Holy Grail Labs - M30B35 Intake Manifold Bracket

[tig]

Frankly, I don't know.

What I do know is that on B34s, the BMW engineers saw the need to provide two steel support bars up above, I addition to that small lower bracket. Then, on the B35, they got rid of the top supports and provided the very beefy cast aluminum support below.

My bracket, made of 1/8" steel will be far stronger than the thinner B34 lower support. I have attempted to fabricate it such that it directly replaces the cast aluminum part, but using steel.

I can only speculate why BMW choose to engineer such robust support. Metal fatigue from vibration? Protection against attempts to lift engine by intake? Who knows. It is likely over-engineered. I like that, and want my b35 to be as robustly engineered.

[tig]

UPS just notified me that the package from eMachineshop.com was delivered to my house about an hour ago!

I'll post pics & results asap!

[TheGraye28]

What happened to ASAP?!

[tig]

The UPS shipment was for something else. Tracking # still says 7/16.

[tig]

The prototype was home when I got back from DC yesterday.





This is why you make prototypes.



The angles are perfect, but I they made the bends in the wrong direction thus the offset is reversed. I'm pretty sure this is their mistake. I'm also not happy with the amount of overhang at the top. I will be making those tangs not stick out so much by making the distance between the bends slightly shorter. The strength of the bracket is exactly as I expected. The 1/8" steel is hefty. The machining work is high quality. These will turn out great!

[az533]

Thanks for all your work on this.

[1st 5er]

If it's not too late, I'll take a bare one please.

[Heathcliffe]

Ill take one! Lemme what know what I gotta do to confirm and pay. Thanks

[tig]

Quick update:

I submitted an updated design today. It turns out that the fact they bent it backwards WAS their fault. I didn't provide machinist notes indicating the part was asymmetric and they just assumed it was. They should have machined it precisely to my specifications which called for bends in a specific direction. Anyway, the good news is they are taking care of it and I got to tweak the design a little bit as well.

I'm hoping they'll expedite this second prototype order. As of now I won't get the part until 8/4.

I also figured out how to setup a little e-commerce page to handle orders using Amazon's checkout services (Checkout By Amazon). It literally took me 30 minutes and I have a page that will let you pick whether you want bare metal or zinc and quantity. You can then pay using your Amazon account. Once I have the parts in hand I will post up the link and start taking orders. I don't want to collect any money until I'm 100% sure the parts will work.

[1st 5er]

I also figured out how to setup a little e-commerce page to handle orders using Amazon's checkout services (Checkout By Amazon). It literally took me 30 minutes and I have a page that will let you pick whether you want bare metal or zinc and quantity. You can then pay using your Amazon account. Once I have the parts in hand I will post up the link and start taking orders. I don't want to collect any money until I'm 100% sure the parts will work.

Will you add me to the list, please?

[ch5588]

Hi,
Please count me in for one. Thanks a lot.

[tig]

I also figured out how to setup a little e-commerce page to handle orders using Amazon's checkout services (Checkout By Amazon). It literally took me 30 minutes and I have a page that will let you pick whether you want bare metal or zinc and quantity. You can then pay using your Amazon account. Once I have the parts in hand I will post up the link and start taking orders. I don't want to collect any money until I'm 100% sure the parts will work.

Will you add me to the list, please?

The list really provides a way for me to track interest at this point. If you want one of these, stay subscribed to this thread and when I post the ordering page, go to it and click.

But I'll keep updating the list...

[tig]

I got the revised prototype today (and emachineshop.com took care of the costs of making this second one since the problem with the first was really their fault).

A quick test fit on the old B34 shows that the holes are lined up perfectly. This weekend I will install it on the B35 and verify it's perfect. If that goes well then I'll be able make the final order by early next week and within 3 weeks the full batch should be here!

[Enchanter]

Please count me in for 1 if possible. Thank you -

[tig]

The prototype fits.

I need to make a few minor adjustments, that won't require another prototype. I will make the top holes 4mm shorter and reduce the overhang of the top tabs. I will make the lower tab about 2mm longer and move the hole down the same amount. I will make the bottom hole 4mm shorter.

[bkbimmer]

I'm curious as to why the bracket shown in the s
econd picture in this thread is not completely sufficient for its intended purpose? Looks stronger than what you mocked up as well, since its a straight piece of C-channel versus a bent piece of flat bar. I have had the B34 piece on my B35 manifold for years with no issues.

Never will be an issue unless you jump your car 50ft in the air.

[tig]

I'm curious as to why the bracket shown in the s
econd picture in this thread is not completely sufficient for its intended purpose? Looks stronger than what you mocked up as well, since its a straight piece of C-channel versus a bent piece of flat bar. I have had the B34 piece on my B35 manifold for years with no issues.

Never will be an issue unless you jump your car 50ft in the air.

I did that twice just this morning.

[tig]

I've decided to do a 3rd prototype order. I am not happy with a couple of things with the current design and fixing them correctly made me have to change geometry (the angle of the bends, length of the long side, and placement of the holes). While I was super careful and I actually used math (Actually, I cheated: http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculato ... eorems.php) I don't want to order the full order if there's any risk that I didn't get it exactly right.

Given eMachineShop didn't charge me for the 2nd prototype my costs will still be at such a point that the end-cost to all of you will still be in the $30/per range. The only downside is that it will be another 8-9 days from now until I can place the final order, pushing us to late August for availability.

Here's what the new design looks like.

The keen eye will notice that the holes are shorter all around, the long side is slightly longer, and the bottom tab is shorter. This will reduce the overhang at the top and make the bracket be more vertically oriented (handling the 'weight' of the manifold even more stoutly).

[tig]

Just got notification that the new prototype shipped today. Should have it Saturday...

[tig]

Sorry folks, but I'm going to have to do one more prototype. The latest version fits, but just barely. I need to move the lower bend up and shorten the lower tab.

I guess my trigonometry is not what I thought it was.



Thanks for being patient.

[tig]

Woo-hoo.

Got prototype # 3 today and it fits perfectly. Finally nailed it.



Test fit on a B34:


Installed on Vlad's B35:




I am not going to actually start taking people's money until I have the final units here. I need to calculate final pricing and will do so once I actually make the production order.

[tig]

I've ordered 50 units. When they arrive (approx 2 weeks) I will take half and send them for yellow/zinc plating.

I am configuring a website for ordering.

Once I have the parts in hand I will turn on the little web store I've created for ordering these and share it here.

[tig]

The brackets have arrived!



Art:


I will try to get the order page up and going tonight or tomorrow!

It will be another few weeks for the zinc plated variants.

Thanks for your patience.

[Rich in Tupelo]

For those that pre-ordered, any special notations on the order page? Or, should we paypal you directly (if so, please post paypal info)?

Thanks

[tig]

deleted.