Another Interior Project

[RSR Racer]

I am just finishing up another build - converting my '87 Carrera to a twin-turbo. We tuned it on flex fuel by modifying the primitive factory Motronic ECU (but that is for another thread...). Safe boost levels are proportional to the alcohol content in the flex fuel which varies from 63% to 78% where I am. I can sometimes find real E85 which means even more boost! Since the Motronic is not programmable, I have a manual boost controller from my DP Motorsport 935 that I can set depending on the quality of the fuel.

So, wanted to find a place for both an alcohol meter as well as a twin lambda gauge to see what is going on in each side of the engine. Not a lot of spare space in a 911 so, decided to make some revisions to the center console.

This was the thought: stacked gauges with just enough space for the rear defogger and flasher switches. Came up with this mock-up:



It looked OK so decided to keep going with the plan. I had some 0.080" carbon fiber sheet left over so got to work cutting it and shaping it to fit:



Cutting this stuff is hell on the blades! After some final shaping on my belt sander it was time for a test fit:



Then time to butcher some hole saws:



and...another test fit:



The micro processors for the dual lambda gauge and the connections for the other meter took up a lot of space. More than what was available in the center console. That dictated a few mods to the piece.

I had to open up the console to get some additional space like this (my helper was not really impressed):



Plenty of room now!



Time to start assembling everything to see what else I missed. The panel came out decently and yes, that is real pre-preg autoclaved carbon fiber:



and fitted to the console with a little rubber trim to finish the edge of the panel:



Still had some scuffs in the leather to fix, check and fit all of the wiring and microprocessors, and do a test fit in the car. Before that could happen, I had to figure out where the huge DP boost controller would go.

More on that later!

[Bucketlist]

"I had to figure out where the huge DP boost controller would go."
Put it in its original spot... between and behind the front seats.
Mine was mounted in the dash when I bought the car but this didn't work well.

[flightlead404]

but..but...no place to keep your cassettes!

[Mocker]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

but..but...no place to keep your cassettes!

…or A/C knobs!!

[RSR Racer]

Originally Posted by Bucketlist

"I had to figure out where the huge DP boost controller would go."
Put it in its original spot... between and behind the front seats.
Mine was mounted in the dash when I bought the car but this didn't work well.

My DP has the full DP interior with the modified knee pads, integrated center console, etc. It was mounted in the vertical portion of the DP console. Kinda liked it up front.

[RSR Racer]

Originally Posted by Mocker

…or A/C knobs!!

No cassettes.... LOL Bit of history gone!

No AC knobs because, sadly, the AC compressor had to go to fit the gigantic intercooler.

Might try that electric compressor set up from the guy in the UK if I ever want the AC back. Also, if I ever want wifey in the car in the summer....AC is probably gonna have to happen!

[Mocker]

Yeah, it's hard to live in this part of the world with no A/C.

The PO of my 930 had a panel fabbed (leather, not carbon fiber) and moved the clock to the console, but I've been thinking of replacing the clock with an AFR gauge. It should be a relatively easy job.

How are you snaking the cables into the cabin?

[RSR Racer]

Before the center console could be finished, I wanted to make sure I could mount the boost controller without interfering with the installation or removal of the console. Since I do not need an ashtray in any car, that seemed like a good place to start.

After trying a few different methods of trying to mount the controller, I made up an aluminum bar that used the original ashtray mounting screw holes. The bar was drilled and tapped for studs to hold the 0.060" aluminum plate I made to secure the controller.

It took a bit of trial fitting to get the controller as high as possible to keep it out of the way of the console and allow the vacuum lines to be connected in the back. It looked like this:



Figuring out a face plate was a bit tricky. I wanted the mounting brackets for the face plate to be adjustable to be sure I could locate it flush with the underside of the dash. Came up with this:



Mocking up the face plate with a bit of cardboard to test the adjustability of the brackets and to see how it would look:



Then, off to cut some 0.100" carbon plate for the face of the boost controller console and another test fit:



Really did not want the boost controller exposed and all of the plumbing in plain sight so formed a 0.032" aluminum backing cover to fit behind the carbon face plate and cover the controller and connections. Test fitting the cover after a bit of adjustments looked like this:



That would do the trick! Just had to figure out how it was going to be mounted so it would not be too difficult to remove if I needed access to the controller. Added an angle for the front mount and made a bracket that attached to the existing cruise control computer mount for the back of the cover.



Time to cut some leather and finish up the cover:





And the final test fit to see how it was going to look:



Well, all for now...gotta go to work! More later.

[RSR Racer]

Originally Posted by Mocker

Yeah, it's hard to live in this part of the world with no A/C.

The PO of my 930 had a panel fabbed (leather, not carbon fiber) and moved the clock to the console, but I've been thinking of replacing the clock with an AFR gauge. It should be a relatively easy job.

How are you snaking the cables into the cabin?

The manifold pressure tubing comes from the vacuum check valve going to the brake booster on the engine, runs down the drivers side of the engine bay with the fuel lines to the center tunnel. Where it comes out of the tunnel we put a tee in the line to go the to boost controller.

We tee'ed the boost control tubing from both waste gates into one line and ran it up to the frame on the drivers side and then parallel with the manifold pressure line. Then snaked both lines through the tunnel and out the access opening on the passenger side of the tunnel at the front firewall. Then up under the dash. Not too bad once you take the shifter and heater control box out.

[Bucketlist]

This is how mine was mounted by the PO. Got lots of interest at the car shows but I didn't feel it worked well with the long hoses required so I moved it to the rear.

[krasuskyp]

more excellent work there from you as usual sir!

LOVE the backing cover... leather covered and all! HATE when folks just mount a thin plate and all the back bits are exposed - BLEH!

Nicely done...

[RSR Racer]

Originally Posted by krasuskyp

more excellent work there from you as usual sir!

LOVE the backing cover... leather covered and all! HATE when folks just mount a thin plate and all the back bits are exposed - BLEH!

Nicely done...

Thanks dude! Appreciate the support. Also feel the same way about having all the guts hanging out under a dash or gauge panel!

[RSR Racer]

With the boost controller console done, it was time to finish up this project. The knob of my boost controller was showing its 45 years of age so I decided to freshen it up a bit.

Put it in my glass bead booth and blasted off all of the black worn anodizing which left the knob with a nice natural aluminum matte finish. Then, since the car has blue stripes, added a bit of blue to the index slot on the knob. Once that was done, a bit of clear coat seals and protects the piece. Came out like this:



With the knob installed, it looked pretty decent:



Time to install the center console. The carbon faces on both pieces ties them together. Here it is before cleaning up the wring:



And finished off with my home made carbon and aluminum shift knob. Probably should get a pic of it all done w/o all of the wires and tools everywhere.



That's about it. The gauges and boost controller work great. I will get a pic of it all done and post at the end of the thread.

Now we just need to work out some bugs in the ECU tune to solve some light throttle drivability issues. But, at 725HP and 600 ft-lbs the new engine surly livened up my '87 Carrera.

[krasuskyp]

Originally Posted by RSR Racer

But, at 725HP and 600 ft-lbs the new engine surly livened up my '87 Carrera.

ROFLMAO... um errr uhhhh... ya THINK!?!?!?

Understatement lol.

Funny seeing the cruise control map sticker on lower dash, keep forgetting this is (was lol) a Carrera.

Finished results are STELLAR! Love it, you're right it all ties together quite nicely! Also a fan of natural metal finishes, great job on the knob - and love the touch of blue.

[gsxrken]

Your cars hit the lottery when you bought them.

I changed my oil last week and thought I accomplished something.

[RSR Racer]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

Your cars hit the lottery when you bought them.

I changed my oil last week and thought I accomplished something.

LOL. I hate changing oil. I do it, but modding them is so much more fun!

[krasuskyp]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

Your cars hit the lottery when you bought them.

I changed my oil last week and thought I accomplished something.

ha - funny... as did I! Great mindz. Front brakes next up! Didn't end up getting to them prior to our Club Motorsports outing last summer.

We need to gtg for a burn brutha...