Market research
Turbo Mini Forums

Wondering if you guys would mind helping a bit.

I have a lot going on at the moment with my product range, but am wondering if there is anything you guys would specifically like to see available.

As most of you know Im into sheet metal mainly lightweight aluminium parts but have contacts with a CNC machine company that can do small batch work for me. I dont really want to step on our Mr Austins and Mr Kimmins toes with that too much though.

What do you think?

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

i think panels maybe your best bet, as there is litterly no one who sells aluminium panels (apart from door skins).

Yes, prototype panels are in production now. Std MK3 doorskins, MK3 doorskins with a MK1 handle for lookalikes, A panels and boot skins MK1 and 3

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Regarding your mk3 doorskins with mk1 handle..... I think people who like the mk1/2 look would perhaps like to exchange their rusty door with you for a light weight one with sliding windows and mk1 door bins and trim etc. I've not heard of anyone else offering the door bins
Daz

Edited by dazibee on 3rd May, 2009.

That is pretty much the idea with those. They will come with my bolt on A panel reinforcement brackets for Mk1 hinges as a lookeelikee kit

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

ally diffusers front and rear?, dont know if there would be a big enough market for them, i cannot find them for sale anywhere...

ally bonnet? ally front end? for those that want to stay with a steel front but want to save weight(like me there has to be others though lol)

id like to see an ally front mount rad but designed to fit well (similar to what i have seen on sprocket's mini but i dont know any details of what rad it is)

an intercooler thats purpose built ?

maybe an ally plenum that replicates the restriction in the stock unit?

ally arches with a fastening style similar to the miglia arch method?

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

What about a Miglia style arch with Mayfair type screw recesses if you know what I mean? They could be made to order as wide or narrow as you like.

Diffusers are on the cards, Ive just finished one for one of the TM community. Im sure he will show some pics once fitted

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Edited by Brett on 3rd May, 2009.

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

the mk 1 boot lids are a great idea, i bought a heratage one and it was pants, the nuts for the boot catch fell out the first time i used them, and the fit was rubbish!

i was going to suggest ally mig arches too, the main prob with mig arches is they are a bit of a pain to fit and need loads of fettling (which is fine for their inteded use) but i think there is a market for them if they are a simle screw on job & about the same width as sportspack arches.

I tink bumpers and headlamp rings could be a good bet if you can a finish on them that won't go rusty after 5 mins like the currently availabe stuff (pluss i bet yours would fit much better!)

also, how about works style group 2 and group 5 arches? i think they would be good in ally, could powdercoat them black? the somerfield are meant to do good group 2's (not seen any so cant comment) but all the works arches i have seen have been "not brilliant"

The Somerford Group 2 are nice, I have them on my Sprint.

I seriously doubt it!

maybe just group 5's then lol.

How about a side mount radiator cowl in ally, for those serious about weight and originality.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

Thanks guys. Keep em coming

Paul

Edited by paul wiginton on 4th May, 2009.

I seriously doubt it!

ally roof paul ?

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM

I love an Ally roof Skin

ally van rear doors. steel ones rust and the fibreglass ones dont fit that well and crack

or what about bonnets

I can do bonnets but guaranteed Id never sell any as they would be expensive. I have one on my car and it took me ages to make.

I have thought about the van rear doors in alu. I will be doing replacement steel skins that join at the bottom of the window aperture

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

How about braching out a bit? I know minis are what you know and love - but maybe looking elsewhere will also yield dividends? Take a look at wierd and wonderful panels for the rarer landrovers for example (the majority being alloy of course).

That said - you asked for ideas - I recall someone recently complaining that they couldn't buy one of those nasty master cylinder reservoir covers for the later servo unit any more. How true this is - I don't know.

But simple pieces of 'bling' - which are easy to make and keep small amounts of coin coming in are always useful.

Youre right Dave, I do do Aston Martin stuff too and custom stuff for other makes, its just the word hasnt spread very far yet. Im trying to get all my bits sorted then get a website up and running

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Its a good point by Dave, a mate of mine is restoring an early Land Rover, series 1 I believe, there is only one place that makes replacement bulkheads for them, and there is a 6 month waiting list!

plenty of people seem to like alloy dashboards - not sure you would be able to complete with the MDF brigade but perhaps there is a market for supplying basic cut panels for home finishing?

it depends if you want to get caught up with all the chav stuff - personally i can't stand it but business is business;

One thing I have wondered about for a while now is a plate that fits under the master cylinder bracket and covers a larger area of the cross member to stop brake fluid killing the paint.
Ideally wrapping up the bulkhead to higher than the top of the masters and possibly wrapping over and down the front of the cross member too.

I think it would be a very easy plate to make with just a few folds but how well it 'clung' to the cross member/bulkhead would be the key to whether it looked good or not.

How about a decent chargecooler for the M45.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Ally roof skin would be nice as i couldn't find a carbon one up to a good enough standard. Also you could remake the original cosmic arches :)

As Paul said above, a proper chargecooler kit for the M45 would be good as theres quite a few of these kits out there now.