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NEW SOLID BODY SIDE MOLDINGS ARE COMING!
If you're not sitting down right now, you should.
Greetings all! In the past 20 years, I've done group buys on Addco sway bars, Ground Control coilovers, Griffin rads, and my own design fan shroud kits plus other parts for our cars. For many years, I've been silently working on a solution to the rotting body side moldings for the MA and RA Celica/Supra, and now that is about to move forward.
Recently, I met with another member who has recently created horn emblems, corner markers and now sunroof glide components and we discussed the project, as he has the expertise and contacts in the polymer industry that I do not, so it made sense to combine forces to get this done. So together we are going to reproduce them using a set of new second gen solid rubber moldings that I've had in storage as masters.
These will be molded using materials with the same resilience of the OEM trim in order to stay rigid in southern heat but still absorb door impacts as they were designed to do, as opposed to other hard surface materials and will adhere with 3M VHB/UHB tape.
There will be 4 different sets available, which will cater to both P and L Type Supras, as well as GT/ST Celicas, as 82/83 #1 trims were cut out for the marker plus Celicas have a shorter #2 trim.
For those who don't know, sometime in the late 80s, Toyota replaced the metal core clip-on moldings with these, and now, they are also unobtanium.
At this time, we don't know final production costs, and when this goes ahead, it will be based on order by deposit basis. We expect to keep this in the sub $950/set price range, which is less than what a new OEM set would have been. The question is this.
If we can commit to that number as the final price, who is in? This will be a costly endeavour, just to produce the 14 different molds needed, and that needs to be amortized out over the production run. The more sets presold, the better the price will be for everyone, and that price will be permanently set, barring increases in raw materials.
Things just cost what they cost, and it's your call what it is worth to you to maintain the OEM look on these fine cars. If that number doesn't work for you, tell us what does, and we will try to achieve it, but ultimately, it's going to be based on how many buyers are in. These are for both MA Supra and RA Celica owners, so feel free to propogate this on other forums and groups if I haven't already.
Expect to put your money where your click is soon. Feedback and questions are welcome.
If you want to push this forward, I am taking deposits of $100, (which will be refundable only if this goes off the rails, not if you just change your mind) to secure a set. The more committed buyers up front, the better idea we will have of a final price, and ETA on production. If you are interested, and ready to commit, email me at celicasupramoldings at gto dot net.
If you're not sitting down right now, you should.
Greetings all! In the past 20 years, I've done group buys on Addco sway bars, Ground Control coilovers, Griffin rads, and my own design fan shroud kits plus other parts for our cars. For many years, I've been silently working on a solution to the rotting body side moldings for the MA and RA Celica/Supra, and now that is about to move forward.
Recently, I met with another member who has recently created horn emblems, corner markers and now sunroof glide components and we discussed the project, as he has the expertise and contacts in the polymer industry that I do not, so it made sense to combine forces to get this done. So together we are going to reproduce them using a set of new second gen solid rubber moldings that I've had in storage as masters.
These will be molded using materials with the same resilience of the OEM trim in order to stay rigid in southern heat but still absorb door impacts as they were designed to do, as opposed to other hard surface materials and will adhere with 3M VHB/UHB tape.
There will be 4 different sets available, which will cater to both P and L Type Supras, as well as GT/ST Celicas, as 82/83 #1 trims were cut out for the marker plus Celicas have a shorter #2 trim.
For those who don't know, sometime in the late 80s, Toyota replaced the metal core clip-on moldings with these, and now, they are also unobtanium.
At this time, we don't know final production costs, and when this goes ahead, it will be based on order by deposit basis. We expect to keep this in the sub $950/set price range, which is less than what a new OEM set would have been. The question is this.
If we can commit to that number as the final price, who is in? This will be a costly endeavour, just to produce the 14 different molds needed, and that needs to be amortized out over the production run. The more sets presold, the better the price will be for everyone, and that price will be permanently set, barring increases in raw materials.
Things just cost what they cost, and it's your call what it is worth to you to maintain the OEM look on these fine cars. If that number doesn't work for you, tell us what does, and we will try to achieve it, but ultimately, it's going to be based on how many buyers are in. These are for both MA Supra and RA Celica owners, so feel free to propogate this on other forums and groups if I haven't already.
Expect to put your money where your click is soon. Feedback and questions are welcome.
If you want to push this forward, I am taking deposits of $100, (which will be refundable only if this goes off the rails, not if you just change your mind) to secure a set. The more committed buyers up front, the better idea we will have of a final price, and ETA on production. If you are interested, and ready to commit, email me at celicasupramoldings at gto dot net.
