E46 Jaffster Build

[Steve J.]

Man, thats old skool, I remember when that first showed up years ago...its amazing the amount of effort some people put into such crap lol

[tfro]

Wow, is that really a chrome bolt in cage? That's simply amazing. If they'd only anodized it in various colors, it really would be 'teh jaffscage'

[jonmacs22]

best part about it, its 100% bolted in.

[jamesclay]

Wow - they really put a lot of work into the load paths. Although I am sure it can be pulled apart over the next few years and redone.

[TIATO]

Wow, thats brightly bizzare..

[Steve J.]

OMG, I know its a showcar obviously, but I hope this is not driven...Look at how the harness is done, scary!

James, I think its "designed" so that they can rearrange the bars to make it look better, and change its appearance lol

Load paths schmoad paths, the tubes get bolted in where they fit best!

The really sad part is I'm sure at shows there are a lot of people going, "Wow, thats sick, I want to make one like that!"

But anyways, back to the Build Thread...I'll hopefully get to work on the car tonight and have updated pics of the shifter...and maybe some sneak peaks of the wing mounts.

I'm waiting for the rotisserie and mig welder before I do the seam welding, and once thats done its onto the cage. Lots of Messy prep work ahead, but assuming I can find the time to work on the car, the seam welding goes pretty quick. I also need to pickup another wire shelving rack for when i break down the rear of the car for mounting on rotisserie.

[onasled]

Steve, .... got good heat in that garage? Friggin A, ... it's cold...

[Steve J.]

Oh hellz yea we do, over 400,00 btu's, 3 zones all independently controlled.

[jamesclay]

I'm young starting my life/career, its hard to find time/money to build it how I want it to be done.

Oh hellz yea we do, over 400,00 btu's, 3 zones all independently controlled.

[Steve J.]

I'm very fortunate to have access to my dad's new "play room"...one day I'll have my own

Work hard to play hard.

No violins James? lol

[jamesclay]

No violins James? lol

LOL - I didn't see one of those.

[PEI330Ci]

I'm going to be ordering the Millermatic 212 soon as well, so when the rotisserie gets here I can crank away on it.

That's a bit of overkill for building a cage don't you think? I've been using one of those to build my car set on 2/10ths...it's got some power.

[M3 Muscle]

That's a bit of overkill for building a cage don't you think? I've been using one of those to build my car set on 2/10ths...it's got some power.

It's just right. I assume Steve is buying 1 welder to last years. That is something he will need down the road, not just this one project. You can grow into a welder. Plus, if he ever wants to do some aluminum mig welding...just buy a spool gun and go. Welders in the 150-175 will weld aluminum, but your limited.

[Steve J.]

LOL - I didn't see one of those.

Ah...you need a smilie hookup

That's a bit of overkill for building a cage don't you think? I've been using one of those to build my car set on 2/10ths...it's got some power.

Overkill, no way. I'm using 1.5x.120, thats some beefy tubing, and it needs some good penetration. Are you sure you are getting enough penetration on 2/10ths? .120 to .120 should require more amps than 2/10ths of that machine....it should need over 140amps for that stuff.

It's just right. I assume Steve is buying 1 welder to last years. That is something he will need down the road, not just this one project. You can grow into a welder. Plus, if he ever wants to do some aluminum mig welding...just buy a spool gun and go. Welders in the 150-175 will weld aluminum, but your limited.

$1400 for the 212 instead of $900 for the 180, its worth it for 500 hundred bucks, especially after what everyone has told me who has used the former 212, compared to the 180, it can do a lot more, and exactly like M3Muscle said, its something I can have for many years, and not have to worry about upgrading.

I just saw the new DVI2 though, that might be a decent alternative. Couple hundred bucks less, and it'll do slightly less max amps, but it says it can do the same material thickness (3/8), instead of the 5/16th the millermatic 180 does.

[Matt]

Thought you were skipping the rotisserie and seam welding it on a two post... why the change? Get a great deal on one or something?

Subscribed.

[Steve J.]

Basically, yea. I found a place that ships cheap, and has a great quality, well equipped rotisserie, and it has great resale (as I'm going probably going to sell it once i'm done with it). It has hydrualic rams for height adjustment, CG countering, casters, powder coated, and its $1085, with unibody brackets, shipped on a liftgate! Its worth it, because it would be a bitch on the 2 post.

[Steve J.]

OK, just went outside and did a quick 10min welding session. I did a couple welds on the shifter, and its super solid, I'll probably just run a couple more stitch beads on the sides and call it done, and slap some primer on it so it won't get surface rust.





And here is a quick wing sneak peak:

[CP Louie]

Oh hellz yea we do, over 400,00 btu's, 3 zones all independently controlled.

Here is how we red necks heat our garages. Zones shmones. Real men create heat with air compressors and welders! Notice how we have heat, cooling and fuel all in one place.

Chris

[Steve J.]

You should put a fan inside the oven, then you can have two zones

No wonder you had to skimp on so much with your e46 build, your electrical bill must have been ridiculous.

[CP Louie]

You should put a fan inside the oven, then you can have two zones

No wonder you had to skimp on so much with your e46 build, your electrical bill must have been ridiculous.

Steve,
You might be an engineer, but that statement shows you are not an electrical engineer. That setup is 100% efficient electric heat. A heat pump would be less efficient, in fact gas heat would be less efficient (maybe cheaper per energy unit) but less efficient.

Enjoy your new digs I am enjoying mine.

Chris

[clopez95m3]

OK, just went outside and did a quick 10min welding session. I did a couple welds on the shifter, and its super solid, I'll probably just run a couple more stitch beads on the sides and call it done, and slap some primer on it so it won't get surface rust.

Quick question but if you were on a tight budget which dimple dies (sizes) would you purchase if you were just doing gussets for a cage? And what type of press are you using for yours?

Thanks,
Carlos.

[C.Thurman]

Try the ones from mitler bros punch/dimple all in one,easier to use IMO.

[mjOlson]

Looking good SteveO; keep the work moving bud.

[Steve J.]

Chris...it was a joke.

Thanks Matt, slowly but surely...lots of shit going on right in life thats taking priority.

Dimple dies...what kind of budget? 3/4, 1, and 1.5" should cover most things. 2" starts to get big for most cage gussets, and you can always do a couple 3/4" instead.

I am waiting to find a shop press locally, for the time being I made my own for $10 using a steel frame I welded up and a bottle jack

[clopez95m3]

Chris...it was a joke.

Thanks Matt, slowly but surely...lots of shit going on right in life thats taking priority.

Dimple dies...what kind of budget? 3/4, 1, and 1.5" should cover most things. 2" starts to get big for most cage gussets, and you can always do a couple 3/4" instead.

I am waiting to find a shop press locally, for the time being I made my own for $10 using a steel frame I welded up and a bottle jack

The ones you bought would probably work for me, in an old message you said you got 5 for like $175. Could you provide a link for me (even if the price isn't the same anymore)?
Thanks,
Carlos.