Looking for parts connection

Two points:

First, there's going to be a certain element of 'Sending Coals To Newcastle' with this, as Auto Panel Solutions - based in the UK - is already engaged in making and supplying various panels for the S30-series Z, and their product range includes replacement floors and floor supports.

Secondly, how much of a market do you expect to find in the UK? There really aren't all that many S30-series here needing the panels you have shown, and any that do could get them from APS and/or cars that are being cut up for parts (especially spare wheel wells). In my opinion, you just won't need a UK-based 'distribution base'.
I am aware of Auto panel solutions and the panels he makes, I do not think he makes the taillight panel and the spare tire well but I could be wrong, we will also be expanding our inventory to inlude more panels in the near future. I understand the market is limited but I think there is still a demand that needs to be met.
 

Turn & Burn

Club Member
I am aware of Auto panel solutions and the panels he makes, I do not think he makes the taillight panel and the spare tire well but I could be wrong, we will also be expanding our inventory to inlude more panels in the near future. I understand the market is limited but I think there is still a demand that needs to be met.
I feel there is definitely a market here, the full tail panel will be in demand as will the spare wheel well, we’ve had several threads on here about panels that people wish they could get hold of so an expanding range of more choice can only be good for the consumer.
I needed most of your parts incl floors for my 260z resto a couple of years ago and found that none of the floors available at the time fitted a 260z / 280z with any accuracy due to transmission tunnel changes on later shells.
Good luck with this.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I feel there is definitely a market here, the full tail panel will be in demand as will the spare wheel well, we’ve had several threads on here about panels that people wish they could get hold of so an expanding range of more choice can only be good for the consumer.

Positivity is good, but so often I've seen the best of intentions start to struggle when the realities start to kick in.

The images shown in the first post appear to be scans(?) of already existing panels: The floor pressings and floor supports look just like types already on the market, the spare wheel well looks like it is still on a car and the complete rear panel looks like a scan of a factory replacement panel (just like the one I think I spotted in the video I linked to). At this stage, are we not just in the talking about it phase?

The complete rear panel factory replacements were actually several complex panel pressings spotwelded together. Reproducing this accurately is not for the faint hearted and - as far as I am aware - nobody yet offers an off-the-shelf solution because of what is involved (although I believe Fourways Engineering here in the UK make bespoke, hand made one-offs when required). It would cost a small fortune in press tooling and jigs, will be expensive for a customer to buy and expensive to ship and pay duties and taxes on. And frankly if you have a car that needs this complete panel (rather than just the lower part) you are already in a world of hurt...!

Even if such a panel does come to market, I just don't see a USA-based supplier needing a UK distribution base/'fulfillment centre' for it. Any individual buyer might just as well buy direct.
 
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Ped

Club Member
I would also suggest that anyone needing repair panels here would be quite happy to ship them from the US. Just make it easy for them! I also think they would be driven by quality just as much as price.

As a rough guide there are less than three hundred 240z listed as licensed (on the road) in the UK. This excludes cars that are 'off the road'.
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=✓&q=datsun+240z&commit=Search

Good luck with your enterprise, the more choice the better.
 

Turn & Burn

Club Member
Positivity is good, but so often I've seen the best of intentions start to struggle when the realities start to kick in.

The images shown in the first post appear to be scans(?) of already existing panels: The floor pressings and floor supports look just like types already on the market, the spare wheel well looks like it is still on a car and the complete rear panel looks like a scan of a factory replacement panel (just like the one I think I spotted in the video I linked to). At this stage, are we not just in the talking about it phase?

The complete rear panel factory replacements were actually several complex panel pressings spotwelded together. Reproducing this accurately is not for the faint hearted and - as far as I am aware - nobody yet offers an off-the-shelf solution because of what is involved (although I believe Fourways Engineering here in the UK make bespoke, hand made one-offs when required). It would cost a small fortune in press tooling and jigs, will be expensive for a customer to buy and expensive to ship and pay duties and taxes on. And frankly if you have a car that needs this complete panel (rather than just the lower part) you are already in a world of hurt...!

Even if such a panel does come to market, I just don't see a USA-based supplier needing a UK distribution base/'fulfillment centre' for such it. Any individual buyer might just as well buy direct.
My point was simply that I believe there would be a market for these panels if they were avail. The tail panel rots out round the lights and underneath the slam panel, if available and if someone facilitated purchase in the Uk (as Mike F did) did this would surely be beneficial for us. It’s up to the lads to show us what they can produce.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
My point was simply that I believe there would be a market for these panels if they were avail. The tail panel rots out round the lights and underneath the slam panel, if available and if someone facilitated purchase in the Uk (as Mike F did) did this would surely be beneficial for us. It’s up to the lads to show us what they can produce.

That last sentence is a key point for me. I've seen all sorts of best intentions over the years, and - for example - yesterday we had our new friend telling us that he had 'ready supply' of Long Nose CWP sets in ratios that have long been unavailable new, so a little bit of scepticism is perhaps the wise default.

Personally speaking, for such a panel, I want to see the *actual* product, multiples in stock and ready to ship, first. No disrespect to Messrs Resurrected Classics, but I don't see any sign of this kind of project in their background.
 
That last sentence is a key point for me. I've seen all sorts of best intentions over the years, and - for example - yesterday we had our new friend telling us that he had 'ready supply' of Long Nose CWP sets in ratios that have long been unavailable new, so a little bit of scepticism is perhaps the wise default.

Personally speaking, for such a panel, I want to see the *actual* product, multiples in stock and ready to ship, first. No disrespect to Messrs Resurrected Classics, but I don't see any sign of this kind of project in their background.
I can understand some of your skepticism possibly because of our age or because we didn’t have the panels in the video but this is something we have been working on for years now, and when we present these panels it’s not a far off idea that we are hoping to raise capital for, it’s a reality. I’ll share some pictures of the panels in larger quantities so that you can see they aren’t the original panel, even though I’m glad you mistook it for the original panel! That means our quality is spot on. If you have any concerns or would like to see more please message me, thanks!

D55E3693-93E4-4F74-82B1-292B37331857.jpeg 896F72C8-58ED-4960-B51B-3F82046EC4BC.jpeg A0FF178A-3E6D-4E23-9EBA-889407400E4D.jpeg 7A20F2FD-DFDC-4146-BD1D-47EA248357FB.jpeg
 

peter_s

Club Member
I think it's great! I would love some 280Z panels when it's time to do some body work. I think more vendors is a positive thing for us consumers. Keep up the great work!
 
Thats great Max, I don't suppose there are any forum threads around from somone that's fitted one? or are they hot off the press so to speak.
They haven’t been released yet to the public but we did test install it on one of our own cars and the fitment was great, and it was the only the prototype panel! I’ll post pictures of the install, I have a video as well but it’s not the best angle.
C0CBAF8E-7800-4572-8EC5-9DE73C92ED2A.jpeg 6DFADE9C-ECDE-4190-A85B-4A5618B8E25A.jpeg
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I can understand some of your skepticism possibly because of our age or because we didn’t have the panels in the video but this is something we have been working on for years now, and when we present these panels it’s not a far off idea that we are hoping to raise capital for, it’s a reality. I’ll share some pictures of the panels in larger quantities so that you can see they aren’t the original panel, even though I’m glad you mistook it for the original panel! That means our quality is spot on. If you have any concerns or would like to see more please message me, thanks!

View attachment 44641

That does - for all the world - look like a genuine Nissan replacement panel to me, right down to the beaver trim clips and wonky captive nut brackets. Amazing. Kudos.

You were hiding your light under a bushel, weren't you? If you'd put photos of hot-off-the-press stacked panels in your first post I might have taken you a little more seriously...

Still don't think a UK-based distributor is strictly necessary. Some people will still want to buy 'direct', and if you can offer such a customer a discount equivalent to the cut you'd be paying to a distributor, then people will be happy to go that way. However, if you could offer a nice discount based on bulk stock and bulk shipping to a UK stockist ('bulk' being relative to the potential market) then there might be an angle. Don't think this kind of panel is a 'need it tomorrow' type item, generally speaking.
 

candy red

Club Member
I can understand some of your skepticism possibly because of our age or because we didn’t have the panels in the video but this is something we have been working on for years now, and when we present these panels it’s not a far off idea that we are hoping to raise capital for, it’s a reality. I’ll share some pictures of the panels in larger quantities so that you can see they aren’t the original panel, even though I’m glad you mistook it for the original panel! That means our quality is spot on. If you have any concerns or would like to see more please message me, thanks!

View attachment 44641 View attachment 44642 View attachment 44643 View attachment 44644
Amazing work there Max :bow:
Air tubes would be something to consider making and inner sills and complete rear quarter panels keep up the good work watching with great interest good luck with it all.
Regards Derrick :cool:
 
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