Wicks' E46 M3 Build. Hertz 3-Way Set from Tony D!

[Wicks]

How about some random pics?

Anybody want to see an LED from a VM-1....up CLOSE?

How about 120x

BTW

The mystery box from Toolmaker needed some touch-up work so it was out at a shop this week.

Just got it back today and its lookin' sweet!

[SoundFreakk]

Stop teasing and show that piece already lol

[scooter99]

That's bullshit! Pics NAO!!!

[Wicks]

Stop teasing and show that piece already lol

That's bullshit! Pics NAO!!!

Do you guys always fast forward to the money shot?

It's all about the build up!

[scooter99]

Nah the build up is boring. Once you've seen penetration once, you've seen it 1000 times. It's all about how well she takes the shot! NOw let's see it!

BTW, I know you didn't go all weekend without working. Where are more pics!?!?!

[Kyblack76]

Nah the build up is boring. Once you've seen penetration once, you've seen it 1000 times. It's all about how well she takes the shot! NOw let's see it!

BTW, I know you didn't go all weekend without working. Where are more pics!?!?!

This......

[Trey_Dog650]

Nah the build up is boring. Once you've seen penetration once, you've seen it 1000 times. It's all about how well she takes the shot! NOw let's see it!

BTW, I know you didn't go all weekend without working. Where are more pics!?!?!

x3

[Wicks]

...and the crowd is restless.

OK, here ya go:

I needed to solder up another lug on some 1/0ga cable so finally got to break out my new map-gas torch.

No doubt about it, this stuff is much hotter than regular propane.

You have to be really careful when soldering with map-gas since it seemed to want to melt everything in its path...

Anyway back to the tilting amp rack:

My mini-fridge has come in handy.

At noon on Saturday I decided to crack into a cold one and help the creative juices to flow.

Kyle, you should like this one:

So I needed a top plate for the framework around the highs amp.

My amp has an arced endcap which I figured would also make a good shape for the framework around it.

Hmmm, looks like I'm getting a crash course on kerfing....?

Adding some cuts to my first attempt at kerfing.

Added a pile of wood glue and clamped it in place.

I didn't take a pic of it, but the first attempt failed miserably.

The moisture in the wood glue made the kerf'd panel warp in the opposite direction, kind of like a Pringle chip.

OK, on to the second attempt.

On this try I added some water to the board while it was clamped and left it overnight with the hope that the water would help reshape the board into the new curve.

Seemed to work. On Sunday I checked it and the board was mostly holding its new shape.

So this time I went straight to the Rage body filler and filled in the gaps.

When mostly dry I added some more to fill out the whole bottom.

Here's a test fit.

Not the prettiest, but not bad for a first attempt at kerfing.

Then I glued it to the rest of the framework.

I have a couple of squirrel cage fans for the 5K that I hadn't decided where to install yet.

I originally wanted to do something like Meade did in his Lexus where there was a fan(or two) by each trunk vent to push/pull air through the trunk.

I have similar vents but not quite enough trunk depth to really make it work.

Plus my fuse panel is mostly covering one of the vents so it wouldn't be too efficient.

Currently I have an open chamber underneath my sub-box that isn't used.

In the regular 3 Series Bimmers, this is used for a spare tire but since M3's don't come with spares, this is just an open space that was filled with a foam insert that contained an electronic air pump instead.

The chamber isn't quite large enough to add any extra batteries that would be worthwhile so I may be able to use it as an air buffer.

It is sealed off from other fresh air but just having circulated air across some electronics is enough to significantly cool them down.

I'm thinking about a push/pull situation where one fan will push air onto the amp and one will pull hot air away which will be circulated down into this chamber.

To mount the fans on the bottom of my sub-box, they needed some L-brackets added to them.

Another chance to break out the map-gas and the aluminum brazing rods.

Here's the modified fan.

I countersunk the L-brackets for some tapered screws and mounted the first one.

I have a video trying out the fan with a piece of tissue and it works pretty good, it does move some air for just a small slit.

If anybody is curious at seeing it, let me know. It's not rally worth uploading to YouTube for a quick 10sec video showing a tissue get pushed across my trunk...

...Ohh yeah.

My mystery Toolmaker box contained two custom pieces that work together.

I told you on Friday that one of the pieces was back from the shop getting some finishing touches.

On Sunday I added some more finishing touches to the second piece and it too is looking pretty good.

I'll unveil it soon don't worry, but right now is just a little too soon.

[WastedTalent]

Not sure you'll have any time to help me out with how much you doing to your own. Lmfao.

[scooter99]

I'd like to see the fans video. I'm trying to come up with something myself for fresh air and exhaust air.

Nice work on the kerfing btw!