You have a chance to see this unbelievable build in the metal in August.
There are few 3D-printing projects as ambitious as the one taken on by Sterling Backus. Four years ago, with only a 1:10 scale model and a big 3D printer bought from Amazon, he set out to 3D-print a Lamborghini Aventador SV. Now, after years of hard work, the project is finally coming to fruition.
Backus used polylactic acid (PLA) – a thermoplastic derived from renewable, organic sources – for most parts of the car. He widened the car by eight inches in the rear and four inches in the front, but he didn't 3D-print everything. PLA's glass transition temperature is not great, making it unsuitable for parts that get hot in Colorado summers.
To make the 3D-printed parts structurally sound, he encapsulated them in carbon fiber and used propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PMA) to chemically weld the pieces together. The top and bottom of the car are each three layers of carbon fiber.
Unbelievably, the body panels, door panels, rear engine cover, front fenders, and hood were all 3D-printed using a CR-10S printer, which was then replaced by a newer model by a company that saw Backus' Lamborghini video ad featuring his son. The interior parts were made from acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), a material widely used in the auto industry due to its excellent UV and weather resistance.
As for the frame, it's custom fabricated. The headlights from a real Aventador worth around $5,000 apiece wre donated by Lamborghini itself. Meanwhile, the windshield was from a Chrysler Pacifica minivan worth $4,000, and the glass was cut by a company called Chip Pros. The butterfly doors were the hardest part to make mechanically, but he managed to create real hinges with the help of a friend from Texas.
A lot of parts in the cabin were 3D-printed, as well, but the dashboard and door cards are all standard. The steering wheel, however, is from a real Aventador and contains the only Lamborghini badge in the car as a sign of respect for the company.
The engine compartment is a real one from an Aventador bought from eBay, but the engine itself is an LS1 V8 engine out of a 2005 Chevy Corvette from a junkyard. Meanwhile, the transmission is from a Porsche 911. The car's final weight is around 2,700 pounds, significantly less than the real Aventador SV's weight of under 4,000 lbs.
Obviously, the project isn't finished yet. Backus will have to get the panels ready for paint, work on the mechanics and electrical parts, and then the interior. This Aventador SV project is among the coolest 3D-printing works we've seen out there and if you're curious like us, you'd be happy to know that he plans to bring his work to a car show at Bandimere Speedway in Denver on August 13.
Keyword: 3D-Printed Lamborghini Aventador SV Is A Cool Project You Can Drive