NLA Plastic Component Production

[Dudeland]

In the FWIW category.  Dashes, 1-2-3-4-5 piece dashes please, my car is super special it has a 6 piece (lol).  I can't think of anyone that wouldn't want a new one.  We were hopeful that one was going to be produced, but they decided to do  a vintage datsun dash (Fairlady I think)  instead. 

 

It would cost a bit, to get it done, but you could sell them for a small fortune. I can't find one that is any better than the massacred and masicated one I already have.  Wrapping them in leather just isn't for me I think. 

 

 

[Slavs]

I will reiterate and add to what has already been mentioned:

 

Dashboard panels. There are mainly three different styles; the 3 piece, two piece and one piece dashes.  In addition there are several variations of the Euro or very early 3 piece non-padded dash with the plastic trim pieces. I don't know if the plastic trim pieces are NLA, but it seems they are difficult to locate.

 

Dash pads have become very expensive. Fifteen years ago  the BMW factory was reproducing them for about $1,400 for a  complete set. But, some vendors were selling NOS sets for well over $2,000 because they were produced "in the period". Now , a complete NOS set may cost nearly $3,000. Even a complete cracked set costs up to $500.  If you can produce them and sell a complete set in the $1,000-$1,200 range at a decent profit, I think that most 02 owners would purchase a set from you.

 

I have all the pieces to a very early set pictured, below. But, the pads are cracked.  I can lend it to you, if you are serious to undertake the project. Perhaps, you can start with the plastic trim.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Alexei

[Dudeland]

There is a lot of money to be had here. It has been at least a decade without any supply which equals a lot of pent up demand. 

 

 

 

 

[calw]

As Dave the OP, already knows, Plastic molding is an undertaking that gets more serious with size and complexity of the part.  Under-dash panels could easily be done by vacuum forming sheet plastic and then routing to final dimensions- injection molded underdash panels would not be worth the tooling cost.  Console side panels with shape and cutouts as for an A/C installation are a step up in tooling complexity but Mark's first photo makes them look like vacuum formed parts also.  Entire dashboards, 1,2, or 3 piece?  Another BIG step in complexity with the steel armature built in- I doubt you could do a one piece dash from one molded piece of plastic, and if you could, the tooling and injection molding machinery would be immense.  And it wouldn't be padded like the original. 

 

But, affordable restoration parts of all these would be much appreciated by the community!

 

Jim's right about UV resistance.  A lot of plastic components are painted, partly for this very reason.

 

[Mike Self]

The plastic plinths that go between the rear body panel and the licence plate light covers.  Long-time NLA.

 

And if you can do flexible rubber (or rubber-like) parts, the portion of the door gasket that seals the trailing edge of the door window glass to the body.  It's actually a separate piece in the original door perimeter gasket, glued to several other individual pieces to form the entire gasket.  That small piece is the first to deteriorate due to its sun exposure, while the rest of the gasket is in good shape.  You'd sell a boatload of those gaskets as it would be cheaper than the entire door gasket, and much easier to replace.

 

mike

[bergie33]

9 minutes ago, Mike Self said:

The plastic plinths that go between the rear body panel and the licence plate light covers.  Long-time NLA.

 

 

Mike, are you talking about these:

BluntTech Industries • HOLDER

WWW.BLUNTTECH.COM

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Rear light base

 

 

[Mike Self]

1 hour ago, bergie33 said:

Mike, are you talking about these:

Yep--didn't know they were back available again.  They were NLA back in the early 1980s...good news that they're available.  Thanks for the heads up

 

mike

[WRKO]

FWIW - thse repros became available recently.

US Spec tag light. Sold individually | MIC

WWW.MAX2002STORE.COM

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Sold individually and once again available! USA spec license plate / tag light assemblies! Include removable wiring harness, base gasket, and lens. Reinforced under lens screw to prevent cracking. Beautifully made and ready for installation. Price is per light and INCLUDES...

 

[2002FjordBaur]

Can the expense of the intitial cost for design/tooling be viable against the potential small-ish bespoke demand for the parts?

 

[fljjmarz]

14 hours ago, WRKO said:

I'd second the request for interior AC side panels, especially the clardy ones.

 

then - I wonder if shortened bumper bellows could be developed - but those would need to be in rubber...

I’d be interested in shortened bumper bellows also.  I don’t think they necessarily need to be in rubber, the could probably be any plastic material.  They’re going to be used to just finish off, or cap off the bumpers, they don’t need to be functional as originally intended.
Thanks

Frank

[Pdxguy]

What about the heater box? More complex given the metal tabs inserted into the plastic but getting harder to find in good shape. 

[mpwrcpe]

Holy cow I missed a lot yesterday!

 

We are not doing dashes guys (or AC panels). We are also not doing any foam molding, although we can build the tooling for those interested. 

 

UV- There are modern resins available with MUCH better UV resistance, though it is hard to beat the sun. Resins will be selected based on all necessary criteria for the application. 

 

We have decades of experience building and molding low quantity tooling, rest assured the quality will be there whether it's 1,000 pieces or 1,000,000 pieces. 

 

Please keep the suggestions coming!

 

Thanks,

[doog]

2 hours ago, fljjmarz said:

I’d be interested in shortened bumper bellows also.  I don’t think they necessarily need to be in rubber, the could probably be any plastic material.  They’re going to be used to just finish off, or cap off the bumpers, they don’t need to be functional as originally intended.
Thanks

Frank

 

Count me in, too, for shortened bumper bellows.