6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

So, it seems like every time we try to make whatever the consensus of the board "is dying" for someone to make, no one steps up and orders. We normally just make what we want to make then (so if it doesn't sell at least we have it for our car) and go from there...

We're doing that again. No interest in the DH bumper and little interest in the clear tail lights (not cancelled yet but close) so we decided to concentrate on the Trans-Am just collecting dust at my place.

It's a 2000 Pewter Trans Am with Ebony interior, 6 spd and 86K miles (for sale if anyone wants it lol).

We're making a shaker hood for it but while staring at it for design ideas I got tired of staring at that hideous opening between the bumper and radiator support (book ended by the headlights).

Just finished a template for a cover and going to hopefully have it finished by the end of the week.

Question though, do you guys want it to have an opening for the washer fluid?

To me it makes it look like swiss cheese (already have to have holes for the hood latch, hood release and notch it around the center front support so it will lay flat and the hood will close.

It will be held on with 3 body pins and two factory bolts. Seems like it would be easy enough to just remove to fill the reservoir but figured I'd ask...

Probably end up offering it both ways, we'll see what you all say...

ZexGX

iTrader: (28)

My vote is for both ways. I don't have a wiper fluid reservoir now but I may put it back in for methanol...

BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

I'd say without the hole. What's it gonna be made out of? Sheet metal?

YURVIEW

iTrader: (127)

Depending on material and finish (if u offer painting) the buyer could cut a hole out themselves if needed. That would keep cost down for you and affordable for us.

southernfbody.com

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

I would be interested as well, I have a sheet metal one already that I painted black but when I was test fitting in last year my hood was actually hitting the cover piece I have a VFN WS9 hood and I had to lower the latch to fit the hood. I didn't have the time to mess around with it since then. Maybe when I get back in town I will try to fit it again but if you could send pictures of what it would look like and the material....metal, abs etc I might be down for a new one if it wont hit my hood

crimson_bird

iTrader: (4)

01badbird has done this cover piece.. to perfection.. look at his for inspiration, do something similar and I'm sure you'll have a winner.

OR, ask him to use his to create a mold to produce more. Of course giving him a handsome fee for this use. If I still had a trans am I'd buy that piece he designed in a heartbeat! Offer to sell the piece in a primered finish, with a couple other options as well for an added fee: satin black or gloss black. Any other color they can get painted themselves. I'd probably be willing to spend $150-200 for this item.

honestly, I don't see how you can always expect to have so many people willing to step up and lay down such large sums of money for a product that has not even been developed, 100% sight unseen. Even if I like the idea that you're tossing out, and I have the money ready, it's tough to get into the idea of letting go of that money, for an untold amount of time, hoping that 1) there are enough other people that step up so that it actually gets made, and 2) the product will come out the way I "imagine", since I have nothing to actually look at. Personally I like to see real world pictures of items I'm considering buying, from multiple angles. I want to see fit and finish, the quality of the product. Especially when we're talking hundreds of dollars, at the minimum.

I understand these things take a lot of money up front to get done, but this way of doing things just seems backwards.

01badbird

THANKS crimson bird really appreciate!!! It would be nice for someone to make! I am getting ready for Autorama here in Detroit in March and will be taking off to tweak and was thinking of making mold. I redid radiator support last year and looks like first pic now I filled in front edge to lose black edge moulding like in old pics

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

It would be cool if you extend it enough in the front enough for it to look good with the slightly different Firehawk bumper/hood.

xBrandonx

iTrader: (11)

What about 93-97 Trans Ams?

YURVIEW

iTrader: (127)

01badbird piece looks Perfect. I'd buy that!! Excellent job.

joshua cobos

hell yeah!!!!! this will be a nice piece for us.....and my vote is no hole

eteller

I'm interested if it's light enough and no hole is preferred.

6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

Unfortunately that luxury is only reserved for newer cars with huge companies dumping money into products, not 11 year old at best and up to 20 years old cars that almost no one else is making ANYTHING new for.

The mold DOWN PAYMENT is $15,000. That is literally six months of our business' PROFIT and that's IF we kept EVERYTHING, didn't pay to advertise and didn't develop new parts.

So if you think it is hard to drop $700 sight unseen (but not actually, putting it into perspective there's COUNTLESS pictures of this bumper out there, we're 3D scanning an original to get it perfect, offer a guarantee that it will look EXACTLY like the DH bumper, and have been doing this for 4 years with not one let down pre-order customer) try dropping $15,000 (again as a down payment) on a NICHE SUB CATEGORY (appearance) of an already NICHE market (our old cars).

May seem backwards in the modern world of Wal Marts and Summit but anything non-motor for our cars is completely grass roots at this point and that's how it's done...

6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

That looks fantastic. Very different than what we have. I'm curious as to how in the world that clears the protrusion for the latch bump on your hood though???

Shenlon

iTrader: (4)

That does look really slick 01badbird, nice work!

6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

Can't figure it out... How in the world does your hood shut? Seems like the bump that protrudes down from the factory hood wouldn't fit when it closes...

6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

So here's are first (failed) attempt...







Still hits when we try to close the hood. Not sure if this design can even be salvaged at all... This is a STUPID complicated area

6LITEREATER

iTrader: (56)

So here's are first (failed) attempt...







Still hits when we try to close the hood. Not sure if this design can even be salvaged at all... This is a STUPID complicated area

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

Yea that's the same problem I have with mine. I know it's because I had to lower the hood latch and front bumper clip due to my vfn ws9 hood. When I get back to the states I am going to try to re fit it again and I hope I can figure something out.

Nathan C

Don't give up! It's a great idea.