Thinking of getting into the parts manufacturing business

[hozzziii]

It would likely be less risky to start out making simple parts, like metal drip rails. When ready to take on dashboard manufacturing, consider a core exchange requirement. That way, you don't have to create the entire piece - only replace the deteriorated dash top. I've heard of a manufacturer that fully refurbs dashboards, but it's a pretty involved process requiring a large machine or two. The dashed sell for over $1k I'm sure.

I agree that starting out small is the right path for this. And that's what I'm going to do. Just looking for small ideas about now, I think the mud flaps is looking like it, although I am open to suggestions.

About the dash core exchange program, I don't live in the US so this would just add a lot of shipping cost to offset just making the molds, the brackets, the air vent routes from the hvac core. Not the actual vents themselves though, I think people can use their old vents.
And I'm not gonna buy the vacuum machine at all. It's just simple to get it to the guy, have him install the vinyl, and just get it back. I will bet in overall that's going to make the product cheaper.

[hozzziii]

Check out 89retros.com . ( His process is detailed on his reddit account https://www.reddit.com/user/Necessary-Duty-8436/ ) This guy lives somewhere in South America (Brazil I think) and has recently started doing something very similar to what you are doing. The only difference is that he is doing non oem parts, but I imagine his process would be very similar to yours. IIRC its a side gig for him though and he also works full time.

Looked him up. Lives in Portugal.
Yeah he does non oem, like custom center consoles and air vents. I'm cool with all that, but I'm trying to fill a different gap I guess. I think a lot of people would like some oem quality simple stuff. Maybe some upgrades to quality or ease of life stuff but I personally prefer to keep this stuff as invisible as possible. Basically I like a wolf in sheeps clothing :D That's why I try to keep the look oem and stay from aftermarket looks and stuff. But to each his own, doesn't make a difference to me what others do to customize.

Thanks for the tip!

[Project535]

I think it would be great if we could see decent quality, affordable trim parts like Euro grilles/bumper impact strips. Also quality reproductions of non-oem pieces like the Kamei 3-piece trunk spoiler would be really cool.

[88Sedan]

It might be a tough item to design and make, but the relay holders/bracket on the shock tower are commonly broken items. Same for all the plastic covers of the OE sport seats and unless someone corrects me, the harness-side ABS connectors are NLA (bake-lite I think?)

The original wire-holder thingy for m20b25 crank position sensors are NLA and even used are hard to find because they all crumble. This is the part that originally kept the wire safe/away from the WP pulley etc and mounted onto the cam pulley cover (upper timing cover).

I could be mistaken but I think crank trigger wheel/harmonic dampers for m20b25 are NLA

There is also a piece my car is missing that was originally metal and is NLA. It has a strange name, but its a flat rectangle essentially with some holes and a slot in it. The part is used in conjunction with others underneath the car in front of the gas tank. Ive asked a few people parting out cars and I've had no luck finding one.

Not positive, but I think the battery cover supply storage trays are NLA. A lightweight key fob for a good price would be an easy fun way to start. Something that is non marking of course.

As far as I know no one still makes steering column/wheel spacers for stock bmw wheels. A bunch of guys run bmw wheels and have no ergo adjustment rearward if they need it (tall guy here, would be nice).

Those are just some quick ideas I had, I know these are not necessarily big ticket items.

[iXBeater]

The challenges are not trivial. Setting up production is expensive, especially if you have to work with an outside vendor. Costs of stuff like packaging eats hard into profit unless you're really turning volume. For E30, the good news is it's a relatively small community where word-of-mouth can work for you, but there's still a lot to consider when it comes to demand generation. For specialty stuff, you can probably carve out a niche, but the problem is that it's hard to protect any of it from another company if sales take off. The good news is they made over a million E30's and sold a lot here in the US, so there's a market. With values going up, quality stuff that enhances the car probably has a chance.

I'm recently back to the E30 world after a decade+ absence, and pretty amazed to see Garagistic, CATuned, offering so many aftermarket/repro parts. I wish the E24 world had that much attention.

[hozzziii]

I'm sure a mold can be easily made by a Chinese company and then wrapped in matching vinyl if somebody wants to buy several containers of dashboards.

I can do that. The parts in the dash also pretty easy but then mounting the air routes and brackets while injecting the foam could be tricky. But I wouldn't leave to someone else, if they deliver low quality then it's unacceptable.

+1 to all of this. Look at what you have done or what you would like to have for your own car. Something that isn't made, the current version sucks, too expensive, etc. Then make that thing.

Start with shit you know/have - if you can machine stuff, start by doing a simple drawing and make the things. If you can CAD, draw up something and have it made somewhere, etc.

That's pretty much how I started thinking about all this. Thanks man!

[hozzziii]

I think it would be great if we could see decent quality, affordable trim parts like Euro grilles/bumper impact strips. Also quality reproductions of non-oem pieces like the Kamei 3-piece trunk spoiler would be really cool.

Grilles is easy relative to the other stuff we spoke on here. Bigger stuff like spoilers and maybe bodykits I'd guess probably later down the line. I mean spoilers alone are still pretty easy, I'm just saying once you start doing spoilers people ask for bodykits and bodykits are tricky aaaand expensive.

The challenges are not trivial. Setting up production is expensive, especially if you have to work with an outside vendor. Costs of stuff like packaging eats hard into profit unless you're really turning volume. For E30, the good news is it's a relatively small community where word-of-mouth can work for you, but there's still a lot to consider when it comes to demand generation. For specialty stuff, you can probably carve out a niche, but the problem is that it's hard to protect any of it from another company if sales take off. The good news is they made over a million E30's and sold a lot here in the US, so there's a market. With values going up, quality stuff that enhances the car probably has a chance.

I guess that's what one expects to happen if one doesn't own the rights to the part. Like if I'm making a replica of an oem part and then suddenly some others are also making very similar stuff, there's literally nothing to do. Neither me nor them own the rights so we can just keep at it and hopefully the people in the community know who did it first but it's up to me to do it better. And I'm aware that it has happened in this very community before.

Plus, when it happens I won't be mad. It's more like a compliment really, it means people noticed and wanted to be like me. Honestly I'd be flattered. And I'll probably move on to the next part.

[packratbimmer]

Develop a rollerized 24 valve M20 head

[hozzziii]

Develop a rollerized 24 valve M20 head

not sure if it's worth developing a 24v, but roller rockers are already available. RHD Engineering in Australia.

[Northern]

I flip flop on the 24v M20 head. Some people would find it useful for making more power on the M20 block for whatever racing class that is.

I think at the end of the day, it would be so expensive that it would be a hard sell vs an M50. I also personally don't like the idea of losing the 12V sound/charm.

[digger]

why would you develop a 24V m20 head there is a thing called the M50/52/54 etc with a better block.....

in all seriousness focus on NLA parts interior stuff, optional/add on parts etc

[hozzziii]

why would you develop a 24V m20 head there is a thing called the M50/52/54 etc with a better block.....

in all seriousness focus on NLA parts interior stuff, optional/add on parts etc

Yes and yes. Going on that way.

[strickland]

If you could work out a dashboard reproduction you could get rich off us E30 scrubs!

you mention the hardware / vent issue. There must be a way… Like a jig to hand-fit the hardware, after you recieve them from the factory? Not ideal but it may be possible. I’m imagining negative space in your factory produced mold, where you could finish by hand-mounting those trickier pieces before shipping them to the customer. And have it consistent each time.

I wonder if anyone from the original factories is still around, or BMW archival research on the original manufacturing process. They must have had a proprietary machine jig. I’m guessing a crew member inserted the metal parts, THEN added the plastic goo into the mold.

[digger]

sorry but i cant see anyone making credible aftermarket dashboards, the investment is too much for tooling wont be viable without them being junky. credible repairs to cracked ones maybe.........

[Vincenze]

sorry but i cant see anyone making credible aftermarket dashboards

The Chinese can make them. But they will look for relatively big orders.