A new way of making things..maybe

[secubis3]

Chatting to my friend and the conversation came round to my Maestro. I said best parts and panels are hard to come by, so a suggestion was made to remake samll parts in glass fibre.

He took a look at my filler pocket and said it was easy to make as it was basically four sides like a lipped box welded to the body. So in less time it took to make a cuppa, he had made a rough paper/cardboard maquete and said a few adjustments and this could be a good mould to make a fibre glass, or someother material part.

He also suggested cutting it out of the panel, filling the pocket with silicon rubber to make a mould once again for glassfibre or some other material.

This got me to athinking, who can tell me what spec's, saftey wise does the filler pocket need to adhere to?

I don't know how much it'll cost me time and material wise, but I think I might just give it a go. Anybody tried this one before???

Cheers
S

[Beaker]

MGM Group sell a carbon fibre one.

[Guest]

I'm still trying to fathom out why they are doing such a part in carbon fibre and trying to shift them for the price they advertise them for. GRP would be more than adequate and probably 1/4-1/3 of the price to make, therefore probably not scaring as much people away from the carbon ones, they'd sell a whole load more!

[secubis3]

Indeed-ie they do, but I find it more pleasurable if I can make a part
in my little sheddy. I'm already trying to make the metal bit that fits at the
bottom of the 1.3 radiator. Next I'm thinking of making my own door seals, not too difficult me thinks, but patience needed.

Cheers
S

[E_T_V]

MGM also sell a GRP one too at a cheaper price or at least they did. Carbon one is just a bit of very hidden bling really.

I took the opportunity of buying the genuine metal ones whilst you could.

[countrydude]

They are possibly sourcing them from maps or team 78, they seem to have a fixation with carbon fibre! They were talking about making pannels a while ago in carbon fibre and fibre glass. I asked about fibre glass pannels, doors and a tailgate I think. They replied giving me prices for carbon fibre!! Needless to say I didn't bother replying It is a good idea though, fibre glass is a good answer if we can get some moulds made up.

[Guest]

i often thought to getting a large sheet of carbon fibre to fit from the windscreen seal to the tailgate in the centre of the roof rubbers on the maestro i had..........................to cover up the leaking sunroof. was £125 for the carbon fibre sheet cut to size so not to bad......................if you like that knid of thing

[G51 NAV]

sealing it shut is cheaper lol

[countrydude]

you can get a sheet of polycarbonate properly moulded to shape for the same price

[secubis3]

I'm looking to have small parts made and collect the rest. I buy a bit here and there every month, my collection is growing and annoying my mrs.
I'm looking to keep the Maestro on the road long past the normal expiery date for modern ones. I buy things when I see them as if I wait to find a cheaper part, the bit I had my eye one has gone and it might not come up again. One thing I won't do though is to be taken for a mug and pay a high price for a part I know is a rip off (seen quite a few on fleabay and they must think because the car is old they can charge what they want)
I'm seeing someone next weekend with a view to make the metal part that goes at the bottom of the radiatior of the 1.3. The brackets cam be made at home and soldered on.

[petegroover]

thats interesting,polycarbonate where + how much again ?,i presume your talking about purely making a tailgate skin? obvious question then,is finding a mint 1 and doing same to inner side and bonding together with tiger seal etc,good idea,i'd be into helping with this,espescially as i used to be a mk1 escort nut + quickly found same problems, ie few spares and dodgy bay rip off prices

[Guest]

sealing it shut is cheaper lol

yes but i wanted to remove it and fit a non sunroof headlining (so much less wind noise)

Found the correct metal sunroof though in the end