Has anyone done a custom belly pan? If so, do you have any insight or pics of it?
Thanks,
Erik

 

Erik,

I posted about this on the "interior/exterior/audio" section. I have a flat CF peice that bolted up perfectly to my C-west front bumper. Got that sheet from VIS Racing.

The prob is, the sheet doesn't extend far back enough. I've tried, CF, plastic, and plexiglass, and they've all broken off whenever I've done my 140mph runs haha. So right now, I'm looking at trying to make a undertray out of some aluminum or sheet metal. It shoud look something like this hopefully.

 

looks good....wanna make me one :-D

 

yea...id buy it in a heartbeat...if it wasn't such a ripoff (sorry bulletproof).

I coulda SWORN i remember that exact c-west undertray being sold on both the bulletproof and rxecret7 websites for $350 a few months back. Rxecret7 apparently no longer has it (or it's just not on the website), and bulletproof is now selling it for $600+.

That's a hella lot of dough to pay for something that's gonna prob break on you in a few months, if not a few weeks. I'd rather stick to cheap materials that I won't cry over when they break (which they will). Undertrays are one of the most often replaced pieces...

 

Kazama makes a custom aluminum belly pan for FD's, not too bad on price either.

 

My man...can you hook me up w/ a link? I checked JT imports, RX7store, bulletproof, rxecret7, and no dice...

Thanks

 

http://www.optionimports.com/import-store/rx7fd3s.html

 

I built a custom under pan for my car. It seals a lot better because I formed it to seal very close to the radiator unlike the stock one. I can take some pics this weekend if interested.

 

Yea plz...I def. wanna see that.

glenrx7, I saw that webpage before. That's a protection tray just for the oilpan. I'm talking about a complete undertray from the front bumper back to the oil pan.

 

Damn that underbelly is pretty

 

I made one to match my CWest front end. Traced the front end onto aluminum sheet metal, and cut it . Had to do it in 3 pieces, but someone with better tools/skill could do it in 1 piece.

 

I'd be interested in buying one for a cwest kit

 

That looks like it only covers up the oil pan. It does not look like a replacement for the plastic under belly pan

 

Sorry Guys I saw the post and thought some one was looking for a shop that sell kazama parts ....

 

Man...you guys had my hopes up. If no one else makes 'em...anyone possibly up for a group buy if we could get someone to make one? (say RotaryExtreme maybe?) As much as I love CF, I don't wanna have to pay for this more than once, so I'd think aluminum would be the best/most durable option. What you guys think?

 

Thanks for all your help. I went to a local shop that does some of my work and they quoted me $500-$550 to build me one make out of some sort of sheet metal that can with stand high speeds. One that fits perfect to my Veilside bumper and that has inlets to direct air to my radiator and keeps it there. I'm thinking about doing it next month after I finish my single turbo set-up.
Thanks,
Erik

 

whats wrong with just buying the stock one? isnt it much cheaper than all these custom ones?

 

For one thing, it won't fit aftermarket bumpers, leaving you a nice big gap between the bumper and where the stock undertray normally would fasten to. Also, the stock undertray isn't completely flat from underneath (actually it's very irregular). For me, that's in aerodynamic issue, given I see 140mph+ almost every time I drive my FD...so you want the underside of the undertray to be as flat and smooth as possible...

RX7INSAC, wow...$500 is a big chunk of change. For that much, I'd get a guarantee from 'em that it will withstand such speeds. If not, they build it again for free...

Can anyone PLEASE explain to me what this is that I keep on hearing about regarding inlets/ducts to direct air to the radiator?

I thought the whole point of the undertray was to seal the engine compartment from underneath, so air entering the engine bay from the nose of the car remains inside, and is pushed upward (esp. if you have a vented hood), vs escaping right back down underneath the car (this is ignoring additional aerodynamic positives of the undertray).

So I don't understand why you'd have a inlet in the tray...I'd see air escaping from the inlet, rather than entering, given the force air is entering from the front of the car...

 

Ramy, if you really want one I can make one for you in a few hours. All it takes is a sheet of sheet metal and something to cut them with. Just outline the area it needs to cover and cut. Not very hard at all.

 

I'm working on this as well. I will be cutting these out of 4x8 sheets of probably 1/16" aluminum on our router at work. I'm in the process of getting the shape into my CAD system. When it's completed I will post pictures, and at that point I will put some costs together if people are interested. If there's a desire I could also create this out of other materials or thicker aluminum.
-Nic

 

Dan, I'm all over that

Broken09, I'm looking forward to the pics.

I wonder just how thick it would need to be to be sturdy enough to withstand both high speeds and minor bumps from potholes and what not...

 

IMO, a completely solid undertray would be bad for a car with the radiator located in the stock position. If you look closely at the scoops on the stock undertray, they are designed in such a way as to force air up towards the radiator.

I have a CWest front end, with a FMIC, but my radiator is still in the stock position, so I wouldn't want a solid undertray. The previous owner cut the stock undertray, so I've got about a 1.5" gap between it and the lip of the CWest front. Not ideal, but I still get the vents pushing air into the rad. FWIW, I noticed that my car ran about 2-3° C hotter without the tray.

 

My under tray is made from simple sheet metal and is secured at several points. Right now it flexes out at the bottom letting air pass between it and under the radiator. I'll be adding a bracket to prevent this. As far as all of these concerns on how it holds up I have had this duct on my car for one track event and another version (lesser design by previous owner) on my car since I got it 6 years ago. I've driven my car with both designs at very high speed. It really isn't an issue or something you need to over engineer.

I think if you make the under tray out of material that's too thick you won't be able to work with it as easily. Mine fits snugly around the radiator and inlet which isn't something the factory tray does.

It's a simple design that took a few hours to build. I don't see a reason to spend much on such a thing.

 

I figured you would be. It doesn't matter how thick it is, it's how it's mounted that matters. Im sure that if you mount it to the front bumper and the sub frame that that will be sufficient.

 

I'm planning on using a sheet of either .063 or .08 5052 aluminum. This will sturdy, but still maliable enough that if a small change needs to be made while mounting it will be easy to do, within reason of course. Need to put the car back together first before I can start making measurements. I'm leaning more towards the .080 thickness as it will withstand more punishment.