New door handle escutcheons

[wayne]

Ive been keeping my eye out for a set of undamaged door handle escutchions for a few years and only pair I saw sold on ebay for about £100....

I've just about given up all hope on finding undamaged ones or if I do I figure that after 20 years they are going to be very brittle and will break easily?

I've looked at getting them made up in either glass or carbon fibre localy but the costs were just too high to justify it.

I've resorted into trying to get plastic forming companies to re-produce them. unfortunatly minimum order quantites are very high as well as the cost of the mold....

Just wondering how many people would be interested in a pair of re-manufactured escutchions?

I have found a company that could produce a limited run of them vaccume formed. They have suguested ABS plastic material? Using my origionals as a guide for colour, texture, shape, size, etc.

They have also suguested to make it thicker as they say the 1mm thick origional is too thin and will crack!!! Looking at the fit in the door panel I believe we could get away making it a bit thicker without it looking out of place. especially if the outer edge was chamfered slightly?

I have a couple of concerns as to colour? I have 2 sets here that are both the same colour but it differs from the door cards and the door handles??? Is this due to the heat here or is this normal?

DSC04922.JPG

Would a colour matching the door handles or door panel look better??

Any advice appreciated....


Depending on the interest I figure they would come in at about £10 - £20 each. Or if there was alot of interest this price could be even lower.

My other concern is I have an intact (but cracked) R/H escutcheon but both the L/H ones I posess are broken and I would be sending them one side to copy..... If anyone had an intact L/H side that they would be willing to loan it may make for a better copy....

I guess in return I could offer a free set if anyone could loan me this part!!

any thoughts??....

[Rice crispy]

wayne,
mine are fine but happy to lend my left one if it helps ?

David

[tweetdriver63]

Makes you wonder if maybe there's a company out there with one of those 3-D copiers that could make parts like these for us.

http://www.buildparts.com/main.taf?p=0

I'm sure you've all seen the videos on youtube, right?

[superbad]

It would be easy to 3D print these, but nobody would be happy with the finish quality, color, or price.

A better option if you really wanted to match the originals would be to go with a low volume injection molding process (like Protomold), but I suspect the costs wouldn't work out. I don't think people would pay much more than ~$50 per side, and you'd probably struggle to sell 100 sets here, although you might be able to sell some to other parts suppliers like SJS. But someone would have to put up several grand for the tooling, and the color and surface finish still won't be an exact match (not that it ever was originally).

This vac formed version is worth pursuing. That's the same process that was used to make the header rail cover.

[wayne]

Thanks for the offers and advice.

David. Thanks for the offer but if this would mean you removing it from your car and sending it to me I would be too worried anything would happen to it.
If it's a spare one you have laid around then I may take you up on the offer.

The colour of mine compared to the door panels just seems wrong. maybe I could look at sending one of my damaged ones over to the uk for a colour comparison? That way if it gets lost in the post it's no real loss.

I did think about the 3D printing idea (after seeing the info on the mirror pivot pins) but as superbad pointed out I didn't think it would replicate the correct finish, which is why I turned to the vac forming.

The company I've contacted seem to think they can replicate the colour and texture of the sample. but Mainly due to the cost of the tooling It would need about 20 - 30 sets to make it afordable.

Contacting suppliers like SJ's or selling them on ebay had crossed my mind but I was just wondering if the problem of cracked escutcheons were just due to the heat here or if it was a common problem in the UK?

Many thanks

Wayne

[tweetdriver63]

Thanks for the offers and advice.

David. Thanks for the offer but if this would mean you removing it from your car and sending it to me I would be too worried anything would happen to it.
If it's a spare one you have laid around then I may take you up on the offer.

The colour of mine compared to the door panels just seems wrong. maybe I could look at sending one of my damaged ones over to the uk for a colour comparison? That way if it gets lost in the post it's no real loss.

I did think about the 3D printing idea (after seeing the info on the mirror pivot pins) but as superbad pointed out I didn't think it would replicate the correct finish, which is why I turned to the vac forming.

The company I've contacted seem to think they can replicate the colour and texture of the sample. but Mainly due to the cost of the tooling It would need about 20 - 30 sets to make it afordable.

Contacting suppliers like SJ's or selling them on ebay had crossed my mind but I was just wondering if the problem of cracked escutcheons were just due to the heat here or if it was a common problem in the UK?

Many thanks

Wayne

It's a common problem everywhere, which is probably why there are no new ones available. Somebody made a run of real carbon fibre ones not too long ago (real as opposed to just putting a layer of carbon fibre onto the original ones). I wonder if they could help you out. Does anybody remember who it was? I can't recall, even though whoever it was sold me their first set of CF ones (which are the OEM ones with a layer of CF on them). The CF ones look the bees knees (as the Brits might say), but the ones like I have that don't fit quite flush (as solid CF ones would).

[wayne]

Thanks for the info on the Cf ones Chris. I guess if done properly under vacume they may look good.

I had a set of CF b post caps that were fitted to my car that were made without vacume and they just looked "home made" and quite naff!! They were certinly not the bees knees or the dogs boll...... err, never mind! they didnt look right !!

I abandoned the idea of the glass / CF ones here as the guys did not cure them under vacume and the cost was too high. Also I'm not really a fan of the cf finish on an old car. I would prefer to keep the origional looks.

In some ways I guess the problem with the escutcheons is not just limited to here.....

[esprit888]

Just so happens i have a brand new set of CF ones, which i may be persuaded to part with

escutcheons.jpg

[/quote]
It's a common problem everywhere, which is probably why there are no new ones available. Somebody made a run of real carbon fibre ones not too long ago (real as opposed to just putting a layer of carbon fibre onto the original ones). I wonder if they could help you out. Does anybody remember who it was? I can't recall, even though whoever it was sold me their first set of CF ones (which are the OEM ones with a layer of CF on them). The CF ones look the bees knees (as the Brits might say), but the ones like I have that don't fit quite flush (as solid CF ones would).[/quote]

[tweetdriver63]

Thanks for the info on the Cf ones Chris. I guess if done properly under vacume they may look good.

I had a set of CF b post caps that were fitted to my car that were made without vacume and they just looked "home made" and quite naff!! They were certinly not the bees knees or the dogs boll...... err, never mind! they didnt look right !!

I abandoned the idea of the glass / CF ones here as the guys did not cure them under vacume and the cost was too high. Also I'm not really a fan of the cf finish on an old car. I would prefer to keep the origional looks.

In some ways I guess the problem with the escutcheons is not just limited to here.....

I would normally say the same thing about CF on an old car, but in my opinion (and I think it's shared by most) the Elan doesn't look like an old car. The two things people are always shocked by (if I ever choose to tell them) are my car's age and how much you can buy one for. I think almost every CF bit I've seen on one blends in well. That's just personal opinion, though.

[rip]

If you search the forum, you will find that the tooling should still exist & back in 2007 the cost £65 a pair in carbon fibre.
I expect this can be repeated. If anyone is interested, please start a list. I'll be happy to pursue this if there is sufficient interest.

1.

[maz_r]

So, is this a list for c/f (as per previous group buy) or for Waynes new vaccum formed option?

Either way, I'm in!!

1. maz_r

[rip]

So, is this a list for c/f (as per previous group buy) or for Waynes new vaccum formed option?

c'f as before.
No need to re-invent the wheel if the tooling already exists.
The last run was 4 years ago (& I've still not fitted mine ) so maybe there is renewed interest in it?
I'll not start a thread in the group buy section yet..

[wayne]

Thanks for the pics colin,,,, they do look like they were well made.... bit still not really my cup of tea.......I think I will still look at the plastic option ....
wether it be flea bay or otherwise....

Just so happens i have a brand new set of CF ones, which i may be persuaded to part with

escutcheons.jpg

It's a common problem everywhere, which is probably why there are no new ones available. Somebody made a run of real carbon fibre ones not too long ago (real as opposed to just putting a layer of carbon fibre onto the original ones). I wonder if they could help you out. Does anybody remember who it was? I can't recall, even though whoever it was sold me their first set of CF ones (which are the OEM ones with a layer of CF on them). The CF ones look the bees knees (as the Brits might say), but the ones like I have that don't fit quite flush (as solid CF ones would).[/quote][/quote]

[DaveB]

So, is this a list for c/f (as per previous group buy) or for Waynes new vaccum formed option?

Either way, I'm in!!

1. maz_r

1. maz_r
2. DaveB - Never one to miss a bit of farbon cibre <shakes piggy bank, then frowns>

[DeanG]

I am interested in getting a set.

[rip]

Somebody made a run of real carbon fibre ones not too long ago (real as opposed to just putting a layer of carbon fibre onto the original ones). I wonder if they could help you out. Does anybody remember who it was?

Yes, I referred to it earlier.
Sy V started things rolling then Nige saw the project through.
To make things worthwhile for the manufacturer, we would need a group buy of around 10 pairs or more & I have already offered to coordinate it.

I am interested in getting a set.

I'll add you to the list then.

1. maz_r
2. DaveB - Never one to miss a bit of farbon cibre <shakes piggy bank, then frowns>
3. DeanG

they do look like they were well made.... bit still not really my cup of tea

You can always paint them & they will be stronger than plastic ones.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Depending on the interest I figure they would come in at about £10 - £20 each. Or if there was alot of interest this price could be even lower.

Wayne: I would be interested in your project for at least 2 sets. I can't help with a sample as all of mine are broken in one way or another.

I never liked the CF versions and £65 is too much for me. This topic has come up at other times and the final note each time was they could not be provided at the original price and the projects died.

Your concept at a £20 price (or better if everyone got on board) would be manageable. Can the manufacturer provide any type of assurance that he can match the originals and give a firm price for various quantities ordered? Can he "form" a similar item but with the texture and color so you can be comfortable with the results?

Once you get some really solid information, you should start a group buy list as lists in other areas seem to get lost and forgotten.

Thanks for looking into this.

[theelanman]

I had offered and had all the details to run another group buy for the CF version.....
the list didnt find enough commitment unfortunately......may have been the cost....

if you have plain plastic.....you can paint.......colour it how you feel......dont forget wrapping......wrapping you can get cf effect...chrome...etc etc etc......




I think at £20 I might be interested just to get some spares and then I'll wrap them........well i might...

[ex-exige]

I'll take a pair of the plastic ones, but am not interested in CF

[smudge]

yeh, I'd also be interested in a pair of plastic ones, agin if they were around £20

Smudge