Made pretty good inroads towards my “ Barrawannabe” engine cover.
After thinking about the different methods and materials to create this illusion, In the end, I chose steel.
And because I didn’t want it to weigh a freakin‘ ton, and because there are a lot of “compound this” kinda bends, and “ convex that” kinda bends, I decided to use 20 ga. steel.
I hate 20 ga. steel.
It doesn’t hold its shape, warps like a bitch when welding, burns through even easier, and gives me no quarter if I fck up.
And…I
up frequently.
Nonetheless, I had a buttload of this junk standing in my garage, and I wanted to see if I could make it work.
At the start of this day, Kate asks me what I’m doing now to my “ completed car”. ( Cause Summit boxes are showing up). I tell her that “I’m building a Barra engine cover”.
She says that’s stupid.
“What’s wrong with telling people about the engine that’s actually in the car….Didnt you say that a 2 JZ was……How’d you word it?…..” Legendary?””.
Even when I tell em that they’re looking at a 2jz, There‘s too many bone heads that don’t know that engine from any other I-6. If you’ll recall,…(Setting the legendary thing aside for a minute), How many times did people ask me if this was an inline 6 cylinder?
Not…Is This an Eco-Boost.
Not..Is this the engine that the car came with…
Not is that a 2JZ…..
And certainly….Not is that a Barra.
They couldn’t even tell if the cylinders were in a line, or opposed, in a V shape.
She glazes over, and exits the conversation.
When you look at the online comparisons between a Barra, and a 2JZ,…the 2JZ comes out on top. The Barra has oiling problems, The Barra has a disproportionate bore to stroke ratio, The Barra is gigantic, The aftermarket for a Barra in the US is nonexistent.
The 2JZ on the other hand,…has none of those issues.
But a Barra is made by Ford.
When you lift the hood on your Ford ( That nobody that attends these shows even knows what the car is, cause your’re already claiming it’s a brand and model that hasn’t existed now for over 50 years) but when you lift the hood, there is some reference to Ford on the valve cover..
People wonder... “Is this one of them “ Mad Max“ cars from down under?”
A Barra has the Ford Oval on its cam cover. A Barra came in those cars from down under.
Conversely, The cam cover on a 2 JZ has the Toyota logo on it.
If This engine cover makes it through the “ Do it twice Mike” vetting process,…I’ll probably install it.
And even if I do, Im not gonna say that I have a Barra in the car…I’m not gonna tell these people dick.
Unless they ask…” Is that a Barra?”
Then…..” Why yes it is”……
Behold the mighty Barra