Coupe Dash & Door Wood

wazza.csi

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I have spent quite a bit of my spare time over the last 6 months making a Mould to manufacture new Dashboard Wood and New Door Trim Wood, Could be made for LHD or RHD cars With or Without Speaker Panel and With or without Ashtray cutout! Anybody interested and what sort of Dollars do you think I should be asking.
Would not be supplied with Veneer!

Cheers Warren
 

Markos

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Hi Warren,
I'm interested as discussed. I have a number in mind, but I will hold off for others to chime in.
 

Stan

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try to learn what a used "core" would cost and go from there.
Often the used core will take time (or money) to refurbish prior to applying a new veneer and finishing. I bought a core but it was about 12 years ago. The ends were delaminated and needed to be re-glued. If your option were available then, I would have been very interested.
 

Gransin

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Warren,

I'm also interested, my wood needs replacing (at some point at least) but I can't comment on the price as I have no clue how much work is involved to create the new pieces.

Cheers
 

HB Chris

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As mentioned, many here have used Bela, I think he gets around $1200 with your old core. Be sure you have a market before sinking too much into your enterprise.
 

Markos

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I thought I was $1,000 with core, hence my $200 assertion. Just based on what I read here...
 

craterface

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400

I would guess the complete set would be worth around 400 USD as a core to start with. I sold a core a few years ago for 200, but it was used and that was two years ago.
 

Gazz

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Wazza, I would suggest that you somehow incorporate veneering into your enterprise because if anyone needs a new dash then they certainly need veneering. If you are vacuum moulding the cores then I presume vacuum veneering is a feasible next step.

Bela may need cores so maybe an arrangement with him as his work is excellent.
Bela is $900 US for the basic repair and re-veneering which is a very reasonable price IMO. Extra work of course incurs extra expense.

Add in a core and who knows. I guess I would be willing to pay an extra $300 ~ $400 on top of Bela's fee for a new core.
 

Markos

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My magic number was $300. $400 seems far, but if you are paying for veneer work it will get up there...
 

rsporsche

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one thing to think about for the dash pieces that are veneered and 3 dimensional, is to have them milled out of mdf ... although i would use the waterproof type of mdf. this wouldn't work out for the door wood, or the horizontal dash (covered with vinyl) ... but for the main dash it could be a better idea than laying up curved plywood.
 

dave v. in nc

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wood is good

In this world of instant gratification, if you do not offer a compleat, finished, ready to install set of wood pieces, you will have little success, no matter the price. Then you have shipping/international costs, so I believe that most of the folks on this side of the pond want a plug and play option, at least. I also know that if you offer this product, folks will want the option of customization; different veneers, different sheens of top coat, as well as the options you mentioned. I think that Bela's pricing, from what I remember, was a relative bargain for the quality rendered...As to the value of a core; well there are cores, and there are delaminated bundles of crisps, (I think that's what you call them)...I've done three sets (as winter therapy..), and never paid more than a $100usd for a core set, nor do I think that they are worth much more than that to anyone other than a restoration shop. Rebuilding is tedious and an exercise in patience...
I have designed furniture for thirty-five years... And set-up, cutters, and forms are the major expense going into mfg of coupe wood parts; the parts themselves aren't the most complex of items, its that there is very little room for error, and the finishing has to be near perfect because of the proximity/visibility when riding in a car...And the finish has to be proper for extremes in temperature and humidity...I used to own part of a little company in Thailand, and we looked at doing sets of solid teak, with teak plywood dash parts, since its similar to the French/Italian Walnut used originally,and the durability...Ultimately felt that there was not enough market, but that was ten years ago...
To your question...$1500-2000usd, veneered/finished, ready to install, landed at a US address.
Sorry for so wordy post...
 
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bela22

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As mentioned, many here have used Bela, I think he gets around $1200 with your old core. Be sure you have a market before sinking too much into your enterprise.

Chris, I offer a complete original OEM set restored for $990, and if someone send his LHD cores,I restore them for $800. RHD set restoration cost $900. Just FYI.
 

bela22

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Thanks Chris, nice to hear that. You're not the first one suggesting that the quality / price ratio is outstanding. So a higher price would be a good idea :)
 

OCCoupe

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Chris, I offer a complete original OEM set restored for $990, and if someone send his LHD cores,I restore them for $800. RHD set restoration cost $900. Just FYI.

Bella does beautiful work and his prices are unbeatable. He made a custom set for me which I will hopefully be able to instal in a few months. I will take pictures and post.
 

wazza.csi

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Hi Guys, Thanks for all the feedback! I will make a few sets from my moulds and see how good they turn out, I am not out to make fortunes from this but hopefully any profits will improve the restoration of my CSI, My thoughts of offering as a core would allow others to choose a wood more suitable to style of their car, I had also looked at the option of a Carbon Fibre Finish!! probably not for everyone!! I have done all of the hard work by making the moulds and as I am moving to Canada in a couple of months shipping costs will not be so unbearable!!
Cheers Warren
 

Markos

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Question on the wood.

is it common to see a stained/finished dash shelf? I know rhd grab bars were often exposed wood, but what about the shelf itself?
 
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