if that would be smart of me to do considering that i have never done that before and i wouldn't want my wheels to fall apart going down the highway. Where would I buy the hoop and center section?

ILUVMY89

you could do a bad billet smooth gas door

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

ANYONE inquiring about stuff I did. Shoot me a e-mail... FSTFBDY@GMAIL.COM

RS Reaper

RS emblems and nose emblem, muffinbuster use to make them but he when to 4th gens and never looked back. Could kick my self for not buying those.

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

ive got the files done for rs emblems just havent done any yet.. Did you see the Z ones posted above?

RS Reaper

No I didn't...but now I have. I like the SS too. There Aluminum right? Is the RS file set up to look like the Z emblem? Hmmm how much would a pair of RS emblems cost?

ILUVMY89

x2

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

EMAIL ME PLEASE

I dont want to get brodysZ28 post deleted/locked posting prices on anything.

All the emblems, Z28,RS,IROC Z are the same style as stock just billet aluminum.
Heres a good example of how they look on a car.
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Bil...aro%20emblems/

VAN454

How about GTA emblems?

miRob

steering wheel, shift lever, emergency brake lever, i/s or o/s door handles, pedals, name plates, sill plates

shan89

i know its more than a year after but r u still doing the billet camaro emblems???

brodysZ28

Oh no sorry I ended up doing a mock up TKO tranny adapter... but I'm in college now for mechanical engineering so hopefully I will get some projects goin here. Any good ideas let me know.