3D Printed and Carbon Fibre Engine Mounts fit

I’ve created the front engine mount in CAD (another post to follow) and now I need to test the engine height with the mount and the bonnet fitting – it’s no good having a beautiful mount if the engine then doesn’t clear the bonnet. I’ve gone for a trial fit of the mount (several hours of CAD and printing) to be sure it works before I go through the process of moulding and making the CF part. What I wanted to do was put the mount in place (it cradles under the front of the sump and bolts on to the front of the dry-sump). It also needs to curve around the awkward external dry-sump pump which seems to get in the way of everything.

Having fitted it, here are a set of photos that attempt to show the bonnet in place, and the engine having about 30mm of clearance between the top of the engine and the bonnet. One of the other interesting things about doing this is it’s the first time in a couple of years that the car has had any bodywork attached. It’s gone (in my head) from an abstract chassis concept back to something that relates to being a car again.

From a reference point of view, the sump will sit between 115 and 125 mm from the floor, and my suspension is height adjustable so on a track I can lower it a bit more. Right now, I’m safe to go over a house-brick without writing off the engine.

Here you can see the bonnet resting on a clamped large table-mat as a reference line. (Clamped to the top chassis rail). The mat and clamps weren’t strong enough to handle the weight of the bonnet, so I needed another idea. So, what you can see sticking down is a piece of (cut to size) wood that represents the chassis rail height to the floor as a relative position. The table mat is now just sat there without any vertical load – it works well as a reference point.

 

With the bonnet properly propped, this a bit of a scrappy shot down the bonnet. There’s loads of clearance here, and you can see the CF footwell and gearbox.

 

 

 

 

More of the same here and you can make out the 3d printed blanking plates I made.

 

 

 

 

And again – hopefully you can see the oil filler cap at the front a good 30mm below the bonnet.

 

 

 

 

Here it is from the top down. It looks a tiny bit like a car again.

3 thoughts on “3D Printed and Carbon Fibre Engine Mounts fit

  1. What is the relationship between the front of the engine and the rear of the top rockers?

    I have had the engine (zetec) pushed back and a bolt in bar installed, just like the RGB cars. If you want to see some pics email me and i’ll send some over.

    I often wondered if this bar could be redesigned to something more like what is found in the Ginetta G40. This would allow the bar to be used as an engine mount as well as a tie bar.

  2. Hi Dave. I’d certainly be keen to see them. I will probably bolt into the top of the bell housing.

    How do you mean, relationship? I’ve got about 10mm between the back of the bell housing and the chassis

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