OppoQuestion: How do "shaved" engine bays work?

"Fred (FreddsterExprs)" (freddsterexprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:16 • Filed to: Shaved, engine, bays, Speedhunters, W108, Question

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So Speedhunters featured this nice !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Pretty cool, and the engine bay is proper showcar stuff. Now here's my question: how does this shaving and cleaning the engine bay of everything non-essential thing work? There must be a reason why the factory needs all of that space, so where do the other parts go? Does it only work with specific, simple engines? Or does such a showcar become utterly useless for daily driving if treated like that?

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I'm not an expert on the technical stuff, so if in doubt, explain it as if you're talking to an idiot.

Brian Silvestro > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:17

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I've wanted to know this as well.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Brian Silvestro 07/29/2014 at 16:18

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I'm so glad that I'm not the only one without a clue. I never could get my head around how this sort of stuff would work.

EL_ULY > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:20

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Kids used to pay me to do them on their Civics. Everything out, send it to body shop. Do various tucking techniques when going back, charge them $300 for my part :]

505Turbeaux > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:22

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just relocate all the extraneous crap. radiator alone like that makes an overflow bottle unneeded. Mechanical fuel pump drags it in under the fold. No computers, no nothing. Battery and such is all relocated, though in that car it was in the trunk anyhow

bob and john > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:22

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ehh, the best explination i can thing of is simply manufacturing. sure, a auto maker CAN do this...but its so much easier to assemble and maintain a car with everything out there, and given how so few people actually open the hoods of their car, why bother? now they just slap on a couple of plastic panels and call it a day.

PowderHound > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:23

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MonkeePuzzle > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:23

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easy, relocated everything; under the dash (good for fuse boxes, and brake distribution block), then hide all the wiring for headlights inside the fenders, hide as much wiring as possible behind the engine (easier with a carb than fuel injection), skip A/C, and tuck the radiator under the bumper like a front mount intercooler. fill all the holes, repaint.

I imagine working on such cars if you have an issue is a pain, and tracks don't allow brakes to run through the cabin. so its about looks not functionality. Honda-Tech has a pretty extensive thread on such things, http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php…

I imagine similar threads exist over on VW Vortex

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > 505Turbeaux 07/29/2014 at 16:24

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So the radiator is different than stock? Good to know. Battery and various liquids are relocated, right, makes sense.

crowmolly > EL_ULY 07/29/2014 at 16:25

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Tucking?

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > bob and john 07/29/2014 at 16:25

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True, but even in the old times the engine bay looks so much busier. That's how a factory V8 in an W108 looks:

GhostZ > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:25

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When a manufacturer sells a car back then, they have holes drilled for all of the engine options and interior options. Classic example is for AC vents and things like that, in cars that don't have AC. They also have mounting points for all of their engines.

For example, even 6-cylinder Dodges could bolt in a 426 Hemi, because they all used the same engine bay, but with different mounting points.

Additionally, body panel bolts are often cheap and protruding into the engine bay for utilitarian reasons, sometimes they will replace or reposition these bolts to somewhere more aesthetically pleasing.

Shaving the engine bay is essentially removing all of the bolts, mounting points, and holes for options that your car doesn't have. Sometimes, this includes stuff that the car came with but modern technology doesn't require anymore.

MonkeePuzzle > MonkeePuzzle 07/29/2014 at 16:25

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many sacrifices are made, loss of A/C and power steering in most cases, and certainly loss in ease of use. Battery relocated and fuse box in inconvenient spots. But I see no reason you can't daily drive such a car. and I've certainly seen very tidy engine bays that retained all the modern conveniences, just more effort, or a little more piping showing.

miadaman? yes please > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:26

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The same way when I need to clean the house I presume. Tug wires, move relay box indoor, hide battery in trunk, no CC, no ABS, no clutch, I have no idea.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > MonkeePuzzle 07/29/2014 at 16:27

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Thanks for the link and the great explanation!

bob and john > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:28

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yea. see how easier it is to just drop that stuff in? now, imagen you have to hide it all. where is it going to go? why bother hiding the washer bottle under the engine or something when you can just drop it in and do some simple wiring?

tucked engines look cool, dont get me wrong. but its a bit of a head ache tracking down wires and stuff if you need to fix something.

505Turbeaux > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:29

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oh yeah that is just a generic radiator right there, chosen for the top neck location I am sure for a nice clean run from the tstat housing

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > bob and john 07/29/2014 at 16:30

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Oh, no doubt about the inconvenience. I personally would never consider a tucked engine bay - why bother how it looks under the hood? It's a machine after all.

Still kinda impressive though.

EL_ULY > crowmolly 07/29/2014 at 16:30

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umm...

....

...

...YES :]

CAR_IS_MI > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:36

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With a big razor...

bob and john > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:39

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that is EXACTLY the mindset manufacturs have. and given how 99% of the drivers are mindless dolts getting from A-B with a starbucks in one hand, its not worth the extra cost and what not to hide the wires, as clean as it is.

RazoE > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 16:49

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You can tuck most of the wiring in the fenders. Don't need power steering? Toss it all out, same with the A/C, etc etc.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 17:02

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I don't really know how they do it but man can it ever look good. Check out this 300ZX this is probably the best example of a shaved bay I've seen.

DanZman > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/29/2014 at 18:22

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Shaving all the extra holes and cleaning things up is the easy part. Its relocating all the non essential stuff thats the hard part. Often people put the battery in the trunk, move fuse boxes to inside the front fenders, reroute lines out of view, etc. This can be done with more modern cars/ engines too. But it is alot of work. It should all still work as a daily driver... until something goes wrong. Then its a lot harder to diagnose/ repair. Here is an S2000 with shaved engine bay for example of a modern car doing this. If you want to learn more about it you should google "wire tuck".

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BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/30/2014 at 07:29

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Probably easy of assembly and then ease of maintenance.

Oh, and what's the point in swapping in a Chevy smallblock and then sticking Mercedes badges on it?

Smallblock swaps are so damn unimaginative, although the fitment on this is nice.

Tedious, but well done.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 07/30/2014 at 07:33

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To confuse people. And honestly, I love LS and smallblock swaps. If the engine is cheap and makes reliable power, why not? To quote Woody Allen: Whatever works.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/30/2014 at 08:22

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I can see the appeal, and they make lots of logical sense, but they just leave me sort of...uninspired.

Someone could have spent a little more thought and a little more work into sourcing a different engine, and come out the other end with a car that's different to any that have come before it.

It doesn't matter if someone's just looking for cheap speed. There's no easier or cheaper ways to do it in the US, but if someone's looking to make a car to impress. A car to show off. A car to do nothing but look nice, it adds a little something extra if they can choose an engine that's not often chosen.

Just my personal opinion of course :)

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 07/30/2014 at 08:29

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Yeah, I get what you're trying to say. If every car would have a LS3, where would be the surprise factor be?

To be fair, in Germany LS and small block swaps are rare. And by rare I mean one car in 500.000. So the appeal is there for me just because it would be super rare.

If I was to build a W108 showcar, I would drop in the full chassis and technology of a current W222 S-Class. The perfect blend of style and modern driving comfort.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/30/2014 at 08:51

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Yeah, same here in the UK, but because a lot of global car culture (especially in the media) comes from the US I just see them as common.

Actually, as a rule I tend to prefer in-company engine swaps. There are a few exceptions (for some reason I like LS-swapped MX-5s), but they're few and far between.

That utterly modernised W108 sounds fantastic :)

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 07/30/2014 at 09:00

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Aren't you UK guys blessed with Japanese imports? It seems like there's a big following of all things JDM over there, at least that's what the media coverage suggests.

I guess the fact that both Japan and the UK have the steering wheel on the wrong side helps quite a bit :P

LS miata is awesome. The modern Cobra. And should I at some point make serious money, I'm committed to start my company that modernizes oldtimers and makes them perfect Daily Drivers.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 07/30/2014 at 09:35

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As a whole we are, but I'm not part of that crowd :S we do get a lot of I like classic Brits and Italians as a rule, the former at least are plentiful :)

I do love a modernised classic. My current favourite is a Jaguar AJV8 in a Triumph Stag. Should make for a bonkers little vehicle :)