Would there be a market for QUALITY fiberglass parts?

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89on35s said:
I have done some but not alot. What does it do to you? Allergic reaction?

Cley
Click to expand...
Yeah, in summer it gets in your pores and itchy itchy itchy. Winter not so bad.
Respirator a must, stuff will kill you:)
Hard to get out of clothes.
If I had to do it long term, I`d look like I was working in a level 4 bio lab.
Some guys it doesn`t bother them. ymmv
 
89on35s said:
I have been in negotiations with the guy but I fear I may not have enough room to store all the molds etc. Still undecided. It's still up in the air.

Cley
Click to expand...
Those logistics were also going through my head... I was sounding like such a Debbie Downer that I didn't want to mention the logistics that come through my head...
I really want to encourage you on whatever you choose to do in life cuz I know you're a straight shooter...
Well the molds are one thing like you're saying where do you put them and where do you work on them? Do they need to be temperature controlled and not just an old cold Barn? Time to work on them between family work other hobbies and so forth... I'm sure there has to be a laundry list of personal protection hand tools workbenches and probably a lot of it needs to people at least.... Beyond the fiberglass the resins the release resins for the forms cleaning everything....
Experimenting and throwing stuff away as if your very first ones going to be perfect....
 
This is a list of molds I would receive with the package

Cley

MOPAR

70-76 DART TRUNK LID

73-76 DART PIN ON HOOD

70-76 DUSTER TRUNK LID

73-76 DUSTER PIN ON HOOD

70-72 DUSTER PIN ON HOOD

70-72 DART PIN ON HOOD

73-76 DUSTER REAR BUMPER

73-76 DART REAR BUMPER

73-76 DUSTER FRONT BUMPER

70 DUSTER REAR BUMPER

73-76 DART FRONT BUMPER

73-76 SWINGER REAR BUMPER



76-80 ASPEN FENDERS

76-80 ASPEN PIN ON HOOD



67-69 DART TRUNK LID

67-69 DART FLAT PIN ON HOOD

67-69 DART REAR BUMPER

69 CUDA FRONT BUMPER

66 BARACUDA 6 PACK HOOD PIN ON

64-65 BARACUDA TRUNK LID



70-74 CUDA 1 PIECE FRONT END - FENDERS & NOSE

70-74 CUDA SHAKER PIN ON HOOD

70-74 CUDA 6 PACK PIN ON HOOD

70-74 CUDA TA HOOD PIN ON

70-74 CUDA TRUNK LID

70-74 CUDA REAR BUMPER

70 CUDA FRONT BUMPER

CUDA AAR REAR SPOILER



70-74 CHALLENGER PIN ON HOOD

CHALLENGER ta REAR SPOILER



68-69 ROAD RUNNER 6 PACK HOOD - MOLDED FROM ORIGINAL

68-69 SATTELITE FLAT PIN ON HOOD

68-69 SUPERBEE A-12 PIN ON HOOD



68-69 CHARGER PIN ON HOOD

71-72 GTX PIN ON HOOD

64 BELVEDEREPIN ON HOOD



73-80 DODGE PICK UP FRONT SPOILER

MOPAR MAX WEDGE SCOOP

MOPAR GO-WING - BODY ONLY

CUDA SHAKER

AAR CUDA STYLE SCOOP

MOPAR DUAL SNORKEL

6 PACK SCOOP

SUPER BIRD FENDER SCOOPS
 
CHEVY
75-78NOVA TRUNK LID
68-74 NOVA TRUNK LID
66-67 NOVA TRUNK LID
68/74NOVA HATCH BACK PIN ON
75-79 NOVA HOOD PIN ON
66/67 NOVA HOOD
62-67 CHEVY NOVA HOOD
68-74 NOVA HOOD
66 NOVA FRONT FENDERS
62-65 NOVA FENDERS - RACE ONLY
68-74 NOVA FENDER
68-72 NOVA FRONT/REAR BUMPER
68-72 NOVA FRONT SPOILER
75 NOVA REAR BUMPER

70-72GTO/LEMANS TRUNK LID70-72 GTO/LEMANS DOORS
70-72 LEMANS HOOD PIN ON
72 GTO HOOD PIN ON
GTO HOOD SCOOP
70 LEMANS HOOOD PIN ON
71-72 LEMANS HOOD PIN ON
70 GTO FENDERS
70 GTO NOSE CONE
70 GTO FRONT VALENCE
70 GTO REAR BUMPER
70-72 LEMANS FRONT BUMPER
70-72 GTO REAR WING
69 GTO REAR WING
70 OLDS WING SEPARATE LEGS
70 SKYLARK GSX WING W ORIGINAL LIP
70 SKYLARK GSX WING WITH STRAIGHTENED LIP

70-72 CHEVELLE TRUNK LID
70-72 CHEVELLE PIN W COWL
66 CHEVELLE 2" COWL HOOD
65 CHEVELLE PIN ON HOOD
67 CHEVELLE SS BOLT ON HOOD
72 CHEVELLE REAR BUMPER

69 CAMARO FLAT HOOD
69 CAMARO 2" COWL HOOD
67-68 CAMARO RACE FENDERS

75 VEGA FRONT BUMPER
75 VEGA REAR BUMPER

57 CHEVY CAR FRONT BUMPER
55-57 CHEV TRUNK LID
57 CHEV CAR PIN ON HOOD
57 CHEV CAR RACE FENDERS
55-57 CHEV REAR STEP SIDE FENDERS
47-54 CHEV REAR STEP SIDE FENDERS
47-54 CHEVY PICK UP FRONT FENDERS
58-59 CHEV TRUCK FENDERS
55-57 CHEV TRUCK FENDERS
53-56 FORD TRUCK FRONT FENDERS
55 CHEV PICK UP FRONT BUMPER

73-80 CHEV TRUCK 4X4 FLARES
81-87 2"wOL CHEV PICK UP BOLTON HOOD
81-87 CHEV PICK UP FRONT SPOILER
73-80 CHEV PICK UP FRONT BUMPER
73-80 CHEV PICK UP FRONT SPOILER
73-87 CHEV PICK UP CAB SPOILER
73-87 CHEV PICK UP ROLL PAN
73-87 CHEV SHORT BOX GROUND EFFECTS KIT

67-72 CHEV PICK UP FRONT SPOILER
67-72 CHEV PICK UP ROLL PAN

82-93 S-10 ROLL PAN
2000 CHEVY ROLL PAN
88-99 CHEVY ROLL PAN
88 CHEV PICK UP LUND VISOR

78-81 MALIBU HOOD
80 MONTE HOOD
85-87 CUTLASS FLAT PIN ON HOOD
80-82 FIREBIRD WIDE BODY KIT
SET OF FIREBIRD FENDER FLARES
70-81 FIREBIRD FRONT SPOILERS
85-90 FIREBIRD GTA REAR SPOILER
81-87 FIREBIRD GROUND EFFECTS
70-81 CAMARO REAR TURBO WING
70-81 CAMARO AC DELETE BOX
CORVETTE TWIN TURBO HOOD
82-85 CORVETTE BUMPERS
82-85 CORVETTE FRONT SPOILER
80-82 CORVETTE FRONT SPOILER
CORVETTE TWIN TURBO SCOOP
90S FIREBIRD RAM AIR HOOD SCOOP

FIERO GT REAR SPOILER
 
FORD
71-73 MUSTANG DOORS
73 MUSTANG RAM AIR HOOD
71-73 MUSTANG TRUNK LID
65 COMET TRUNK LID
77-80 FAIRMONT TRUNK LID
67-68 MUSTANGHOOD
80-84 T-BIRD HOOD
69 MUSTANG HOOD
80 FORD TRUCK HOOD
65 COMET HOOD
65 COMET FRONT/REAR BUMPERS
71-72 MUSTANG FRONT SPOILER
69 MUSTANG GULL WING PEDESTAL 1 PC
67-68 MUSTANG BOLT ON SCOOP
FORD COBRA SMALL ROUND SCOOP

80 FORD PICK UP FRONT SPOILER
78-80 FORD PICK UP CAB SPOILER
80 FORD PICK UP LUND VISOR

32 FORD GRILLE SHELL
ROADSTER DASH PANEL
MAZDA RX7 BODY KIT & WHALE TAIL
DATSUN 510 FRONT AIR DAM COMBO
MAZDA RX7 FRONT SPOILER
OVERHEAD CONSOLE
AERO SCOOPS SM,MED,LGE
SHOE BOX SCOOP
TEAR DROP SM,LG
4" COWL INDUCTION
2" COWL SCOOP
 
Wow!.. that looks like a warehouse full of molds... I see a lot of pin on stuff which is mostly just the race guys...
 
j par said:
Those logistics were also going through my head... I was sounding like such a Debbie Downer that I didn't want to mention the logistics that come through my head...
I really want to encourage you on whatever you choose to do in life cuz I know you're a straight shooter...
Well the molds are one thing like you're saying where do you put them and where do you work on them? Do they need to be temperature controlled and not just an old cold Barn? Time to work on them between family work other hobbies and so forth... I'm sure there has to be a laundry list of personal protection hand tools workbenches and probably a lot of it needs to people at least.... Beyond the fiberglass the resins the release resins for the forms cleaning everything....
Experimenting and throwing stuff away as if your very first ones going to be perfect....
Click to expand...
I really do appreciate your comments! I have heated space to work on them. I have many work benches and saw horses to work on. I have the majority of the tools needed already. Realistically I will likely only be using a small portion of the molds, at least off the start. I will not pay to store my molds that I am not using. That is just pissing money away in my mind. I will consider buying a trailer for storage because I have places to keep it for free.
My kids are getting older and need me less these days. I am looking for some additional income that I could grow into a semi retirement gig and possibly sell off when I fully retire. This may be it, but it may not!

Cley
 
89on35s said:
I also have ideas of some new items I could produce if I go this route. Mostly A body mopar stuff.

Cley
Click to expand...
I would wonder about keeping all the molds like you said for a sell-off but doing something like specializing in something that's easily shipped easily produced in a quality manner that can be extremely cost-effective for the customer and yourself.... You know like just specializing in bumpers and hood scoops and stuff like that... And some custom designs...
For instance a lot of times the 73 and up duster bumpers are replicas of the factory bumper when people really want them chopped 1 inch on either side so they fit up nice and tight... I called several places asking them if they did something like that and they're just expecting the customer to do it.. and in my mind I'm thinking that could be put into the mold??? My rear bumper I had to section an inch out of each side to make it look like it wasn't some big 5 mph bumper sticking off the back of my car...
 
If you are going to be a one man band with a deal like that you’ll lose your *** right quick. You will be doing everything including shipping and answering phones. You won’t be able to price the stuff high enough for the volume of product you can produce to make it worth while.

It’s one thing if it’s a hobby, but from the looks of the number of moles it’s not a hobby business. If you run it like a hobby business it will surely fail.

And the tire kickers have already chimed in. Price it so it’s “affordable”. And that’s the problem bringing most anything to market in this hobby. They have no clue how long it takes to produce the product, the cost of materials to make the thing, lights and other overheads and then boxing the part up well enough so the block headed morons in the trucking industry don’t kill the part getting it to the customer.

And, if it doesn’t come out of the box ready for paint the bitching will commence pronto. Most guys have never worked with fiberglass, so they haven’t a clue how much labor it takes to get that stuff straight enough to even remotely look like steel panels.

And if you do make them even fairly close, you shoot your price point right in the ***.

I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m saying spend a bunch of time looking at what it really takes to make a fiberglass hood (as one example) from the raw materials to the finished product and then add in shipping costs. Shipping is a killer on stuff like that.

And don’t forget the budget some time for every sale you actually make. And for every sale you do make, expect to budget time for the 50 tire kickers who will call and blow your ear off and never buy anything. And budget some phone time to deal with all the issues that come with selling someone something.

You can go broke very quickly doing a onesie, twosie deal when you add up all the time it takes. Or you actually take money out of your pocket to build and sell parts.

Just my opinion. Tread carefully.
 
Rat Bastid said:
If you are going to be a one man band with a deal like that you’ll lose your *** right quick. You will be doing everything including shipping and answering phones. You won’t be able to price the stuff high enough for the volume of product you can produce to make it worth while.

It’s one thing if it’s a hobby, but from the looks of the number of moles it’s not a hobby business. If you run it like a hobby business it will surely fail.

And the tire kickers have already chimed in. Price it so it’s “affordable”. And that’s the problem bringing most anything to market in this hobby. They have no clue how long it takes to produce the product, the cost of materials to make the thing, lights and other overheads and then boxing the part up well enough so the block headed morons in the trucking industry don’t kill the part getting it to the customer.

And, if it doesn’t come out of the box ready for paint the bitching will commence pronto. Most guys have never worked with fiberglass, so they haven’t a clue how much labor it takes to get that stuff straight enough to even remotely look like steel panels.

And if you do make them even fairly close, you shoot your price point right in the ***.

I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m saying spend a bunch of time looking at what it really takes to make a fiberglass hood (as one example) from the raw materials to the finished product and then add in shipping costs. Shipping is a killer on stuff like that.

And don’t forget the budget some time for every sale you actually make. And for every sale you do make, expect to budget time for the 50 tire kickers who will call and blow your ear off and never buy anything. And budget some phone time to deal with all the issues that come with selling someone something.

You can go broke very quickly doing a onesie, twosie deal when you add up all the time it takes. Or you actually take money out of your pocket to build and sell parts.

Just my opinion. Tread carefully.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your point of view. The thing is that the purchase price is ridiculously low, so I don't need to offer all the products and run it as a big business. I can be small and hobby like and still do ok. With the selection of molds, I could grow if it works out. I may sound convinced but I am still unsure.

Cley
 
Fit & finish is the greatest problem with some of the glass pieces out there. If you have GREAT MOLDS & GREAT QC before they leave your facility you have half of the battle won.
 
Demonracer said:
Fit & finish is the greatest problem with some of the glass pieces out there. If you have GREAT MOLDS & GREAT QC before they leave your facility you have half of the battle won.
Click to expand...

i dont know

seems to me part of our problem is we are working on cars that are half a century old

he may have a perfect copy of say a hood, then a customer will try to mate it with a cars with 50 year old fenders and its off 1/2 an inch

guess who will get blamed ?
 
If you are young enough to build a business, go for it. Its like a ground floor oppurtunity.
Plan ahead for a family business if it pans out. Im hoping you go for it,as a couple parts would interest me.
 
That's a buttload of molds, but what's the quality of them?
Without putting a lot of thought into it, you would need to staff approx 6 people in various aspects to make it functional/profitable.
I bet you could make as much profit selling off the brand X molds as actually making the parts?
Good luck!
And I think AAR=Stinger?? If so, their rep is going downhill fast from what I've read here.
 
4spdragtop said:
That's a buttload of molds, but what's the quality of them?
Without putting a lot of thought into it, you would need to staff approx 6 people in various aspects to make it functional/profitable.
I bet you could make as much profit selling off the brand X molds as actually making the parts?
Good luck!
And I think AAR=Stinger?? If so, their rep is going downhill fast from what I've read here.
Click to expand...
I don't know that's that balance... While it seems like there's 10 times more market for Brand x maybe your niche is in Mopar..
 
Sell off the brand X, use that profit to "properly" prepare/setup the Mopar stuff. Dirty nasty work too. Better pay well and get good staff.
j par said:
I don't know that's that balance... While it seems like there's 10 times more market for Brand x maybe your niche is in Mopar..
Click to expand...
 
All I can say is good luck competing against the companies out there already. There is a guy on Moparts that USED to be in the business. I would say try to talk to him but he’s a bit of an idiot that posts about stupid stuff you can’t even read. Honestly I think the resin messed up his head and not just a little bit. Like they say on Sharktank. The bigger guys would probably squish you like a bug, shipping would be crazy, a few returns would really hurt the little guy starting up, and with the internet like it is today any sub-perfect products could sink the ship. Good luck.
 
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