Reproduction Body Panels

Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
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Recently I've been in contact with a neighbour who wants to diverify a bit more and start making S30 body panels. His company already makes classic car panels (and a few little bits for JLR).

I've been to see his premises and what he is currently doing.

I left him with a complete 'air tube' and he has quoted for reproducing it (in 3 parts).

Tooling is the expensive bit.

The interesting thing for me is that he will make panels in aluminium too e.g. doors and front wings and I thought they would be a good alternative to GRP.

So the purpose of the Thread is to see what panels you guys think would be worthwhile and how much you'd pay for 'your' panels.

The guy isn't pushing but I thought it something that we should think about.

Please comment so I can get a feel for enthusiasm (or lack of it).

By the way I have been in contact (email) with Andy and awaiting a reply. We wouldn't compete with his repair panels the idea is to produce stuff not available.
 
richiep

richiep

Club Member
I’d suggest rear quarter panels similar to the Wolf Steel ones from Canada, I.e incorporating the whole arch right back to the rear corner and above the swage line:
https://www.alfaparts.net/pics/nissan/nz5.htm
Kmql4bw.jpg

Would allow for people to do arch, dogleg, and rear corner repairs in one rather than piecemeal from separate sections. Weld line would be above the swage, so allowing for much nicer finish with less filler to regain said swage line. The quality of some of the existing arch repair panels on the market is crap.
 
Wally

Wally

Club Member
richiep said:
I’d suggest rear quarter panels similar to the Wolf Steel ones from Canada, I.e incorporating the whole arch right back to the rear corner and above the swage line:
https://www.alfaparts.net/pics/nissan/nz5.htm
Kmql4bw.jpg

Would allow for people to do arch, dogleg, and rear corner repairs in one rather than piecemeal from separate sections. Weld line would be above the swage, so allowing for much nicer finish with less filler to regain said swage line. The quality of some of the existing arch repair panels on the market is crap.
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I second this plus wings and headlight buckets
 
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Alphabettispaghetti

Alphabettispaghetti

Club Member
richiep said:
Now that’s some impressive looking repair panels. I like that the floors wrap up into the trans tunnel. Would allow for a pretty invisible repair. Also says full rear quarters are coming and battery tray area...
Click to expand...

it looks like there'll be a few options coming, so hopefully this will mean a slight race for quality for those that need them.
 
SacCyclone

SacCyclone

Club Member
I have had a very hard time finding nice Cheek panels for the 240z......they house the front left and right turn indicators. Also the front valance in between the 2 cheek panels. Currently have to pay $200-$300 for a nice set of factory ones.
 
AliK

AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Another vote for:

- Rear arches / dog legs

- Front wings and sugar scoops

- Battery trays

Also the rear slam panel that is rotten on many cars. I await correction by Richie as to how realistic this would be, given his (STUNNING) recent work.

Finally, here’s a daydream thought - there are a lot of people deleting sunroofs - is there a possibility for producing something that isn’t an entire roof replacement but can be cut / welded into the existing roof structure? (A bit like the rear part that Richie shared but for the roof)
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
AliK said:
Another vote for:

- Rear arches / dog legs

- Front wings and sugar scoops

- Battery trays

Also the rear slam panel that is rotten on many cars. I await correction by Richie as to how realistic this would be, given his (STUNNING) recent work.

Finally, here’s a daydream thought - there are a lot of people deleting sunroofs - is there a possibility for producing something that isn’t an entire roof replacement but can be cut / welded into the existing roof structure? (A bit like the rear part that Richie shared but for the roof)
Click to expand...

Thanks Ali. Some of those sections are already available so not a priority or worth pursuing.
 
MaximG

MaximG

Well-Known Forum User
Body Panel wish list. * = Repro already available.

Wings.

Bonnet. *

Doors Complete

Door Skins

Air Tubes.

Inner Wings

Chassis Rails “Complete”

Radiator Support Panel.

Head Light Cones “sugar scoops”

Three piece front lower valence.

Battery Tray *

LH and RH Scuttle Panel.

Floors *

Inner sill *

Outer Sill*

Dog Leg *

Rear Arch Repair *

Complete Rear Quarter

Rear Lower Valance*

Slam Panel*

Rear Panel “where the lights are”

Outer Rear Arch*

Inner wing to boot floor filler panel “where the fuel filler pipe runs through”

Roof Skin full or part.

Tail Gate.


This is obviously by know means complete and some things might be available that I’m not aware of. This also doesn’t take into account variations in model.
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
MaximG said:
Body Panel wish list. * = Repro already available.

Wings.

Bonnet. *

Doors Complete

Door Skins

Air Tubes.

Inner Wings

Chassis Rails “Complete”

Radiator Support Panel.

Head Light Cones “sugar scoops”

Three piece front lower valence.

Battery Tray *

LH and RH Scuttle Panel.

Floors *

Inner sill *

Outer Sill*

Dog Leg *

Rear Arch Repair *

Complete Rear Quarter

Rear Lower Valance*

Slam Panel*

Rear Panel “where the lights are”

Outer Rear Arch*

Inner wing to boot floor filler panel “where the fuel filler pipe runs through”

Roof Skin full or part.

Tail Gate.


This is obviously by know means complete and some things might be available that I’m not aware of. This also doesn’t take into account variations in model.
Click to expand...

So basically a new shell ;-)

The cost of tooling and manpower for reproducing complex parts is going to be prohibitive and the way the guy works with other Clubs is that they commission parts and pay the cost and own the patterns and stock etc He can't gamble on selling panels, he has to have orders.

The exception to this is his main business which is Austin Healey panels. There is a second branch of the business in another town which is a retail business for AH parts, much of which goes to the US.

I think the only way we could commission parts is with enough firm orders to cover costs because we also don't have storage atm.

I'm thinking we may be able to produce a few small simple parts e.g. inner rear arches and see how we get on. Then if ok expand to parts like rear valences.

Nobody has yet said how much they would pay for something or if aluminium is attractive to them. The guy has said that rear wings are possible but would probably be made in 3 sections i.e. you could buy a section or have it welded for the complete panel. They make Triumph Stag front wings like this.

I was approached by him at home when he saw my cars on the drive (he walks passed my house). It just seemed an idea worth investigating. He spoke to Jon Newlyn at the NEC, Jon hasn't got back to him though. 20200113_115247.jpg
 
richiep

richiep

Club Member
Based on the above, I wonder what benefit there is in this? A lot of the items mentioned above are available from other sources, with some actively expanding their offerings at the moment, i.e. Andy Nidd (woody) here in the UK, KFVintageJDM (https://kfvintagejdm.com/product-category/datsun/ - Gary/Atomman noting recently that they have plans afoot for a lot more parts, including rear quarter panels). Talking about things like inner rear arches, etc. - Rushingphil makes a good point about the shipping and duty that gets incurred with these things when importing, but would low volume, group buy, with tooling and pattern cost, UK labour, etc., end up being any cheaper?

The market would be in producing things that genuinely aren't available from other sources, or if they are, them being competitively priced and local (i.e. not having to ship from the US, etc.). Alternatively, I'd also say that something like rear quarter panels (either the version I posted above or full ones) would have a much wider market than just the tiny UK one if they could be ordered in relatively short order rather than just limited group buys in this club. They would have an international audience.

I think other players may have already got the jump on this, making it difficult to establish a worthwhile venture tbh.
 
MaximG

MaximG

Well-Known Forum User
I was just trying to highlight everything that I could think of that would have a market. Some of these I would say were viable for reproduction like Chassis rails, Wings, Head light cones, Air Tubes and for that matter reproduction Fuel Tanks. A complete door for a 240 would be prohibitive due to its complex nature. Where as the rad support panel is complex but made of many different parts so production might not be unrealistic. Head light cones might be possible as even Nissan made them in two halves.

Mike
 
Wally

Wally

Club Member
MaximG said:
I was just trying to highlight everything that I could think of that would have a market. Some of these I would say were viable for reproduction like Chassis rails, Wings, Head light cones, Air Tubes and for that matter reproduction Fuel Tanks. A complete door for a 240 would be prohibitive due to its complex nature. Where as the rad support panel is complex but made of many different parts so production might not be unrealistic. Head light cones might be possible as even Nissan made them in two halves.

Mike
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Fuel tanks are a great idea. Only option I know are pro alloy which are over a grand.
 
richiep

richiep

Club Member
MaximG said:
I was just trying to highlight everything that I could think of that would have a market. Some of these I would say were viable for reproduction like Chassis rails, Wings, Head light cones, Air Tubes and for that matter reproduction Fuel Tanks. A complete door for a 240 would be prohibitive due to its complex nature. Where as the rad support panel is complex but made of many different parts so production might not be unrealistic. Head light cones might be possible as even Nissan made them in two halves.

Mike
Click to expand...
Chassis rails are already available in the UK from Andy, as is the full rad support (or component parts). He's had both on eBay before. Numerous sellers internationally offer the headlight cowls, although usually in fibreglass as per 70-72 cars (which personally would seem a more practical choice for later cars too).

Mike Feeney had access to some UK fabricated parts that people were relatively unaware of. For example, I got a replacement lower hatch outer skin from him a year or so back, made to order.

Basically, there is more stuff out there than people are aware of, if they don't obsessively trawl around for this stuff and commit it to memory (like I do!).

Air tubes and fuel tank are good calls though. Tank would need to be cheaper than that upgraded jobbie Pro Alloy sell though.

Edited to add: these are out there already too: https://zcardepot.com/products/front-fender-right-or-left-sheet-metal-240z-260z-280z
A UK made option would need to be competitive in pricing to make it a viable alternative to importing. That's something I wouldn't be confident of given the volume, economics, etc.
 
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