Cutting out engine cover
 

I’m swapping an Audi V8 into a fully caged car and am thinking of cutting out the engine bay surround and installing an aluminum firewall behind the seat that goes all the way to the fiberglass top. This would allow me to access the engine without removing it. I’m confident I could get the firewall sealed up and I have four back bars (two tied into the shock towers and two tied into the frame rails so I don’t think I’d loose rigidity). What do you guys think, am I off my rocker here?

:cheers:

Did that for mine. I'd never not do it again. it makes working in the engine area much easier.
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What in the world is going on here!? I love it! Do you have a build thread for this? Where did you get the transmission adaptor? I noticed you cut out the support that sits between the engine bay and trunk. Did you add anything to compensate?

Yes! It's right here, right next to your in the Boxster Racing section: http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-racing-forum/73840-joining-porsche-family-track-rat-style.html

Basically, it's a Maserati-Ferrari F136S. The adapter was custom made by Kennedy Engineered Products, in central CA.

I sealed my back section off. I used plexiglass but I don't' think that would pass race car tech inspection.

The hardest part in sealing off the back section of the car is the weird shaped gap where the mechanisms for the convertible top normally reside. Its the void right next to the seatbelts.

Not too proud of it, but I used expanding foam to fill this void. I put painters tape on the underside of hard top. Installed the hard top completely. I cut some cardboard backings for the foam to fit against. Then sprayed the foam. The tape keeps the foam from sticking to the hard top, but allows it to press firmly and make a good seal.


To seal under the factory roll bar I just welded in a piece of sheet I had leftover from a trashed frunk lid I had laying around. Easy peasy. The aftermarket cage you have should be just as simple.


Then I cut some plexi to fit from that piece of sheet to the bottom of the hard top. I topped that plexi off with some D channel weather stripping.


I did make my panel or box out of angle iron, so rigidity isn't even a thing for me... if anything its more rigid than stock.


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pics from the front with the new plate I made from some scrap steel.

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Hey wiz, when you cut out the back side of the engine bay, did you notice any stability issues? It looks like there's a structural brace that runs along the engine bay side of the back firewall there. I'm thinking about cutting into this for some"light mods" but didn't want to mess with it if it's structural

You are correct, there is a structural brace in between the engine bay and trunk. I did cut the structural support out, but if you look in the photograph I posted, I added two new ones. One is the engine cradle, it goes under the engine and all the way from one frame rail to the other. Same for the trans mount, it goes all the way across. Both mounts bolt solidly to the frame rails. I'm pretty confident I've increased the structural rigidity overall. If you're not planning on adding any new braces, I wouldn't mess with it, though.

Truegearhead, what have you decided to do on your car?

I cut out a portion of the back sheetmetal where the engine cover attaches and am now trying to work on re-fitting the cover. Leaning towards using the front piece of the old cover and add a larger piece to the rear.

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I cut everything out, so my only option is making a new firewall that goes all the way to the roof which I’m in the process of. Not a great solution for anything but a track car.

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