Carbon Fiber / Fiberglass items what would you make?

JMDigital

JMDigital

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I have recently met a guy who makes fiberglass and CF items for a lot of cars. I asked him about MK3 Parts, but he had never made anything so had no molds for anything. His shop is huge with alot of hoods and small CF replacement interior parts. I spent almost an hour just looking at the finished parts.

Here is the question. If you were to choose what part on the MK3 you would want to make out of Fiberglass, what would it be? He is willing to take a part from me and make a mold, once he has the mold we are good to go. I talked to this guy for a while over a 2 day visit. He is a nice guy and his entire shop is filled with Fiberglass and CF parts for a lot of cars. He seems interested in doing some MK3 parts however as we all know doing the mold is not worth it just to make 1 or 2 parts.

I take this to you guys. What would be a good choice to make? Where 20 or so parts get sold. I was thinking about the front lip, that I never see anyone have? However I wanted to take it to you guys. Now to make this mold he obviously needs a really good condition part to use. I don’t mind using my MK3 but I am missing the one part I want.

He does CF also and I don’t know If the mold is different for CF. He told me that he would be interested in doing parts for us, we would have to get a few people involved in the first purchase to cover him doing the mold. Then he is there as a source for MK3 parts.
 
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figgie

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bad question if you are looknig for ONE general concensus answer. ;)

Because you will have A HOOD. But then you will have, CFX like Hood, Or Bomex, Or AbFlug (however you spell it) or custom etc.

Remember, Duane (upgradedsupra) used to do carbon fibre parts all the time but Boeing/Airbus and Lockheed are hording the GOOD carbon fiber (ie 6k and 12K stuff) made it really hard for smaller companies to source CF as the requirements to source the good CF went up (simple supply demand at work, ie the less of one thing and the demand stays the same means prices go up). That leaves us with the 3k stuff which is ok.

With that said and I am going to be the ONLY one asking for this.

A complete Carbon Fiber dash board. No I am not joking. Yes I am aware of the cost.
 
JMDigital

JMDigital

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figgie;1139039 said:
bad question if you are looknig for ONE general concensus answer. ;)

Because you will have A HOOD. But then you will have, CFX like Hood, Or Bomex, Or AbFlug (however you spell it) or custom etc.

Remember, Duane (upgradedsupra) used to do carbon fibre parts all the time but Boeing/Airbus and Lockheed are hording the GOOD carbon fiber (ie 6k and 12K stuff) made it really hard for smaller companies to source CF as the requirements to source the good CF went up (simple supply demand at work, ie the less of one thing and the demand stays the same means prices go up). That leaves us with the 3k stuff which is ok.

With that said and I am going to be the ONLY one asking for this.

A complete Carbon Fiber dash board. No I am not joking. Yes I am aware of the cost.
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OK. Well I was thinking more of Fiberglass then CF because of the CF problem plus the higher cost of CF finished parts. I will ask him about a CF dash and how many he would need to sell to make it worth his time doing it. He is willing to talk to me about it.

I also assumed more people would want the hard to get parts , like the stock lip I cant find at toyota, before a hood or replica type hood. Either way, Its worth a try to get him into doing supra parts. Now a CF dash would be interesting.. but what do you think the demand would be for it. Would it be worth his time to do the first one. Either way he is willing to do parts is just what part do we start with. Lets see if anyone else chimes in with an idea.
 
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mirage83

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JMDigital;1139079 said:
OK. Well I was thinking more of Fiberglass then CF because of the CF problem plus the higher cost of CF finished parts. I will ask him about a CF dash and how many he would need to sell to make it worth his time doing it. He is willing to talk to me about it.

I also assumed more people would want the hard to get parts , like the stock lip I cant find at toyota, before a hood or replica type hood. Either way, Its worth a try to get him into doing supra parts. Now a CF dash would be interesting.. but what do you think the demand would be for it. Would it be worth his time to do the first one. Either way he is willing to do parts is just what part do we start with. Lets see if anyone else chimes in with an idea.
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I'd say go with the stock lip for starters since so many of us are missing one, or ours are beat all to hell. That would probably sell pretty good, then maybe experiment and see what other lip designs he could work out for us, a little custom work to show off with.
 
JMDigital

JMDigital

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j3pz;1139095 said:
how about an engine undercover? i imagine it would be kind of difficult to source one in good condition to make a mold out of though, still i think it would be worth it
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My local toyota dealer actually has the undercover. I could get that. Then find out what he would charge to do them. It all depends on demand. Its hard to decide. but the lip seems like the place to start. I just have to get one.
 
ERA

ERA

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Lol, I just want a fiberglass din/faceplate/bezel thingy for my turbo timer.
(Where the ashtray used to be, now just a hole with an HKS type IV turbo timer in it - ugly)
 
CTsupra

CTsupra

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Ok, guys a CF undercover would be just as useless as tits on a bull.

1. It would get f*cked up
2. There won't be anything asthetically pleasing about it as you can't see it.
3. No one is going to buy it

When it comes to CF parts, start small or go home. :naughty:
 
JMDigital

JMDigital

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OK OK.. I see the problem. Too many things wanted. Also I REALLY was pointing towards the Fiberglass stuff. CF is $$$$$$$ and from what I hear hard to get. So lets stop talking about CF dash and CF doors... Etc. I did find out that for example to do the stock lip he would only need 5 orders to do it. That sounds good. He does want a good lip and a good bumper to make the mold, The bumper I have, The lip I do not.

ok so everyone wants different things, so If you HAD to choose would a lip be a good place to start? Here is the deal. You would HAVE to choose just 1 thing. I don’t have the cash to have 400 parts made for the supra. However I need a front lip, my fathers supra needs one. so there is 2 of the 5 already. If I could get my hands on a good one I would get him started. Anyone live in the Tampa area with a lip that’s not in 5 pieces?
 
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Zer0DeGreeZ

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Feb 11, 2008
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sneakypete;1139202 said:
carbon fiber or fiberglass mouldings
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I guess I make person number 3 to want these. But nearly all supra owners for probably feel please to have some very nice FRP or CF Mouldings. However, I personally would want the mouldings to be smooth and flat, and nearly, but not completely flush. I think the Lip and the mouldings are two relatively easy places to start, not to mention easy enough to make that we could atleast see first hand some of the quality of this crafter of which you speak. Not to mention if made in CF Mouldings (My personal choice for first purchase), I'd be extremely happy to further spend money into having other things made, but like I was told in my thread, realistickly things must be put into some kind of order, otherwise people will shout out whatever they want and there will be no certainties on what people would come together to actually purchase.
 
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