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For Sale / Wanted => Replica / Modified Parts For Sale => Topic started by: BigPines on February 26, 2014, 04:40:04 PM
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I am exploring the idea of making some OEM spec Murci fiberglass replica dashboard kits in the near future. I am not taking money just yet. At this point, I am just trying to gauge the interest in this project and see if it would be worthwhile. I would probably be looking to begin this project a few weeks down the road. The kit would come with the four pieces in red below. No vents included with the dash. ;) Sorry.
I am thinking $500 plus shipping. Locals are welcome to pick up in person. For others, we could find a cheap shipping method like greyhound or something. I may just set a flat cost including shipping if people prefer that.
Anyone interested?
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This guy! ::toothy
Chris
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i would be interested in that if you can bring yourself to ship to the great white north... :)
i wouldnt need part 17 though
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I would be. Can u also make #15??
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Cool. Seems like there may be a bit of interest in this. ;)
Digibeam, yes, I don't mind shipping ANYWHERE in the world but I have no idea what shipping costs would be. We'll have to figure that out.
It sounds like the "kit" idea may not work out so well. I may have to do an à la carte offering.
Oh, and I'll look into the heart attack handle (#15) but I can't guarantee anything.
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cool.. can u give me measurement on the width of it plz. want to make sure it will fit my body..
just from side to side. like from #19 to #20
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"It sounds like the "kit" idea may not work out so well. I may have to do an à la carte offering."
so, this comes with optional ice cream? :LL:
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Isn't that à la mode? :D
Solrac, yes, I will get that measurement for you.
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ice cream isnt on the menu? ::scratch
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Nope, I thought the offer was sweet enough. ;)
Besides, do you really need ice cream the great white north? ::duh
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Haha, its still a favorite and it doesnt melt when you go outside...
i am still interested in the dash though.... and curious about the width measurement, i seem to recall the OEM dash is wider than the G28 dash, but by how much? not sure...
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a little over 3 inches wider that the G28 the OEM windshield is like 61 3/4 and the Maxima windshield is 58 1/4 or something
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Dimensions ...... I can assist with. :D (Perspective makes the width more than it is)
Well done bigpines for going with it , looks great.
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Perhaps if it's length is first modified to fit the g28
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Sorry about the delay in getting the measurements. I had to wait until morning to get a good pic of the part. My measurements are close to Strings but not exact. Part of the difference could be his is covered in leather. This is an original part, I have not molded it yet.
Guys, I don't think you want me modifying this dash to fit a G28. I don't have your kits or your cars so I would just be guessing when I cut it down and I promise you really don't want that. If I were building a G28, I would rather get the OEM spec dash and cut it down and fit it myself. If there really is only 3" difference, that is only 1 1/2" to cut from each side. Not a big deal compared to the amount of fabrication we all do on these cars.
I have calculated my costs and I would need to sell at least four of these 4-piece kits (without the heart attack handle) and I won't quite break even. If I am able to do a 5-piece kit including heart attack handle for $600, I would need to sell five to break even. If I sell less kits, my price will have to go up. I would rather not sell à la carte but if that is what the majority wants, I will make it work.
I am open to your thoughts.
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Yea you're right, didn't really think of that but rather the fact that our g28 dashes aren't exactly made for our individual kits either. I'm wondering if cutting at the airbag side would be an option.
As mentioned I also already have the knee pad piece.
How hard is it to make moulds of the dash being foam, without the cluster mounts going out of line for example? Maybe it's more rigid than I think it is.
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I would suggest simply cutting 1/2 of the difference from the edge of each side. Honestly, I think it would look just fine. I'm sure it would look better than taking all the difference from one side because if you did that, it would no longer be symmetrical. Unless you mean to cut it down the center and splice it back together. I personally think that is more trouble than it is worth but it is technically doable.
The original piece is rigid and will mold well. No problem there.
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I made one...well I am still making / finshing off a dash for the MR2, its a skin over so the MR2 dash is still in place.
The door cards where tossed if favour of OEM copys but even they will need to be modified to match up to my dash ends.
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you put the driver on the wrong side.... bet you have been hanging about that String fellow?... ;)
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Good attempt on that
Rob's console would have actually come in handy there
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Yes it maybe, but at least the dam handbrake is off the console...:)
nothing from the OEM car fits in the MR2 everything is too wide, I used a OEM center console and that had to be dissected into 6 or 7 pieces, then shrunk down in length and width so while I could it was molded to fit on top of the MR2 console...it was from there I realized no OEM parts will ever fit, so I made my own.
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How hard is it to make moulds of the dash being foam, without the cluster mounts going out of line for example? Maybe it's more rigid than I think it is.
Here are a couple of pics showing the material the dash is made of , I am not familiar with the material - but is a minimum of 3mm thick and increases greatly in load areas. ::thumbup
(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w198/V12-Runner/Leather%20Interior/DashConstructioncloseuprhs1_zps9420c4bd.jpg) (http://s176.photobucket.com/user/V12-Runner/media/Leather%20Interior/DashConstructioncloseuprhs1_zps9420c4bd.jpg.html)
(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w198/V12-Runner/Leather%20Interior/DashConstructioncloseuprhs2_zpsd9f427de.jpg) (http://s176.photobucket.com/user/V12-Runner/media/Leather%20Interior/DashConstructioncloseuprhs2_zpsd9f427de.jpg.html)
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Cool. Seems like there may be a bit of interest in this. ;)
Digibeam, yes, I don't mind shipping ANYWHERE in the world but I have no idea what shipping costs would be. We'll have to figure that out.
It sounds like the "kit" idea may not work out so well. I may have to do an à la carte offering.
Oh, and I'll look into the heart attack handle (#15) but I can't guarantee anything.
So... is this project a go and if so any idea how long it'll be before you have parts to ship? Do you want a deposit first or full payment upon shipment?
Just trying to get in line early and avoid the wait. ::toothy
Thanks,
Chris
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Thanks Chris.
Yes, I want to do this. I'm just not sure how many people will commit yet so it is tough to come up with a firm price. I would like to price the kit at $500 without the heart attack handle or $600 with. Would you prefer the kit include the heart attack handle or not? I'd rather do this one way for all orders if possible. If a part you already have is included in the kit, keep the nicest one and you'll have an extra to sell.
So first order of business, with heart attack handle or without?
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i would say without, and without the knee pad... they are more of the console accessory parts i feel.
but $100 for a handle is a pretty good price.
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Thanks Digibeam. Anyone else want a vote?
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Would a g28 shark mouth dash pod fit this dash?
Texas is making mine but shark mouth is g28 and I don't know the difference.
As for me i'll buy the 600 one with everything
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Thanks Chris.
Yes, I want to do this. I'm just not sure how many people will commit yet so it is tough to come up with a firm price. I would like to price the kit at $500 without the heart attack handle or $600 with. Would you prefer the kit include the heart attack handle or not? I'd rather do this one way for all orders if possible. If a part you already have is included in the kit, keep the nicest one and you'll have an extra to sell.
So first order of business, with heart attack handle or without?
Unfortunately the instrument cluster "shark mouth" is a part that I have on order and I have a member that is making me a carbon fiber grab handle. So basically all I need is the dash (top and bottom) and the panels that flow down to the console. You'll probably find out that many guys here have picked up odd's and end's as they became available and there is a split of G28 / G24 and OEM sized bodies.
Thanks,
Chris
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Would a g28 shark mouth dash pod fit this dash?
Texas is making mine but shark mouth is g28 and I don't know the difference.
As for me i'll buy the 600 one with everything
I'm not sure where that shark mouth came from that Texas is molding. You may want to ask. If it is an OEM splashed part, yes it should fit perfect. If it is the one that came in the Car Kit, Inc. kit (or prior G28 kit), it will likely require modifications to fit. I would guess it is too small to fit without modifications. Again, no big deal to modify something like that compared to all the other stuff we have to do.
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Unfortunately the instrument cluster "shark mouth" is a part that I have on order and I have a member that is making me a carbon fiber grab handle. So basically all I need is the dash (top and bottom) and the panels that flow down to the console. You'll probably find out that many guys here have picked up odd's and end's as they became available and there is a split of G28 / G24 and OEM sized bodies.
Thanks,
Chris
OK, it looks like I'll just have to offer all the parts separate since everyone seems to want something different. I'll come up with a price list. I am not planning to offer the shark mouth at all right now. Everyone is going to have to figure out what will work for them and modify parts or change plans on parts as necessary - whatever makes the most sense to them. These are OEM spec parts and I can only guarantee they will fit perfectly with other OEM parts. Again, it shouldn't be a big deal to make something fit if it doesn't fit perfect out of the gate.
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Guys, after looking at this objectively, it doesn't look like it is going to work out right now. I would definitely lose money on this in the short-term and I have other things I'd rather lose money on. ;)
But seriously, I was hoping to have a little more interest to make this doable. It looks like I could MAYBE sell 3 partial kits and that isn't even going to cover my material costs. The hazmat charges alone on this much resin are $150!
I know some of you will be disappointed and I am sorry. At some point down the road when there is either enough interest to make it worth it or I don't mind losing a little money in the short-term, I definitely plan to do this.
Mike
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just curious, why do you get Hazmat charges on fiberglass components? is this common in the USA?
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I suppose it is because resin and gelcoat contain styrene. From what I understand, you can't ship these products via USPS at all. UPS will deliver them in quantity to a business address only but also only with a hazmat surcharge. I will look around again for a local place to get supplies but I live in the people's republic of California so we have more costs and restrictions here than nearly every other state. Last time I checked, it was actually cheaper to have the stuff shipped to me than to buy it locally. Anyone who lives in So Cal and has a lead on inexpensive quality fiberglass supplies, I am all ears.
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wow, thats crazy, though i do know about the transportation issue, i figured you could get it at a local supplier...
i wonder if you could buy it through a body shop? not wanting to push the issue, but just find a solution.
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I usually get packages via ups ordering this stuff online. Is it that you get charged for very large quantities of resin? :S I guess that would be way out of my league
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No worries Digibeam.
I know a guy who supposedly gets supplies locally at wholesale. I plan to check with him. I could be wrong but I don't think it will change the situation much (if any).
My two primary concerns are product quality and keeping the cost down for people who buy from me. If I can't do that under these circumstances, I'd rather wait until I can. Don't worry, these parts aren't going anywhere and I will eventually get to doing this at some point.
My other concern is if I can't make any money, it doesn't make sense to do this right now. It just isn't a priority for me. I am trying to set up a shop so I have better working conditions and I would rather invest the money there right now. That is a priority. I'm sure everybody understands how it is.
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Tallon - yes, if I order 5 gallons at a time I get hit with a hazmat fee. Where do you get your supplies? How much do you order at a time?
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Oh I see.
If I could afford it, fibreglast, Digi told me about it
Recently I found my epoxy at uscomposites for a lot cheaper, maybe someone can tell me if it's just lower quality resin. I didn't notice a difference when using it.
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Yes, I know them. They are even more expensive than where I am getting my stuff. They also charge hazmat: http://www.fibreglast.com/fibreglast_ship_hazards (http://www.fibreglast.com/fibreglast_ship_hazards)
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uscomposites.com have good prices but they also charge hazmat:
"Because polyester resins are a flammable liquid, we are unable to ship these products by air freight.
Quarts and Gallons can be shipped by Ground with no extra fees with a maximum of one gallon per box.
5 Gallon pails can be shipped by UPS Ground only and require an additional $26.00 Hazardous Fee(charged by UPS).
Orders for multiple 5 GAL pails can be shipped by a common carrier(freight line) but require delivery to a commercial location."
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yes, i would concentrate on the shop and getting that house in order to help you along later, i am presently moving my shop and man it isnt pretty... 3000 sqft of stuff getting boxed... good news is its all going to a bigger shop :)
i use the same foam core that lamborghini uses for the knee pad and handle, but you need to make a compression mould to use it, the mould is expensive, the prep is long, but the end part comes out identical to OEM in every way, and the cost of the final part is very low.
these parts have to be covered to protect them from finger impressions and also breaking from excessive handling...
i cant imagine making a compression mould for that dash, its huge... and the failure rate of too little material would make for some long days.... compression moulds are one shot deals, if it didnt work then its garbage.
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Wow, I wish I was moving out of a 3,000 sq. ft shop to a BIGGER location. Congratz!
I am interested in your compression molding and foam parts. However, it doesn't sound like this dash is made of the same stuff. This stuff is very much like resin with filler. It is hard, stiff and extremely durable. It definitely could not be damaged simply by handling it. Can you point me to more information on your process? Pics of parts you are duplicating?
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sure, here are the raw parts (yellow) they are both bad pulls for various reasons, and they have not been cleaned up at all but for visual examples they work.
also the black handle is prepped for further processing.
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Like if it's 16lb density foam, it would be rock hard and not easy to break or dent
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Interesting. That last pic sort of looks like the stuff the dash is made of. I like how you integrated the threaded nuts into the part. Nice work there.
Maybe I'll take a video of the dash to show people what it is like. It is almost exactly like fiberglass. It is rigid and rock hard (good description) and definitely cannot be dented. It has little or no air in it. In fact, at first I thought it was actually fiberglass. Actually, I don't know why it wasn't made from fiberglass or carbon fiber by Lamborghini. :)
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i can assure you its the same material, the dash and parts are made from this "foam" though in reality it is very dense and there are no air pockets etc. (i dont use as high a pressure to make mine) but it is a 2 part catalysing product.
the reason they dont make the parts from fiberglass or carbon fiber...and sorry to bring this up again..but... in the event of a collision... the foam will break and absorb... fiberglass will fracture and impale... sorry for the visuals on that... but thats why... :)
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That actually makes good sense.
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We should probably start a new thread for this but how do you keep the foam from sticking to your mold? I'd like to see a pressurized foam mold set up. I never considered it until now.
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careful and repetitive preparation.... good gel coat, several coats of wax each and every time the mould is used, PVA coating and knowing the chemicals/materials you are using in the atmosphere you are in, also pre-heating the moulds is vital.
temperature and humidity even in Canada can play havoc, so in southern parts down there in the USA i know gets mighty warm... usually if the weather is uncomfortable to the average person then its not right for the casting.
adjusting the mix to compensate works, but again familiarity plays a part there.
too hot it boils and can rip the gel coat off the mould, too cold it doesnt expand, over mixed it will not rise... the list goes on... its one of those things that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, unless you have endless supply of chems and nothing to lose... its a matter of trying it out and learning the products through trial and error.