I just ordered a 3D printer. Will be about a month before I can actually start producing stuff with any quality (ship/build time, calibration, working out bugs, etc)

I am looking at being able to make parts that are not available anywhere else, or custom pieces. Due to material restrictions right now, I cannot make anything that can handle lots of heat or stress. I will mostly be concentrating on Firebird GTA pieces (already made a design for the seat belt headrest retainer barrels) because I have the car to do R&D with. Could possibly move off into Camaro parts if the demand is there. These parts will not be Concourse (purist) quality but they will hopefully be functional and only you will be able to tell the difference, also they will be paint to match. My question is, will there be any interest in something like this, or am I just wasting time?

 

Sounds like a good idea in theory!

 

Cool. What machine did you get?

Build volume?
ABS or PLA?

1 month from machine order to production parts would be truly impressive.

 

Good for you! I had a friend produce a run of GTO radio delete plates for me on a 3D Printer. Usually made out of unobtainium, they came out pretty nice in plastic and were far less expensive than the original injected molding process.

What parts are you planning on producing?

 

I got an RP9 from a company called BobsCNC (gotta support USA manufacturers). Will be PLA at first until I get the upgrades needed for ABS (then it can be ABS, nylon, brass, wood, etc). It has approximately an 8x8x8 build volume. 1 month is the goal, but we all know how those turn out.

I am planning on producing the small plastic goodies you can't get anywhere else for a fraction of the cost for a real piece. Seat belt retainer barrels, Optima seat screw covers, GTA door trim piece that goes behind the upper inside door handle, and who knows what else.

If I can find someone to work with that knows 3d modeling really well, then the possibilities are endless.

What really is inspiring me to do this is the fact that car parters are charging in excess of $50 for one small little plastic doohickey because it is "hard to get". When they are told that is way to much, they say "good luck finding another one". Well, if I can't find it, then I will make it, and the cost will be justifiable. Also helping the community with getting those hard to find parts.

 

You could also make those 'rare' little covers that clip over the diagnostic port on the driver side.

 

yep.

 

I think I need one of those... lol

 

Boom. There's your first customer. lol.

 

time to start designing...

 

Well im interested. Subbed.

 

Having issues getting it to dial in correctly. Still working with it.

 

Sorry its been a while since I had an update. Been busy with life etc, etc.

However, there is progress. I have completed a rough sketch of the ALDL cover. I have one so I can take measurements and make sure it is as accurate as I can get it.

Let me know what you think.

 

Make MR2 Mk1 parts and you'll make a lot of guys happy. Most of our stuff was never supported in the aftermarket.

That being said, there's plenty of stuff you can make for 3rd gens. 82-84 Z28 grills come to mind.

 

Problem there is, its really difficult to draw up something with no part on hand as a reference and be even remotely close to fitting.

 

If you can make Camaro fog light bezels, I'm sure that would sell. They are prone to rusting out. I have one I could send you to duplicate!

 

Good Work!!

yeah, the 82-84 Z28 grills would be hot items....wish I had a pair to get you measurements from.

 

Im not sure how they would hold up to the heat of the fog lights being on. Might work if you used LED bulbs.

They look fairly easy to draw up, if I can get my hands on one.

 

Ran into an interesting thing while "schmoozing" the web. Apparently, there are 2 style of ALDL covers. There are the covers that everyone is familiar with that goes on the hush panel and covers the hole. BUT, I found another style that goes on the port itself. Were these ever put on our cars? Would it be something that would peak interest? If I can get my hands on it, I could make them.

 

I think that type is for obd2 connectors which are mandated to be easier to locate and access. It's just a simple cover. The earlier style is more of of a block off plate unique to our cars. The clips break off easily so lots of demand for replacements. I think the ob2 style are readily available.

 

Hm, I've never seen one like that

 

I think my port cover has turned out pretty good.

 

Excellent!
How easy is it to change the color of the plastic?

 

Another thing you could make would be the latch or even whole door for the fuse box access panel.

 

Color change is easy, Krylon does wonders.

Fuse door latch is a good idea..Need to find a good one to use as a sample. Mine is glued in place.

 

EXCELLENT!!! That looks great. Can't wait to see what other parts you churn out. Looks just as good as an NOS piece and apart from you and the guy you sell it to nobody would know the difference.

 

Could you make flashlight inserts??? I know they wouldn't work, but just to fill in that space....might be worth looking at. You could make them with custom lettering or something.

 

I actually have a Caddy Homelink lying around, that fills that space even better, and makes it functional. PM me if interested. But, yes I could make something like that.

 

And now a little something for the GTA guys out there. I am still tweaking the design, but it fits good.




Edit- If anyone actually still has one of these (a rare thing) and can give me a top down picture so I can get the shape right, that would be great.

 

Hey, cool beans subscribed for more of this!

Another thing I can think of that would prolly generate demand is the early (82-83 or 84) seatbelt clip covers, like on the part on the belt that goes into the buckle.. These are quite prone to cracking. P.S. Imho these are actually quite common for a number of GM cars around the late 70, early 80 era = bigger market for you

For the matter of getting dimensions right, I think for most parts it would be absolutely necessary to have them at hand for you to take measurements. The ALDL cover looks pretty spot on

I have never seen these rubber-ish connector cover in any of the thirdgen cars, but that doesn't mean they weren't there when they rolled off the assembly line, heh. Btw OBD2 hadn't kicked in until 94/95-ish with the 4th Gen.

 

The stock seat belt barrels were plastic. I used to have one at one time.

The port cover I make is a touch bigger than the stock unit, but it also fits really securely into the hole in the hush panel.

 

I just found the actual part I was referring to was called the buckle ^^ So, the cover on that one. Not sure if we were talking about the same part since you mentioned the barrel?
Further parts I could think of: plastic hatch trim screws, various style belt guides

 

You talking the red pushy button (scientific name)? I don't have one on hand, and Im not going to tear mine apart to get at it.

 

Hehe, no, I was talking about the part with the "male" part on it, not the receiver (with the red push button to open the belt lock ). But yes, the receiver plastic "mantle" also likes to detoriate and crack a lot on these.. I think you're talking about these.
Aside from making these, it would be kinda hard to put these on anyways? Since the belt lock receiver as well as the tab that mounts to the chassis/tunnel is bigger than the opening in the plastic, so would have to open the stitches of the short fabric belt part on one side and re-do them afterwards.. or make the plastic mantle with a slit along the whole length so you can open it up and "wrap"/put it around the belt.

 

How about the plastic window regulator rollers than nobody seems to reproduce for thirdgens (yet).

 

Those should be easy, if I can get one.

 

Oh yes subscribed so I can keep up with all new parts

 

Dont Suppose you can make anything as big as some hood louvers ? ( camaro)

 

No..those are a way to big. Would be neat though.

 

im subscribing to this thread

 

I need the seatbelt loop/harness barrels. I have 1 for the passenger side. Would actually be better if you made them longer than the stock ones.

 

Got some ABS. Road testing my seat belt loop. It is longer, thicker, and grabs better than the stock ones. So far it is working really good.

 

Got a couple sets of seat belt barrels printed . These are not factory designs or recreations, they are my original design that, I think, is far superior to the factory POS design. These will not just fly off and be lost, and have not come loose during road testing.
These will come primered and need to be painted to match. I would recommend removing the seat belt loop and painting both parts at the same time so they match perfectly.

 

Cool! Let us know once they are up for grabs or did I miss that already?

 

These are up for grabs. PM me if interested.

 

Can you make the heater blend door ? Been looking for a machine shop to make one around here with no luck. Is there a composite tough enough on the printer to make this?

 

Making these tonneau release levers would be cool, right now they're $100+ and you buy the cable and all. The lever is the only peice that I've ever seen break. The ones for the 80's convertibles are $200+

 

Camaro dual loop seat belt guides would be AWESOME!!!

 

NDZ- to much of a stressed part for a printed part, CNC would be the way to go for that. Printed part would wear out really quickly.

91Red- If I could get a hold of a handle, it could be possible. But again, kind of a lot of stress on the handle when pulled. Would be cheap, but would eventually break.

Polo- Fairly simple and feasible. Minimal stress on the part. Kinda big, but possible.

There are printers that can do high stress components, but they are prohibitively expensive.

 

I know it's no help today...but the day may come when you can do that. I just read an SAE article on a company that makes a powered metal which can be used to print parts...in this case, they made bearings.