I am very worried about the availability of the front bumper top seals. I just got word that the tooling has gone bad and has been disposed of. I bought the last 13 bumper top seals in the world but they have windshield washer holes in them I priced the tooling and it is over 30,000 to make. Then I would have to commit to 1000 pieces.
The point here is what are we going to do in the restoration of our 914s if a high appearance item like this cannot be purchased? Any one want to step up to the plate?
Im sure that nobody is going to swallow the cost of the tooling, but im sure that there are quite a few interested and who can commit to buying a seal or two. Put me down for one if you decide to do it.
Think the only concievable way to do it, would be to have the production costs covered up front. 1000 units I don't see how one could possibly sell that many. 300 units @ $100 would be hard enough to do. Would 150 club members chip in for that to get a huge price break? Don't see it happening unfortunetly. That's alot of people.
So George, tell us a little about the bumper tops you do have with the washer jet holes. Can one of those be used to make a mold from? How much are they?
Yes they can be used as a model for a new part, and they cost the same as the original ones. The hole would be a problem to fill in and get it to look right for concours. Adding headlight washers is the only solution but I have not checked to see if they are still available!!!!!
I have one of the bumper tops at a molder now who does silicone molds to see if I can get a cheap factory look pad that at least will LOOK like the original.
The point about all of this is I am beginning to feel like Pat, disheartened that I can no longer restore a 914 to the level that I want by buying all of the factory parts to do it, and now look at the original unmolested cars that I have and covet them more than ever. 914 restoration will have to become one off and the original cars now to skyrocket in value.
I have one NOS one we can use for a pattern. I emailed George about this one.
Six hundred and shipping. That's what I paid and I was only concerned about making sure it was new. My car's not going to be all original, but the idea of a fiberglass bumper, just wasn't going to fly
Original post states George would have to commit to 1,000 units. Mikey is picking up the ball on this
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:46 PM' post='1158675']
[quote name='tod914' post='1158580' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:45 AM']
...and keep me posted, as I still need for my `73 2L App. Grp. car: L & R front tits & top strip/pad - as well as: F & R chrome bumpers, 2 fog lights & switch, original dual tone horn(s), L & R rear taillight assys. plus the US lenses! ...all having been damaged in the 5/85 accident!
[/quote]
PS - does anyone know why all the used F & R top strips/pads seem to have a series of "dimples" every inch or so across the middle where the "crease" is??
Even my damaged ones are in far better shape rubber-wise (except for a small tear on the front-left), if they can just be shaped back into the proper curve - NO dimples at all!
Maybe I should just re-fit & use those!!??
...any "Thotz" from the Xperts out there?
REAR TOP STRIP - NEW VS. DAMAGED/OLD:
> not much diff in condition - bend aside!
...continued next post...
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:34 PM' post='1158704']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:46 PM' post='1158675']
[quote name='tod914' post='1158580' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:45 AM']
...and keep me posted, as I still need for my `73 2L App. Grp. car: L & R front tits & top strip/pad - as well as: F & R chrome bumpers, 2 fog lights & switch, original dual tone horn(s), L & R rear taillight assys. plus the US lenses! ...all having been damaged in the 5/85 accident!
[/quote]
PS - does anyone know why all the used F & R top strips/pads seem to have a series of "dimples" every inch or so across the middle where the "crease" is??
Even my damaged ones are in far better shape rubber-wise (except for a small tear on the front-left), if they can just be shaped back into the proper curve - NO dimples at all!
Maybe I should just re-fit & use those!!??
...any "Thotz" from the Xperts out there?
REAR TOP STRIP - NEW VS. DAMAGED/OLD:
> not much diff in condition - bend aside!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
REAR TOP STRIP - PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no tears on rear one!
...continued next post...
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:42 PM' post='1158707']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:34 PM' post='1158704']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:46 PM' post='1158675']
[quote name='tod914' post='1158580' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:45 AM']
...and keep me posted, as I still need for my `73 2L App. Grp. car: L & R front tits & top strip/pad - as well as: F & R chrome bumpers, 2 fog lights & switch, original dual tone horn(s), L & R rear taillight assys. plus the US lenses! ...all having been damaged in the 5/85 accident!
[/quote]
PS - does anyone know why all the used F & R top strips/pads seem to have a series of "dimples" every inch or so across the middle where the "crease" is??
Even my damaged ones are in far better shape rubber-wise (except for a small tear on the front-left), if they can just be shaped back into the proper curve - NO dimples at all!
Maybe I should just re-fit & use those!!??
...any "Thotz" from the Xperts out there?
REAR TOP STRIP - NEW VS. DAMAGED/OLD:
> not much diff in condition - bend aside!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
REAR TOP STRIP - PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no tears on rear one!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - CENTER DETAIL:
> still no tears on rear one - but not the case for the front! --V
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE OUTSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE INSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
> maybe fixable with rubberized sealant - particularly the inside, but never a concours job for sure - but what are the choices now with fronts being NLA ????
...continued next post...
Tom, someone posted in the main about offering a service to repair them.
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:51 PM' post='1158711']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:42 PM' post='1158707']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:34 PM' post='1158704']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:46 PM' post='1158675']
[quote name='tod914' post='1158580' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:45 AM']
...and keep me posted, as I still need for my `73 2L App. Grp. car: L & R front tits & top strip/pad - as well as: F & R chrome bumpers, 2 fog lights & switch, original dual tone horn(s), L & R rear taillight assys. plus the US lenses! ...all having been damaged in the 5/85 accident!
[/quote]
PS - does anyone know why all the used F & R top strips/pads seem to have a series of "dimples" every inch or so across the middle where the "crease" is??
Even my damaged ones are in far better shape rubber-wise (except for a small tear on the front-left), if they can just be shaped back into the proper curve - NO dimples at all!
Maybe I should just re-fit & use those!!??
...any "Thotz" from the Xperts out there?
REAR TOP STRIP - NEW VS. DAMAGED/OLD:
> not much diff in condition - bend aside!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
REAR TOP STRIP - PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no tears on rear one!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - CENTER DETAIL:
> still no tears on rear one - but not the case for the front! --V
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE OUTSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE INSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
> maybe fixable with rubberized sealant - particularly the inside, but never a concours job for sure - but what are the choices now with fronts being NLA ????
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
FRONT TOP STRIP - CENTER & DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
^ dark marks to left of tear are just my oily footprint when I crawled over car before removing this bumper - not another tear!
FRONT TOP STRIP - CENTER & PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no other tears on front one!
...continued next post...
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 04:05 PM' post='1158717']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:51 PM' post='1158711']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:42 PM' post='1158707']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 03:34 PM' post='1158704']
[quote name='Tom_T' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:46 PM' post='1158675']
[quote name='tod914' post='1158580' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:45 AM']
...and keep me posted, as I still need for my `73 2L App. Grp. car: L & R front tits & top strip/pad - as well as: F & R chrome bumpers, 2 fog lights & switch, original dual tone horn(s), L & R rear taillight assys. plus the US lenses! ...all having been damaged in the 5/85 accident!
[/quote]
PS - does anyone know why all the used F & R top strips/pads seem to have a series of "dimples" every inch or so across the middle where the "crease" is??
Even my damaged ones are in far better shape rubber-wise (except for a small tear on the front-left), if they can just be shaped back into the proper curve - NO dimples at all!
Maybe I should just re-fit & use those!!??
...any "Thotz" from the Xperts out there?
REAR TOP STRIP - NEW VS. DAMAGED/OLD:
> not much diff in condition - bend aside!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
REAR TOP STRIP - PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no tears on rear one!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
REAR TOP STRIP - CENTER DETAIL:
> still no tears on rear one - but not the case for the front! --V
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE OUTSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
FRONT TOP STRIP - DRIVER-SIDE INSIDE TEAR DETAIL:
> maybe fixable with rubberized sealant - particularly the inside, but never a concours job for sure - but what are the choices now with fronts being NLA ????
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and more...
FRONT TOP STRIP - CENTER & DRIVER SIDE DETAIL:
^ dark marks to left of tear are just my oily footprint when I crawled over car before removing this bumper - not another tear!
FRONT TOP STRIP - CENTER & PASS SIDE DETAIL:
> no other tears on front one!
...continued next post...
[/quote]
...and FINALLY...
FRONT TOP STRIP OVERALL: (1 nut still unreachable due to "tit"-brace & bent bumper)
> it has the one tear on the outside from the detail shots above - but NO annoying dimples!!!!
...so - wuddiya think?
He's in TN. Very active on the board, 914rrr??? He also has the very nice olympic blue car (turbo).
Tom if I can locate the thread, I'll post it.
30K to set that up?? Man, that is pricey. I can see myself spending $1,000 for a like-new quality top, but thats just me.
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