Aaron's Dax De Dion build thread

[Happy Jim]

Looking smart!

[KevinW]

Great work, well done.

[RussellGower]

Thats coming along very nicely indeed.

Can I just ask, did you use the 3d printed templates at all or just dive straight in with the SS? I'm hoping to start my headers in March and wondered if they're worth printing before hand or not.

R.

[aaronjb]

Thanks all! I wouldn't say I'm totally happy with how it turned out - there's a few small holes I'll need to patch and that's always less than ideal with stainless (it will result in weak spots) but I keep trying to remember that if I did it once, I can do it again, and if I have to do it again, I'll be doing it with all the skills I've amassed doing it the first time and I'll make a better job!

Can I just ask, did you use the 3d printed templates at all or just dive straight in with the SS? I'm hoping to start my headers in March and wondered if they're worth printing before hand or not.

A bit of both really, plus some PVC waste pipe! The 3D printed templates are great but take a really long time to print and come out very brittle unless you use PETG/ABS (which is even harder to print and I really struggled with the shrinkage). Because they're brittle, if the fit is tight enough that there's no wobble, they tend to become 'one time use' as the retaining tangs snap off when you take them apart again; conversely if you make them removable then they're very wobbly!

I basically used them to get a general idea of what kinds of bends I'd need and then built it up in stainless adjusting as I went - at least on the passenger side. On the drivers side I think I'm going to end up missing that step and go straight to stainless just because the route is so constrained by the steering column.

If I was doing this more than once I would definitely just have bought the icengineworks kit(s) from Profusion or Fabco - I still find myself constantly tempted but I'm half way through now so don't really feel like sinking £400 into template blocks!

[ChrisP]

Well done, that's a heck of an achievement

[aaronjb]

Thanks Chris! The driver's side is going to be an absolute mare - the rear ports are even tighter to the footwell than the passenger side and there's a steering column slap bang in the middle of the way, but.. it's all doable (he says, trying to sound convincing)

[jon1d]

In an episode on Wheeler Dealer Plymouth Barracuda fitting a Hemi Ant fitted a triple jointed steering column to avoid the headers..Might be an option.

[KevinW]

I think there may be some pics in my gallery that might help, but ofcourse your column angle of attack is likely to be different.

Or maybe time the Digidash Phoenix rises from the ashes, and you use steer by wire using the power steering motor.

[aaronjb]

It's actually not too bad - I took pics of various Crendon's at Stoneleigh last year too, plus Chris's FE powered Dax, and it looks like either everyone's engines are lower than mine, or the footwells are taller (I know they are on the Crendon, from your car) so the steering column comes out much higher up and the rear three runners are all simply 'under' the column.

Swings and roundabouts really - my rear most port can run under the column, next port forward will snake over, and then the two forward ports are easily over the top. The footwell clearance is a much trickier prospect but it just requires some really tight bends out of the back two ports; fortunately I've already made the starter tube for the rear most port so just the next one forward to make and then join the dots!