Porsche 917 Rear Decklid Air Intake Tubes

[Parnelli917]

Help!  While there are 917's that have black air intake tubes, most are a semi-translucent, fiberglass affair.  I can't figure out how to accurately replicate this color/look for the model.  Any ideas??

[Cubicle23]

Clear PETG 3d prints very similar to that. By adjusting the surface and fill patterns along with the wall thickness I think I could get really close. That said we would need an .stl of the part to do it.

[Parnelli917]

Cubicle23 - Thanks for the response.  I'm afraid I'm not up-to-date on 3D printing (I'm an old fart).  Even though I used to work for a composites company (we had a Faro Arm and could have scanned to part into AutoCad using the Faro Arm).  Unfortunately, I don't have access to those guys and tools anymore.  I have toyed with the idea of winding white thread around a mold and applying baking soda and superglue.  Theoretically, it would harden into a piece that I might be able to file/sand into the right shape, but I haven't experimented yet.  Sometimes life gets in the way of model making time! What a shame!

[MikeH]

If there's some measurements and good photos of the part, I could take a swag at modeling it.  Planning on getting the 917 next (just got the last shipment of the Jag).

[keramh]

I would paint them white and dry brush them with gray or just brush them with very thin white and that should come pretty close to the original.

I did something like that on the cap of the jack on the Trabant kit and I think it turned out quite well.

[Franknstang]

The jack is very similar to the jack found in the Volvo 122S. I installed one the model last night. The style is very different from any I have had with American cars. My camper trailers had this style however at the hitch .

[Cubicle23]

On 1/4/2023 at 7:29 AM, Parnelli917 said:

"... the idea of winding white thread around a mold and applying baking soda and superglue.  Theoretically, it would harden into a piece that I might be able to file/sand .... "

This is exactly why this forum and other like it are so useful! I had never heard of this technique . Thanks for expressing your ideas about how to possibly replicate this, even if theoretical at this point. Once I get to this stage (I am behind in assembling my packs due to video production) I may try this.

[Cubicle23]

Today, I have reached the stage where these are included. Doing the whole inlet tube would be a bit trickier, but the "trumpet bell" is pretty straightforward. These are some test prints with a quick and dirty Fusion360 model. Not perfect for sure, but I think this will work out fine. Next version can be a bit slimmer with a better surface finish.

The yellowing on the last picture was me testing to see if I could "toast" the surface with a torch to get some yellowing effects.