Engine Brace product interest?
 

Hey all I am working at the moment to make a few products to sell on my website and I wanted to know if there was any interest in the FC world. Right now I am trying to get an engine Brace made for the second gens out of an aluminum rod and steel end plates. I was wondering around what price range you all would be interested in them? BTW incase you all remember my CAI's I am going to make some this summer for N/a's. If you want info just PM me or go to my site there is a link to it in my sig. There is a forum you all can use for tech questions and product questions so feel free to register and chat around with peeps about products and what not. :) Hopefully when my bud gets back in town I can have a prototype of the engine brace I am making. So shoot me ideas and price ranges. I am open to most ideas except composite parts like CF and fiber glass as I am not that good with them yet. But there are people on this forum that sell that kind of stuff so just get ahold of them. ;)

Santiago

Price depends on the quality of the product man :) Watch everyone click $30 cuz they dont want to spend much :)

You should ask "If it had this feature, or was made out of this metal, it would cost this much more" to properly gauge :)

Personally, I cant gauge it unless I look at the product, and look at the price, and calculate how worthwhile it is. :)

Also, will it have an optional engine brace? :)

EDIT: Allright! Beat my :) record! I have five :)s in this message :) (Not counting the edit, counting that, I have 9, I think) :)

Edit: My website will be down for the next hour or two for server maintenance guys so just post here or PM me for now I will post up again when the server is up once again. Sorry for the problems but I need to get some stuff fixed on the machine.


Santiago

It IS going to be an engine brace yo. :) It will likely be made of an Aluminumm rod/tube with steel mounting points/brackets. It will probably be around 1" thick at the aluminum rod part and I am hoping to use 1/4" steel for mounting brackets. I might try to get anodized aluminum for that "stylish" look along with function. I will also try to get some rubber parts for the mounting points to "dampen" the shock and maintain noise at a minimum. If you have further questions post up by all means. I will return around 6PM CST


Santiago

i'd definitely pay $30 for it, but i don't see that happening. i've actually been waiting a long time for someone to make one of these. if it's a quality product that works and is easier to install than the racing beat unit, i would pay anywhere between $50-100 for it.

Well I would try to maintain high quality while not making it too expensive. Instalation would likely be 3 bolts/nuts and the brace itself. Would probably take 15--30 minutes. My personal price goal is 45 dollars for a non anodize one and 55 for one that is anodized.

well the RB torque brace is 65$ i think, so 55$ would be a good price, im assuming you mean the same thing as the RB brace. from what ive read those braces are very good and make a difference but i dont think they have been all that popular for whatever reason. but hopefully now that people know its a weak point that can be easily and cheaply fixed you could sell alot i bet. get some prototypes up and youd be able to gauge interest a bit better i think. i am interested as i was planning to buy one from Racing Beat in a few months when i get my project back on the road.

Ok I just got word that I can anodize but I need to know what colors you all want. ;)

make one and put some pics up and that should help with the responses :p

as for colors i think uh black is good :)

I have to order the dye so i'll see how soon I can get these into prototype state. ;)

i'd like to have a silver or blue one. like the cusco type of blue.

Blue to match my factory paint ;)

Ok today I am going to see what can be done with the materials I have already and I will get back to you all later tonight. I might take a pic but the prototype would not have a "proffesional" coating on it like anodizing/powdercoating so it won't look too nice.


Santaigo

Is this a BLING addition? Or is it functional?

It would be made to actually function but look nice too. I am going to try and setup a measurement for engine/tranny movement and measure before and after installation. :)


Santiago

You might want to just make it from aluminum or stainless tubing & let those who want colors do their on powder coat thing.
http://208.62.166.66:82/guest/pics/9... STB + TBs.JPG
http://208.62.166.66:82/guest/pics/9...isolator-s.JPG

Just getting a pair of red X's but yeah I may just do that or a "polished" finish which normally goes with most schemes. I am just really excited about anodizing stuff. Its a really neat process although $$$ if you mess up your parts lol.


Santiago

Sorry about the dead link.
I'll look at it tomorrow.

they woik now. :)

um call me stupid but is that little steel rod supposed to be an engine brace in that FC turbo pic?

Mine will be a larger(much) than that. But yes.

Yup - crude, but effective home made (stainless steel) torque brace.
I figure a 400HP launch would bend it, but I don't plan on going over 250.

I don't want to make any promises but from what I am seeing 45 dollars for the engine braces is going to be a 'doable' price range. I found a good and consistant supplier of 3/4" rod that has good prices so I just have to get ahold of my friends' FCs and see that it fist on theirs because my car is STRIPPED of basically everything luxury. Any feed back on a price tag of 45 for a finished product which good to excelent quality? I know its really tough without a pic or any data yet but I am confident that I can make this work.


Santaigo

Would you guys want rubber bushings or not? Thats the only part that I have not sourced out yet. But I can if the majority of you all want them.

Santiago

I think that's kind of a must unless you have some other way of dampening it. Also you may consider seeing if there is anyway to make it adjustable at all...like how some strut tower braces have a threded link on the end so you can get it to fit perfect. Just food for thought.