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View Full Version : Sill Protectors aka Rock Sliders fabrication



Pete38
1st October 2012, 08:09 AM
Hi All. Been out in Yalwal State Forest with the p38 and it went heaps well up Monkey Gum for anyone familiar with that area.

It got me thinking again about Sill Protectors, not because anything touched the sills but more that there were a few close calls and if it was more damp then things might have ended differently.

Originally I was thinking about manufacturing some myself, trying to relearn to weld seeing I haven't done it in years and even then it was not overly advanced.

So I head round to a fabricator that is a country neighbour/friend of the family who does a lot of fabrication and modifications of race cars. Just to give you an idea, he has been involved in a fair amount of design and fabrication of quite a few Ozzy open wheelers and go carts so he knows his stuff.

So I went round there to get estimates of prices to manufacture a set of Sill Protectors similar to the "rockrover" design but with a few small mods. Keep in mind the Rock Rover ones are $750 a pair and they never replied to tell me how much shipping was gonna cost so they lost my business.... Which was likely anyway with the cost of shipping.

I was pleasantly surprised to find he gave me a ball park figure of a maximum of $300 a side including material and fabrication. Thought this was quite good for a once of fabrication. This cost is based on I made the design and he just gives suggestions. Would cost more if I asked him to make them with no drawings or design.

I told him I would put this up on the forum when I got them made and he mentioned that if there was more interest he would set up a jig and the cost of production would come down a fair amount.

Now I am looking at getting these things made shortly so probably will just go ahead and get some made (and final product posted up here) but just putting it out there to see if anyone is interested in joining the prototype design and possibly reduced cost of multiple fabrications.

I'm based in Camden (South West Sydney) and so is the fabricator.

PaulP38a
1st October 2012, 11:06 AM
Dt-p38 and I are both keen to get them on our P38's and Andrew e (other half of Hard Range) has a pair that are 80% complete. Would be worth giving him a call or a PM.
He is not far from you.
Cheers, Paul.

Pete38
2nd October 2012, 09:53 AM
Thanks Paul. I'll get my ideas and drawings together and send something off to Andy for feedback or suggestions. Keep you posted though if I make any advancements or decide on any plans.

DT-P38
2nd October 2012, 01:04 PM
Thanks Paul. I'll get my ideas and drawings together and send something off to Andy for feedback or suggestions. Keep you posted though if I make any advancements or decide on any plans.

Yep I am interested too. Andy's ones were very sexy a lot like the rock rover ones. They would match in well with my other factory accessories.

glenhendry
3rd October 2012, 05:38 AM
I am interested too. In freight to Brisbane isnt prohibitive.

BusinessConnected
3rd October 2012, 05:52 AM
I'm keen also....
Located in Melbourne.... but travel to Sydney a bit for work...

Pete38
3rd October 2012, 07:10 AM
Bit interest by the sounds of it. I'll definitely follow this up. See if it's best I get the prototype made, then you all group buy copies if they work out well. Or maybe we go for a group buy straight up if the design is past around and agreed on. I should have something by next week with any luck and some better pricing.

Finishing is on top but I'm likely to paint them as its easy to touch up when i scratch them. And its cheaper than powder coating, but not as durable.

DT-P38
3rd October 2012, 09:43 PM
Copy the rock rover ones they are nice! However if it comes to cheaper... Let us know what the style is like. Try to steer clear of tube it doesn't sit well on the p38's mostly straight lines IMO.

Pete38
4th October 2012, 05:51 AM
Yeh I was thinking of going very similar to the rock rover ones but with some minor mods to stiffen them a little for the connection to the chassis. Main reason for the mods is they hang out as a cantilever a fair way from where they attach and have the possibility of 1000kg on them at there furthest point out, possible more if the car drops onto a rock.

FANTOM P38
4th October 2012, 09:00 PM
Ditto everyone else I'm also interested so will be keen to see final example.
Will keep an eye on posts or you can PM me once you have costs/sample ready to go. Thanks Martin.

UK_P38
10th November 2012, 08:54 PM
Did these get off the ground? I can put together some CAD models and drawings pretty easily if that'll help.... I want to make some square section sliders, that will be very subtle, just take the line of the sill...

FANTOM P38
11th November 2012, 11:05 PM
Still waiting on reply as to when something has been fabricated for us to see pics etc.
Hey UK_P38 which area of Melb are you based in maybe we can catch up for daytrip at some stage

Pete38
12th November 2012, 06:14 AM
Mine are still on the cards but they hit a lower priority. The design and material choices are made but gotta recheck all the measurements before sending em of to the fabricator.

Good you prompted me cause I'll likely go see the fabricator next weekend to have a chat.

UK_P38
12th November 2012, 10:11 PM
Still waiting on reply as to when something has been fabricated for us to see pics etc.
Hey UK_P38 which area of Melb are you based in maybe we can catch up for daytrip at some stage

Hi Fantom, I'm in the SE. Hoping to get my tyres sorted this week. Keen to get out for a shakedown soon. Where are you? Let me know when you are next heading out, I want to start off on the gentle stuff to build some mechanical confidence in the car (and me!)

Luke