CorAce Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I have an opportunity to reproduce the 1972 510/GL grill. I have recently come across a well loved but still useable one that I have been rehabbing. The plan is to recast it and make a set of molds to pop out new plastic parts. The center metal section is a little harder, if I can fined enough people that are interested I may have a local fab shop that can restamp a limited run for me. The price will be based on how many I have them make, of cores the more there are the less it will cost for each. My other option is to mold them out of plastic as well, which may not be such a bad idea considering they wont get dinged up from rocks and such. This is going to involve a sizable investment on my part, so before I dump many hundreds of dollars into materials I'd like to know if there is even a market for them. Any one that may be interested please let me know. Keep in mined the headlight bezels should be a direct replacement if you only need that part. I have some pics of a practices mold I did in plaster that turned out to be an epic Fail because the part stuck and I had to chip it apart to get it out. the production molds will be much more manageable. 3 Quote Link to comment
hobbes_the_cat Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I would think there would be a great market for these. I personally would have no problem rocking a knock off on my car as long as the price was considerably lower than the real ones. There will be haters too, but look at the "fake" wheels market. Some people don't mind fair priced knock offs, some people will spend more to get the real thing. Any idea what pricing will be? Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Ill raise my hand as being part of the ones not interested in fake grilles (or wheels as Hobbes talked about), but I wont deny that Im sure you would sell a few for those that dont care about having Nissan factory pieces. 1 Quote Link to comment
MikeRL411 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The next time you run a plaster check trial spray the mold with PAM, costs less than formal release agent and you can cook with the left overs. Quote Link to comment
CorAce Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I would think there would be a great market for these. I personally would have no problem rocking a knock off on my car as long as the price was considerably lower than the real ones. There will be haters too, but look at the "fake" wheels market. Some people don't mind fair priced knock offs, some people will spend more to get the real thing. Any idea what pricing will be? Cant avoid the haters nowadays, everyone gets to have a voice. ;) The price will be contingent on what it takes in time and materials, but I'm really hoping to keep them to well under $500. Quote Link to comment
Dattokai Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I'm one of those fake wheel haters. Although, I'm actually interested in this grill. The real ones, I'd love but they're hard to find. Oh well. Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I would be in for one! I think Wagons look better with them. Quote Link to comment
hobbes_the_cat Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 " I'm really hoping to keep them to well under $500. " Good. I think if you were over $500 it would be a hard sell, actually over $350 would probably still be tough. Will you be painting/detailing them or sold in the raw? Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I think even on this site, $500 is going to be tough. That price is well over the price for any other grille other than a real plastic one and the '69 SSS Coupe grille. I know its about a 3rd of the price of the real thing, but its still high. I wish you luck though... looks like youre going about making them the correct way. Quote Link to comment
CorAce Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The next time you run a plaster check trial spray the mold with PAM, costs less than formal release agent and you can cook with the left overs. Thanks for the tip, I used some old mold release I had from years ago and apparently it had lost its effect. Will you be painting/detailing them or sold in the raw? It all comes down to how much they end up costing to make. I will probably coat them with a plastic compatible primer and let the buyer finish them how they like. Quote Link to comment
kgb Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I want one as long as its painted like the original. Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 i am interested but it depends on price 1 Quote Link to comment
Trophy24 Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I like those grilles, but they are too expensive for the different look they provide. I personally would not care if it was a repro or not. The car did not originally come with it anyway, so it would not be original even if it was a Nissan part. I think they would sell ok since we are all wanting repro parts Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 On second thought. Put me on the list! Im more than interested. Quote Link to comment
spitznoz Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I want 2x grilles for $500 if possible, if not il just dump my money on a real 68 grill which i also love Quote Link to comment
DRIVEN Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I'd be in if the quality is decent. Quote Link to comment
toylet Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The hardest part is trying to reproduce the stainless trim that goes on top of the grill... Quote Link to comment
CorAce Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The hardest part is trying to reproduce the stainless trim that goes on top of the grill... Toylet is right, the stainless will be the biggest challenge. Quote Link to comment
CorAce Posted April 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I have an update on the progress, I abandoned the plaster idea and have gone with a silicone rubber compound that seems to be doing the trick. this stuff is really cool, not cheap but it works amazing at reproducing fine details. I have the bezel molds made and have done an initial test cast. The casting resin I picked up at Tap is a little brittle for a finished part so I have ordered some heat resistant resin thats better suited for thin cast parts. The pic below is the first test piece I poured tonight, I'm letting it cool and harden in the mold overnight so the part wont deform. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I pop it out. 1 Quote Link to comment
sssr20det510 Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 The hardest part is trying to reproduce the stainless trim that goes on top of the grill... prob plastic chrome plated would be the easiest Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I have an update on the progress, I abandoned the plaster idea and have gone with a silicone rubber compound that seems to be doing the trick. this stuff is really cool, not cheap but it works amazing at reproducing fine details. I have the bezel molds made and have done an initial test cast. The casting resin I picked up at Tap is a little brittle for a finished part so I have ordered some heat resistant resin thats better suited for thin cast parts. The pic below is the first test piece I poured tonight, I'm letting it cool and harden in the mold overnight so the part wont deform. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I pop it out. Nice work. I'm using the same resin from Tap. I've had good luck lately by embedding fine steel wire from steel wool into the thin cast parts, you can also use chopped fill material to improve strength. Although, there are other better resins available. This resin also dyes quite well, and I've noticed the black parts seem to look better then the off white default color. Also for thin parts, removing them while still slightly set (15-20) minutes sometimes works better, as they are more flexible and more likely to bend rather than break as removed from the mold. You do have to be careful not to distort them. For instance the Coupe badges have a nasty tendency to break at the base of the C, the wire seems to prevent this. This is a black dyed wire reinforced thin casting with the same resin. 1 Quote Link to comment
danfiveten Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 For a couple hundred id be intersted, remember the datsun community is cheap, and thsi is ratsun after all. 1 Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I know I want one bad. My car could use the visual gravity these grilles add. I ran out of likes... Quote Link to comment
Bandit Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Last time i spotted this grill on Ebay it around $1000 so im down for a replication! Quote Link to comment
FoxyRoadster Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I would think there would be a great market for these. I personally would have no problem rocking a knock off on my car as long as the price was considerably lower than the real ones. There will be haters too, but look at the "fake" wheels market. Some people don't mind fair priced knock offs, some people will spend more to get the real thing. Any idea what pricing will be? I wouldnt call this a knock off, Id call it an aftermarket replacement part lol :P Quote Link to comment
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