Many decades ago I coined this phrase:
"Let the Parts Fit the Car..Not the Car Fit the Parts"
Especially when I saw my friends cut up their lovely cars to fit all kinds of go-fast parts (turbos, superchargers etc) during the crazy tuner times of the '90s and 2000s.
I've always had a pretty good mind where I can visualize a bracket from flat stock and can cut it, shape it, bend it to whatever and then support it using ONLY the factory holes or mounting points on the car. I never drill a hole let alone take an angle grinder to the car..once that's done it is near impossible to reverse (the damage is done!).
I'm sure many of you are the same and have better talent but I do enjoy this type of work and fabrication. I really enjoy working aluminum and stainless. I've helped lots of friends over the years making these widgets for them and it has been fun. So thought I would share.
My latest project is a BMW Dinan turbo sharknose (E24) project I won off BaT last year (over-represented by the seller) and I'm in the process of making it cool again.
I always start with cardboard and then go from there.
Here are some pictures:
Lower Intercooler bracket (completely missing when I bought the car):
Brackets to support the AFM (when I bought the car the AFM was flopping around and poorly supported):
A bracket with some neat geometry to protect the front sway bar bushing from exhaust heat:
And some brackets I made up to properly support the aftermarket plug wires using the valve cover bolts:
Cheers!
Yasin