Our Vehicles Value And Or Parts We May Need

[Bruceynz]

Ok the top door mouldings that crack, I have talked to a fitter turner friend of mine, he thinks that the top door mouldings can be folded up out of steel and some end caps welded in, then we get some 3M DI-NOC (Bubinga looks quite nice), we then cover them in this, its rated at 3-5 years outside, so if you keep your car out of the direct sunlight when not using it should easy get much longer. So I am going to go down that road and see how I get on making some. Will keep you posted, if works out well how many other people would be wanting them?

See You
Bruce

 

[kkritsilas]

That is one way to go. The door top panels (DTPs for short) are mostly flat, and their edges are fairly regular, almost like a wide bevel. Metal would be one way of doing it, mitred plywood or mdf might be another. Only concern with metal is getting a good bond between it and whatever is used on the top layer, as metal bonding onto other materials (aside from welding) doesn't tend to last for too long. If somebody could come up with a paint technique that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to do, that would be another way to do it, and it would last longer. Any wood based approach to the DTPs would have a better bond, most likely. I'm nowhere near addressing that on my two cars (the Red CMX has red DTPs, and they are fine), but I think I will run this by an automotive interior shop, and/or a carpenter when I get to it. My guitar building buddies have already volunteered to do the veneering.

Kostas

 

[furyfrank]

N.O.S. will almost always be high priced, unfortunately. With places like Brads, GLNOS, Mitchels, etc. figuring they wont sell many but if they are the only game in town and someone HAS to play...well.

The aftermarket doesnt see the value in reproduction parts for the FMJ since they dont see the completed/restored cars bringing the $'s the E and B bodies have. I've spoken with a couple of them and thats the jist of the conversations.

I've checked on the tooling costs to just make a lower 1/4 patch panel. Its insane unless I off-shore it and deal with the extended back and forth when it inevitably isnt correct, doesnt fit right and in the end its not that much cheaper. I certainly cant afford the potential loss of a 6 figure outlay to get it up and going. When selling over 1000 pcs is the break-even...gulp...Its well beyond my comfort zone.

When I get my hands on a car to part I try to save every piece thats good/useable, not just sheetmetal and other steel parts. Every nut and bolt, clip, clamp, cable, screw and bracket. Bag it and tag it! Who knows what odd-ball part someone (or myself!) might need. There are literally hundreds of labeled boxes/containers on the shelves of my shop, shed and garage.

I get more looks when I'm out and about in my 76 Aspen wagon daily driver than I ever imagined I would. People coming up to me in parking lots telling me about the one they rode around in when they were a kid. Of course I would rather they didnt say things like "Oh, my grandfather had one just like it"...that doesnt do well for the ol' ego, does it? :sad1: :icon_biggrin:
I have yet to see another F wagon on the road here in Phoenix. I know one guy who has a gorgeous red 78 V wagon but he doesnt take it out a lot.

Sorry if I got to rambling...:sleepy1: :icon_biggrin:

Hi Jim
Sometimes me and Jim compete for cars, I have talked with him quite a few times and enjoyed it. My big question is what about 3D printing, I have seen some of it and thought it might be possible to make a grille and other parts on one .

 

[Bruceynz]

ok will see how we go, I used some carbon fibre di-noc onto aluminium and it stuck well. Anyway if I can get it to work will look alot better than a cracked piece of plastic, all we need is a few more people to make some parts and we will have everything we need.

 

[kkritsilas]

I know some have tried to re-glue the cracked DTP's in the past. They did glue together, but then they cracked in other places. I think the plastics used at the time that our cars were built couldn't stand up to long term UV exposure, and they became brittle over time and cracked where there were internal stresses. It could also be that the plastic resins were not mixed in the right proportions, and the end result was the same. I don't have any background in plastics or chemistry, so I am only speculating from what I am seeing.

The colour change from brown to a pink also seems to work with the UV exposure idea, as the areas that are most exposed to sun, and by extension, UV, seem to be the ones that turn pink in colour, which to me is an indication of the plastic material being unable to stand up to UV long term.

I supposed Mopar never thought the cars were going to be around this long, or at least never built them that way, which is pretty standard for the times our cars were built in.

Kostas

 

[chmirada]

Has anyone have access on a 3d printer? I understand some pieces
maybe a bit large , but who knows , they might be a large 3d printer out there . This would be mostly for plastic parts , the tech back then was not all that great . It's just like what Kostas said, they probably didn't think that these cars would have survived , but they did. Aprox how many members on this forum?

 

[chmirada]

Also FuryFrank had the same suggestion on a 3d printer. I seen the stuff that this thing can do .

 

[Jack Meoff]

I don't know about today....but I'm thinking within five to ten years this will be a very doable idea.

 

[volaredon]

stamping sheet metal is one thing but I don't see the cost of making injection or composite molds being very expencive at all. As soon as I get on my feet again I will be making full kits and pricing them VERY low. just to stick it to the man... lol

My plan is to replicate the spoilers, wheel flares, window louvers, chin spoiler, hood, custom grills and fenders and price them dirt cheap.

and by dirt cheap I mean around 100 for each, which would only be slightly over the cost of materials but some one has to do it. I will be that guy. John showed me some repops he had and they were a buggered up mess might be stepping on a members toe but its the truth no fault of Johns there are some real rip off artists out there. My plan is to sell full kits for around 1000. once the molds are made it could be a money machine.

who thinks a flat hood with a scoop and a challenger grill wouldn't look just enough over the top to be the baddest thing on the road.

keep me in mind for those flares and spoilers if you do get going. I have (had?) a front spoiler, don't know if its still in the attic. have a rear one too, but never did have the end pieces. I have heard that same-era (late 70s til the body redesign in 82 when they went all "Knight Rider" on us) that the Camaro/Firebird pieces are a very close match and fit better than you'd think with only small minor mods needed to make them look like they belong, have been out of the loop for too long now on my Volare I was going to "test that theory" at one time but never got the chance. AT ONE TIME there was a company out of Ohio that sold all the flairs and spoilers as a kit for ~$600 on Ebay but I think they may have gone under, company was out of either Canada or Ohio...

I have been out of the "old car loop" for 7-8 years now due to a bad injury and now that I am getting back in, I have noticed the prices even on our F bodies (never mind what's happened to A B and E bodies) have gone stupid.... new OR used, He11, you want to see stupid prices? look around Ebay for small engine and garden tractor stuff... a used block is going for more than a good used running 12HP Kohler engine used to/ so is each piece/ the carb (never mind how rebuildable it might be) the engine pan, the sheet metal, even a used head for a small engine is stupid. and tractor parts themselves, too. with many pats used going for more than new NOS stuff is.

I own a red head stepchild if there ever was one, an '80. I have been thinking over the years whether to swap my front end sheet metal over to '76-79 parts, but with the prices I have seen on grilles to match the 76-79 fenders I think I'll keep my '80 stuff.
I had everything I needed to do so except a grille at one time but sold it off to someone that wanted to experiement with F body sheet metal on a 2 door 78/79 M body....

I am glad that I have most of my needed parts for my build, and FBody Jim has helped me more than once. one thing that I absolutely refuse to do is fill my American made car with China made replacement parts. I have waited this long, I can wait a little longer. My suspension parts, engine parts and such I bought for this car 10+ years ago when we still had a choice of what quality/grade of parts we could buy..... I'm just bummed it has been apart that long.

 

[Bruceynz]

Ok guys, I finally got around to taking my cracked door moldings off my Cordoba, I have taken them to a shop and I will be getting them drawn up and a machine will fold up some new ones. I will keep you posted with the results, how many other people would be interested in some nice new folded top door moldings? I still have to work out what I will do for the internal weather strip.

 

[72Dodge]

I'd be interested "depending on price" as always.

 

[Cordoba1]

I'd be interested, as well. Brad's has NOS Featherwoods for about $500, and he has a set of blue ones for about $400. If that is the "going rate," I'd pay $200 for a repo-set of blue ones.. BUT -- They'd have to look NOS, and have the weather strip.

 

[72Dodge]

In my case it doesn't matter if they look factory or not since my car is custom, but I know that may be a consideration for some. Now I'm recovering mine with vinyl, but otherwise may fold some steel to make some but dont have access to a large enough brake right now. Only one I have is 18".

 

[Bruceynz]

Ok for starters these will not be NOS, they are going to be made out of zintec, they can be painted or have a 3M wood grain stuck on, they are quite complex to make, if this all works out they will mount slightly different to keep the cost down. My aim is to tidy the inside of the car up, I think if you want stock you can buy the same ones and the first time you close the door they will be cracked again. Least mine won't looked cracked anymore it detracts from the interior of the car with big cracks around the door look. The weather strip is likely to be a piece of metal with some mouse hair on it. I will post photos as things progress and people can deicide if they want any and are happy to pay freight from NZ to USA.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Sounds like a very good optional alternative to me.
I look forward to seeing them.

 

[Bruceynz]

I am out to help people out, pity no one in the USA has done it as the freight is a killer, we just need a CAD person and access to a 3d printer to make plastic parts we can't get, Labor rates and material prices are high in NZ compared to USA. We are paying $8.40NZ a gallon for gas here. Food for thought.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Ouch. That's nuts.

 

[Bruceynz]

yes you hear your money going down the exhaust every time the v8 fires

 

[Jack Meoff]

Last time I did the math I was paying five bucks and change for premium here. We get screwed up here compared to the US.

 

[Bruceynz]

Ok, here is the first one they bent up, needs some finishing but the profile looks good, what do you think?