Need Input

OK, I need some help in ciphering the possible 53/54-grill reproduction project:

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1) Can we trust Studebaker's production process enough to safely assume that if only one grill and surround was laser scanned, and flip-flopped, that the other side would fit properly?

2) Where the Champion script is located on the driver's side of my car. are the mounting holes the same for the passenger side's Studebaker script (before/after "flip flopping") on both sides? Are the holes for the Champion script the same as the Commander script? Would those holes really be that big an issue, at all?

3) I can't remember. was the whole grill surround chrome, or just the faux trim piece? I don't think that matters to me, but I'm curious. Memory is a terrible thing to lose! My thought is that I would offer the product as-is following the manufacturing process, and the owner can decide whether to have the parts chrome plated, or paint them the color of their choice. I might contract with a plater, but my responsibility would end when the product was delivered to the plater. After the plater inspects the product and accepts delivery, he would be responsible to the customer for anything that happens after that point.

4) If a '54 grill was scanned, and the company digitally removed the bars before production, would that be close enough to a '53 to work? (This can be done.) (The owner of a '53 would be on his own in mounting the unit, but his original brackets should work.?)

Depending on the opinions of this group, I am somewhere between removing one grill and surround (or both) from my car for the scanning process, or having someone send me 2 each left and right grills for both '53s and 54s, and the same for Commanders /Champions, as well as both left and right surrounds.

I would rather scan a '54 surround. We could not include the grill mounting holes, but put dimples on the back side, so that '54 owners would know where to drill the mounting holes.

Obviously, I would rather not disassemble my car, and would sure rather disassemble one side rather than both, but would do so if I had to. if the project proves to be feasible.

I took the car by today for the guys to look at, and they are supposed to get back to me on an estimated cost. based on me having them scan one each grill and surround. More scanning of more pieces, and differing elements of the manufacturing process will increase cost.

5) Fair market value, as described?

Let's see if I still have anybody's attention. This is my second effort in putting this information together, and I'm sure I did better the first time. Mr. Shaw, is it possible to make it impossible to close the page during the writing process... or at least a pop-up that says, "Are you sure, STUPID!?" I know I am forgetting something this time around, maybe somebody will catch whatever it is.

Another test of attention span/interest level: I mentioned to the guys that I might like to have some '61 Lark taillights re-produced. They said that if they had good enough lenses to work with, they could produce them without scanning them.

6) As I asked before. does anybody have a nice set of '61 lenses they would allow to be used for the project? And. are they symmetrical. or, would I need both a left and right?

7) What would be a fair market value for the lenses? I don't really want to become a vendor, so would have to be able to have them reproduced at a cost that would allow me to wholesale them to a vendor. Same holds true for the grills, methinks.

Fire away, I need to be totally and completely discouraged from this madness!

Dave Lester Dave's Place Home of the Internationally Renowned Studebakers, 'Sheba and Goliath See pictures at

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Reply to
Dave's Place
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Dave,

I don't know a thing about this. But it's a noble thing you're attempting to do.

You da man!

Mark

65 Cruiser
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Reply to
Mark Anderson

Reply to
Young Captian

A member from Arkansas has already done this and made his in aluminum. He was going to get some cost figures together. I will find his card when I get back to Arizona next week. The first one was quite expensive to make. Denny L

Reply to
lockmon

Thanks, Mark, but I think the acronym for "noble" is really "stupid."

Reply to
Dave's Place

Yep, the first one is always a killer!

I would like to know. If there is a viable option out there, I don't want to waste my time/money. And, I have no desire what-so-ever to compete with anybody that has already invested the effort/money. That said, the more I learn about this plastic process, and the fact it can be chrome plated, the more I like it. But... I ain't lookin' fer trouble!

Reply to
Dave's Place

(Or a hole to throw time, effort, and money at!)

Reply to
Dave's Place

Dave, see my comments interspersed in your text. If you could promise non-destructive use, I could loan you a set of '53 C/K bars and '54 surrounds. I also have one NOS '61 Lark t/l lens. They are quite fragile, I might add. Paul Johnson

I think so. I bravely went out into the dark night 500 feet to my dark, scary barn, with a flashlight and looked at both a spare set of bars and the ones on my '53 K. I forgot my tape measure, but they look mirror image to me.

The part numbers for the 53 and 54 grilles, right and left are the same for both Champion and Commander C/K models. So, I think it is safe to assume that the holes are the same for both.

Yes. Since the 50s the replacement grille surround for '53s has been the '54 number. The only difference is the '54 has extra hole(s) for the later toothed bar. The entire surround is chromed (poorly), but the inner part is painted a flat gray so that won't be a problem.

Very expensive.

Again, you might want to check with Chuck Collins on doing the '61s. He may have already done it.

They are summetrical- you only need one.

Reply to
Paul Johnson

The 61 taillights are symmetrical, doesn't matter which way you flip them - and if you want to do this, I would be happy to loan you one of mine - she goes to the paint shop in a few days, so I won't be needing them for a month or two. One of mine got cracked the other day by a gas station attendant not paying attention to the hose, and I had to build up the backside with epoxy, so I am VERY interested in this idea! As far as fair market value? Last I saw was $75.00 on ebay BEFORE bidding started! I actually got one from one of my chapter members for $35.00, but that was just because he likes me.

Dan Kay

61 Lark VIII Regal (she will be again, oh yes!) 62 Lark Daytona convertible

Dave's Place wrote:

Reply to
Dan Kay

Reply to
John Poulos

THANKS, PAUL!

I am printing your response, and will get back to you as I learn more at this end.

Reply to
Dave's Place

From my point of view, there is no need to make life harder for anybody, including myself. I have some cash I could throw at this project, but none I can throw away. If I make a little, but provide a service, no harm done. I've never been all that motivated by money. I've never cared about making a bundle, but that does require that I protect what I have.

As much as I am aware of how careful I must be in my own regard, I certainly don't want to cost anybody else anything. If they made a mistake, or were ahead of technology, I really can't help that, I'm sure they are already wishing what they had made had been made out of chocolate, it won't be me that makes them wish that.

Reply to
Dave's Place

Thanks, Dan! Your reply is printing at this moment. I have a lot of research to do at this end, including checking to see if Chuck is ahead of me on this, as well as most of my hair-brained ideas.

Dave Lester Dave's Place Home of the Internationally Renowned Studebakers, 'Sheba and Goliath See pictures at

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Dave's Place

Reply to
John Poulos

Other than authenticity, a modern plastic grille might be a very attractive option both from a weight and cost standpoint. I would certainly consider them vice re-chroming the two or three sets I have. Paul Johnson

Reply to
Paul Johnson

Gotta love this place, and the folks that hang out here!

Trust me, I have had more of an education in one evening than I could ever get from a semester at Great School of Minds U!

Suffice it to say that I now have an understanding of the complexity of something that seems as simple as a tail light lens.

I was reminded of what I already knew... an inexperienced guy living in OK, that has never done anything like I proposed, is silly to think that guys that have made their livings for years by providing such products for the masses haven't already made several attempts at the very same thing.

Based on a very nice phone call from a vendor member here, I am throwing in the towel on any tail light project. '61 tail light lens projects have been researched, prototyped, tried, and abandoned. It seems that even considering current technology, duplicating some things that were done in the '50's-60's is either not that easy, or financially feasible.

Research on the grill project will continue, at least until I find out what else I should have realized I knew but didn't realize I knew yet. The only thing that appears to be in my corner in that respect is new technology that hasn't been tried this way yet, but just might work. (YTBD)

The other neat thing about this evening is that I got to visit with a fellow that, until tonight, was a respected name... now, he's a friend that took the time to pick up the phone and give me a ring! I remember when this was all about the car(s). For the past several years, it's become about the people, and I really like that!

Dave Lester Dave's Place Home of the Internationally Renowned Studebakers, 'Sheba and Goliath See pictures at

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Dave's Place

Reply to
John Poulos

As in all business endeavors, put a pencil to paper and jot down these questions.

  1. What is the anticipated demand?

  1. First piece cost?

  2. Development costs (hours)?

  1. Production time frame (response to the customer)?

  2. Inventory item or build as requested?

  1. Finishing costs such as plating, painting etc.?

  2. Minimum order?

  1. Did I mention the anticipated demand?

Tooling, foundry work, finishing and plating can be formidable cost wise and it might be worthwhile to investigate overseas production where small orders can be processed more readily.

Personally, I would not touch this project with your ten foot pole...

JT

Dave's Place wrote:

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

Dave, I have often thought that plastic 53-4 grill bezels would be the way to go because of low cost & low weight. Plastic can be a problem with getting chrome to stay on long-term, but the biggest problem would not be the chrome failure so much as buyer perception of possible chrome failure. A restored car being garaged should never have that issue, & the pieces would sell cheaper than you could have a die-cast piece re-chromed, so if the plating ever went bad, a new one could be installed. I have seen many factory chrome plated plastic parts that still look OK after over 20 years. You will fiind that once you make your repro parts available, you will have a flood of initial sales and then it will quickly dwindle to a trickle. It is difficult to project your expected sales against your initial investment, because there is no way of knowing how many you will sell in say, 4 years. The more you initially order, the less price per unit you will pay, but the more unsold parts you may die with. Plastic parts will have some resistance, but with the increasing popularity of these cars, I think it could be a good investment, especially considering the cost of the alternatives. T-Bow would probably not thank you, but those who want the nice heavy brass ones will still buy his, and the others who could not afford the brass ones will buy yours.

-- Barry'd in Studes

58 Packard Hawk 40 President 39 Coupe Exp. 59 DeLuxe 1/2 tn. 56 Packard "400"

"Dave's Place" wrote in message news:5b656$443dadb1$42d21549$ snipped-for-privacy@provalue.allthenewsgroups.com...

Reply to
Barry

If you need some 53 bars and surrounds to copy I have some I would loan you.

Reply to
Jerry

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