Houses will absolutely be 3D printed. Doesn't make sense at all to use the current wood structure when we have way more rock to make concrete homes from.Wanna see a really BIG 3d printer??
3D printed Intakes and other items coming for every 348-409 application.
- Thread starter 1964SuperStocker
- Start date
A couple questions have come up about the use of Carbon Fiber Nylon parts durability and use. Nothing is perfect and just as every other part on cars, trucks and planes, you test until you are convinced it will work. Then while selling that design you work on a new design. Then while the new design is selling you make a new design. Being the first in line to make 3D printed parts for 348-409 engines is a tall order because you guys are way smarter then those FORD kids. 
LOL! All joking aside, I have to make tons of considerations for any one of these products to come to market. I am consulting engineers, engine builders, old timers who have forgotten more than I'll ever know. This is no small undertaking and it has to run on my cars before it will be sold to anyone else.
Timing covers: A design that allows the timing chain cover to stick to catching oil and create other support structures when needed (as many people do with their water pump as a solid back stop) to give any additional support if its is needed. A small bridge over the top of the timing chain cover (made from whatever works) could be made to handle anything a roller cam could throw at it and be adjustable so you can set your desired depth. Either way, these steps have been done with roller cams for ages by thousands of engines builders. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, just applying a new material and manufacturing process to the market to help these cars shed some weight and help keep them around for another year or century. The cover it self would never need to carry any of the load. That would be like expecting a road to carry the bridge it sets on when the bridge should be doing the work of holding the road as the road attends to its duties. There was some mention of the billet timing covers in another post so here is mine vs my carbon fiber nylon timing chain cover. 2lb 10.1oz difference between them. Any supporting structure/adjustable button will add maybe another 3-5oz.
LOL! All joking aside, I have to make tons of considerations for any one of these products to come to market. I am consulting engineers, engine builders, old timers who have forgotten more than I'll ever know. This is no small undertaking and it has to run on my cars before it will be sold to anyone else.Timing covers: A design that allows the timing chain cover to stick to catching oil and create other support structures when needed (as many people do with their water pump as a solid back stop) to give any additional support if its is needed. A small bridge over the top of the timing chain cover (made from whatever works) could be made to handle anything a roller cam could throw at it and be adjustable so you can set your desired depth. Either way, these steps have been done with roller cams for ages by thousands of engines builders. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, just applying a new material and manufacturing process to the market to help these cars shed some weight and help keep them around for another year or century. The cover it self would never need to carry any of the load. That would be like expecting a road to carry the bridge it sets on when the bridge should be doing the work of holding the road as the road attends to its duties. There was some mention of the billet timing covers in another post so here is mine vs my carbon fiber nylon timing chain cover. 2lb 10.1oz difference between them. Any supporting structure/adjustable button will add maybe another 3-5oz.
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So much going on. I now have a high-end flow bench, SF-600 (does way more that I could have dreamed of) to start building empirical evidence on every 348-409 item I have and anything anyone wants to loan me. Clearly my main focus is to get my 3D printed parts flow specs so I can make any needed adjustments and have a base line to advertise vs what is already available. As soon as I get the dual quad/single plane intake flow tested vs an 881 and maybe a few others then I'll post up the numbers. Its going to be a few months of work. First things first to get the flow bench wired up, should be complete by this weekend. With everything I picked up from the head porting business I bought out, I can pretty much port/flow all big block/small block: Ford, Chevy, Pontiac, Mopar including Hemi heads. Thankfully I have been building a friendship with my engine building machine shop for 25+years, they have been so helpful going through all of this stuff with me to ensure I don't misplace anything. I've been dreaming of owning this kind of equipment where I get to geek out on flow numbers on the 348-409 and Z11 engine family. I can't wait to play!
Which one do you have? I have the Edelbrock C68 with the Stromberg 97 three stud carbs.
