[s-cars] FMIC revisited

[lschip at speakeasy.net]

I just helped Brian Powell put a Dawson-design Treadwell
FMIC on his 95.5 S6. Pizzo was even there to supervise the first
day (with a bottle of Fat Tire in hand), though he did strongly 
suggest that Brian and I join PipeFitters Local 282.

Brian is planning on writing up some notes on it, but he is 
in the middle of a move so it might be a while. 
I'll jump in since this thread is still going.

We were both virgins in this type of fabrication (I am learning
to TIG on an old machine I just bought) and we easily spent 3 full 
days figuring out where/how to mount it, making brackets, mocking
up the tubing with 2" PVC pipe, and cautiously cutting/welding the 
aluminum tubing. 
It's a big job if you don't have this type of experience. I 
have some skills and enough tools that I felt comfortable trying 
it - on Brian's car. I might be willing to hone my skills on 
someone else's before I do mine - any takers?...

We ended up mounting it to the bumper mounts (on the body) with 
some custom brackets, which turned out surprisingly strong.
We didn't have to cut the bumper, but we did move the steering
cooler (put in a small Summit cooler where the stock IC was) so the
FMIC could mount as close as possible to the A/C condenser.
It's a tight fit. The IC is pretty much touching the lower bumper
cover supports (not sure how the earlier cars differ). 
A 1/2" thinner IC would make it much easier, as would 1" shorter.

Brian said that he saw 2psi higher boost on his first couple
of test runs, but he hasn't had it on a dyno to compare (nor would
a dyno in CA compare very well to his previous dyno runs in Denver,
but that's another thread...)

I think Brian's comment, after 3 days in my garage alternately
freezing or breathing propane heater fumes, was something about 
034EFI/Aprikol kits looking like a bargain...

I have a few pics if anyone wants to see details (but you gotta 
ignore the weld beads - at least they hold air...)

Chip
'90CQ still with Steamboat bull bars, 3B gathering dust in garage