I need opinions!!...Worth looking at!!

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Okay folks, I called Walter Mason (waltla), with an idea I had and this is how it went down with the guy wanting to do it. After I grinded the paint off my rear quarter panel that I have posted on "started tearing it apart thread".....I had the idea what if.......what if I could duplicate these in fiberglass??.....I then called up a reknowned fiberglass man In my town and discussed what I wanted to attempt. His reply was "I can do that no problem" I went to his shop and discussed it a little more and settled on him doing my hood and both rear quarters as reproductions. First he wants to make a permanent mold or "pig" as he says, then reproduce a handful of the hoods and sedan rear quarters as complete bolt on units, That is If I thought he could possibly see a future in interest. I told him it would be strictly supply and demand of course, but I could foresee SOMEONE needing a reproduction glass hood or quarter panels. He says if he could get a hold of a few different year quarter panels he would be able to reproduce them as that is what his main goal is here I think. We are both just getting into this project and prices have not been discussed yet at all. I CAN say he will be CHEAP!!!!!.......SO, what does everyone think?.....would anyone be interested in reproduction glass quarter panels??......so far I have only my quarters to make molds from and they would be for my 1949 sedan but more years and models could be had!......give me some feed back!

Comments

  • ski4life65
    ski4life65 Expert Adviser
    I think there could be a demand, especially for coupe quarters. I am not sure about hoods or sedan quarters.



    Don
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    There may be more demand for rockers that would fit coupe or sedan with slight variations in each.



    Coupe quarters would be a good idea but there are plenty of sedan things to be had elsewhere.



    The metal painted moulding at the bottom of the quarters and doors could be a good idea if made out of fiberglass and glued on with trim adhesive
    don't know if that would be possible but if he could do that there could be demand for those.



    They could be done in twelve or ten foot lengths and cut and shaped at the ends as needed.
  • Edwardjohnsr
    Edwardjohnsr Expert Adviser
    I second the idea of reproducing rockerpanels and the painted molding. I sure could use them.

    Ed
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    IMHO- There are plenty of factory hoods and fenders available. Two door coupe rears would be harder to find but not unobtanium. Issue is how many quality repros can you sell to make it worth your while when originals are available?



    As stated earlier, there are some moldings that may make sense reproducing.
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    Rear fenders for coupes, converts, and Broughams are the same '48-'53 except placement of trim holes and such. 4 door Sedan rear fenders just fit sedans.

    As far as hoods, not surre about availability as I haven't had to shop for them. They are not the same all years or all models. Your hood would fit '48-'49 124" WB cars. 1950 and 1951-53 have different front edges to the hoods and then there's the shorter 119" WB pacemakers hoods....shorter hoods.

    I think there would be a demand for fenders and hoods in glass maybe even from Hornet racers who might want to try and reduce weight from their cars if possible.

    My two cents: Put an ad in the WTN magazine asking for all club members to respond and answer 2 survey questions, via Email, phone, or mail.

    1. Would you like to see ____ items reproduced in fiberglass. ?

    2. If they were were reproduced would you actually buy them ?



    Then if you get X number of positive responses, enough to make it worth having your friend turn out a batch, then proceed by getting some kind of cost per fender figure you could follow up with and ask interested members for a desposit.



    I think in this scenario you'd have the biggest market for just the rear fenders as they fit '48-'53 and therefore the biggest potential market.

    I think there's a lot of sedans in the club but may in fact be more demand for the coupe fenders as they fit 3 models. Coupe Convert and Brougham.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    thanks for the replies guys, it helps. As far as that goes, I was actually thinking just not parts for my own but ideas of what others may think would be a good idea for reproduction. Also, I don't see exactly what the glue subject is all about???.....I have a full out tube chassis 71' mustang drag car with a COMPLETE FIBERGLASS BODY. The hood, doors, and trunk lid are all seperate pieces which BOLT ON and use the factory hinges. Nothing is "pin-on" The way it works is they inlay a strip of metal in the fiberglass while build the hoods, doors, etc. and THAT is what gets bolt on. Not the fiberglass. No issues with cracking or whatever. The quarters I'm having built will be just like the originals. With a steel "perimeter frame" if you will. They will be bolted on just like the originals. The only problem I didn't forsee was what Rambo said being the thickness of the glass and the door alignment, which I now have to go back and ponder the idea a little more. Anyways it was just an idea and at least now I have a good idea of what people would look at in a reproduction. Those rockers are a very good idea.....I think I might look into this.....That would be a fairly simple to task I would believe. Thanks for the responses fellas.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    rpmonroe wrote:
    There may be more demand for rockers that would fit coupe or sedan with slight variations in each.



    Coupe quarters would be a good idea but there are plenty of sedan things to be had elsewhere.



    The metal painted moulding at the bottom of the quarters and doors could be a good idea if made out of fiberglass and glued on with trim adhesive
    don't know if that would be possible but if he could do that there could be demand for those.



    They could be done in twelve or ten foot lengths and cut and shaped at the ends as needed.



    Metal strip inserted in the glass while being built would solve that problem. no glueing necessary, bolt on like originals!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Aaron D. IL wrote:
    Rear fenders for coupes, converts, and Broughams are the same '48-'53 except placement of trim holes and such. 4 door Sedan rear fenders just fit sedans.

    As far as hoods, not surre about availability as I haven't had to shop for them. They are not the same all years or all models. Your hood would fit '48-'49 124" WB cars. 1950 and 1951-53 have different front edges to the hoods and then there's the shorter 119" WB pacemakers hoods....shorter hoods.

    I think there would be a demand for fenders and hoods in glass maybe even from Hornet racers who might want to try and reduce weight from their cars if possible.

    My two cents: Put an ad in the WTN magazine asking for all club members to respond and answer 2 survey questions, via Email, phone, or mail.

    1. Would you like to see ____ items reproduced in fiberglass. ?

    2. If they were were reproduced would you actually buy them ?



    Then if you get X number of positive responses, enough to make it worth having your friend turn out a batch, then proceed by getting some kind of cost per fender figure you could follow up with and ask interested members for a desposit.



    I think in this scenario you'd have the biggest market for just the rear fenders as they fit '48-'53 and therefore the biggest potential market.

    I think there's a lot of sedans in the club but may in fact be more demand for the coupe fenders as they fit 3 models. Coupe Convert and Brougham.





    Thanks for the reply!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The steel strip idea would work well at the bottom of the doors and would definitely be the best choice but at the bottom of the front fender they would need a flat steel strip only to glue on as is common with modern"ugh" cars.



    The same glue on would be needed for the entire length of the ones for the rear quarters except for where it would bolt on where the skirt hardware is attached.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    rpmonroe wrote:
    The steel strip idea would work well at the bottom of the doors and would definitely be the best choice but at the bottom of the front fender they would need a flat steel strip only to glue on as is common with modern"ugh" cars.



    The same glue on would be needed for the entire length of the ones for the rear quarters except for where it would bolt on where the skirt hardware is attached.



    Your exactly right!......didn't think that far ahead about the whole length of them. bolt where needed glue on like the modern "ugh" cars!.....It could happen!......definately a good Idea!......who knows, maybe I'll start turning out replacement rockers!?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    thanx fer yer support
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