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Fluid MotorUnion's Long-Overdue Build Thread: Project X, Start to Finish.

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  • #46
    Only thing i dislike is under the headlights could use something to make it flush with the massive bumper, other then that its fucking sick

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    • #47
      nice monster.. but I love the 7 way more... would like to see that build thread


      Instagram: dankasrz_s666

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      • #48
        Originally posted by FluidMotorUnion View Post
        Made a mistake earlier. This X5 obviously does not have the 3.0, it has the 4.4.

        Herp derp, guess I need to think before I type.


        My cardboard signs says

        "Will forgive for updates"
        Strictly Pleasure/Zero Clearance/Stretch Your Legs
        Alex

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        • #49
          Wow!!!!!!!! I love everything about this... in for more for sure

          Contact me if you are interested in DPE Wheels edafe@dpe-wheels.com

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          • #50
            in for more epicness! now this is how an x5 should look like!
            sigpic

            Follow me on Instagram! @cskzero

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            • #51
              Chapter V: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Rack)

              We have reached Chapter 5 in our 8-part build thread for Project X. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at Project X’s custom roof rack. We started out by constructing the two main components of the roof rack – the stronger, larger lower bar, and the mounting brackets to hold that bar to the X5 itself. The larger bar, as with the front bumper, was bent in house. The brackets, however, were cut from the CNC mill. After placing the brackets and drilling the mounting holes, we put the bar through the brackets and came out with this:




              Since we wanted to add some height to the roof rack, we chose to go with a second bar placed above the first. The upper bar would be smaller in diameter and in all other dimensions as well, giving the roof rack a bit of a tiered, layered look that continued to add height to an already-tall vehicle. So, just like the other bar, we bent up our bar to fit on the rack:



              We slid the second bar into the smaller holes on the mounting brackets (which, surprisingly, is a lot harder than you’d think), and then set about fabricating two mounts at the rear of the roof rack to hold the back end of everything together firmly:






              After placement was finalized, we added some cross-members for support and set about welding everything together. After all, it will add structural rigidity to the roof rack. Besides, there isn’t a need to disassemble the roof rack at any point anyway. If you thought welding was awkward with a single piece of pipe, try welding a hundred-pound-plus structure that needs to be constantly rotated and moved around. Team work makes the dream work, folks:




              As always, the welds turned out rather pretty:




              And once the welding was complete, we have ourselves a fully complete roof rack.



              But wait! It’s not complete yet. Since the new wheel/tire setup came with a full-size fifth, and since that wheel/tire combo isn’t able to fit in the X5’s normal spare-tire location, we set about constructing a tie-down (screw-down?) on the top of the roof rack. A few more welds later, here we have it:



              And here’s a project update for ya. With the Big Three complete in terms of fabrication, we put everything on the X5 to ensure fitment once again (can you tell we like triple-checking everything?), and snapped a quick picture.



              With the heavy-hitting metalwork out of the way, the time has come to start working on the details, the little things that will make Project X go from a head-turner to a neck-snapper.

              www.fluidmotorunion.com
              www.stanceworks.com



              Originally posted by Oxer
              I'm pretty sure I will molest any exhaust systems you leave lying around

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              • #52
                This is awesome
                IG: @OsakaFlocka

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                • #53
                  As a Wrangler owner, this tickles my private parts.

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                  • #54
                    I frikin love it. Would be so awesome if you guys upgraded the drivetrain to make it match the mean looks.
                    I haz 4 wimz. need 4 more.

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                    • #55
                      yous should lift it more and put bigger tyres on

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                      • #56
                        Looking good

                        Contact me if you are interested in DPE Wheels edafe@dpe-wheels.com

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                        • #57
                          keep up the good work...great built

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                          • #58
                            id take an x5 looking like this any day

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                            • #59
                              Chapter VI: The Devil’s In The Details, Part I

                              With the big stuff out of the way, there’s certainly no slowing of work on Project X. After all, there are still plenty of details to work through. First, we’ll start with the lighting situation. After installing the front bumper, we knew there was too much open space on either side of the radiator shroud. Given the theme of the car up to this point, we realized that the best thing to eliminate that open space would be a set of Hellas. Not only will they fill out the look of the front fascia, but they’ll also be helpful in the event we end up as part of a search party, or scout for a rally course.






                              From there, the last detail of the front bumper remained – the skid plate. We knew that we could just tack on another piece of steel and say, “Hey, that looks pretty okay.” But pretty okay isn’t in our dictionary. Thankfully, ‘awesome’ is, so we set foot on that track, and came up with a trick little skid plate for Dick Cook, the man to whom the X5 would be going. And it looks pretty darn cool. Sadly, you can only really see it when the car is at rest, and you’re underneath it, but he and we know it’s there, and that’s what counts.





                              At this time, we prepped the pieces to head out to the powdercoater, and they disappeared for a few days. In the meantime, though, we began prepping the exterior for its new paint job. As always, our Romanian superhero Luci was on the task!





                              The color we whipped up for Project X was a custom blend that we named “Feldgrau,” after the color used on German artillery tanks. We wanted to keep a heavy-duty German theme going with this car, so what better way to do that than with German Field Grey paint? To make it seem even more rugged, it wouldn’t be a pearlescent paint job at all – it was going to be matte. Badass things don’t care about reflecting light.



                              And so Project X shuffled into the paint booth, where Luci started applying one of the more visually striking parts of the vehicle’s exterior.



                              The upcoming (and penultimate) chapter in the story of the X5 is coming soon, where we apply the finishing touches to the exterior and prep it for its eventual release onto the highways of southwest suburban Chicagoland.

                              www.fluidmotorunion.com
                              www.stanceworks.com



                              Originally posted by Oxer
                              I'm pretty sure I will molest any exhaust systems you leave lying around

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Definately subscribed!

                                Got any pics of it muddy?

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