Cheap Alternative to Cusco Aluminum Diff Cover and other FRS products!
 

Hi All,

I am looking to design and manufacture some parts for the BRZ and want to start off first with an aluminum diff cover; I think it will be a nice easy part to start off with. It will become a heatsink essentially while increasing the oil capacity.

http://photos.motoiq.com/MotoIQ/Indu...41920530-L.jpg

Cusco sells theirs for MSRP: $907.00 [Link Here]
I have setup a poll for if you have interest in this part or interested in another part.

I will however need the stock cover or the Cusco cover to get dimensions; so, if anyone wants to provide the part, you will receive a completed cover at no cost! I will need at least two other interested parties to begin the project. Once someone wants to make a deposit, I will create a vendor account so everything is done correctly.

Below are pictures of parts I have designed/machined:
[Some pictures are taken during progress]

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...25245305_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...78623344_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...21298933_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...68003575_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...60209167_n.jpg

Replacement engine room braces and matching strut bar similar to the SRT design. Lower front and rear tie bars, engine oil caps, caps for brake, coolant, and washer fluid resevoirs.

Ever heard of copyright infringement?

Hi, nothing wrong with any of your post except for this. Dupilcating something that has already been designed is essentially illegal. If you have "designed" parts before, pull your stock cover, start from there, and add what you think the car needs (extra oil capacity, cooling fins, who knows, maybe people would go for having a cupholder for when they are working under the car, that is the fun of designing), but please dont just duplicate someone elses well thought out design.

I don't get the mentality of people thinking that anybody that makes a part after one is already produced is "copying" it. The OP hasn't said that he is making an exact replica. It sounds to me like he is designing an "alternative". Read the title of the thread. Do you think anybody that designs anything for this car first looks at the OEM part or OEM dimensions? If they didn't, that would be damn scary.

Did Cusco copy the OEM diff cover? Do you think they looked at the dimensions of the OEM diff cover? Those bastards.

Look at all the exhaust manufacturers on the market. There are many that are almost exactly the same. Are they copying each other? Is that OK because it is an exhaust? If you don't like people making parts that are similar (even if they are an exact freaking copy) then don't buy it. I know alot of companies don't like hearing this that do R&D, but it's inevitable. Competition just happens in capitalism. Sorry.

Here in America, we call that Capitalism. Unless the Cusco design is patented, it will be duplicated and sold. Also, copying the stock part is just as bad. You are still copying on someone else's design. Either route taken, things can be altered along the way to make it unique.

The cusco unit is nice. But not $900 nice, unless you got a sponsored race car I don't understand the cost here.

I'm just being the devil's advocate here.

Who says I am copying it? I am very capable in designing my own parts. I just need one to make measurements (mounting holes, L/W/H for clearance, etc).

If there is an alternative to the Cusco part that is made in CA, especially if it is local to me, that is an option I would consider. That is all I'm saying.

Also, a rear differential mount brace wouldn't be hard to make...

I also recommend extending the heat sink portion down like this diff cover found on the Z3 M. We use this diff cover as an upgrade for the E30 M3 rear ends. This allows air to actually flow thrown the finned portion.

http://www.iemotorsport.com/mm5/grap...30difcover.jpg

I would be into it...

Id be interested. You can never have enough insurance for major mechanical parts.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2

All I was saying is, why do you nee dthe aftermarket one if you are designing one of your own. Use the stock one as a reference.

I said either one would work. But obviously the aftermarket one is already dimensioned close to maximum from hitting the subframe and other components nearby.

And secondly does it say I own a BRZ/FRS on the left hand column under my name?

I was thinking the exact same thing. The Cusco unit's cooling capacity is almost laughable because of how much better it could be.

However, to have hanging fins like that you would want to cast the part to be cost effective. I plan on testing a scoop to direct air into the fins.