lets get some iX mudflaps made. Who can help?

[D.Martijn]

Why don't you try to sand and poslish the mold you have to get a better finish?
I mean even if it's a bit thicker than original, no one will know.

I've found a thread on a German forum of a guy who made new hardware from stainless steel. They looked pretty close to the original.

[ghatid]

Why don't you try to sand and poslish the mold you have to get a better finish?
I mean even if it's a bit thicker than original, no one will know.

I've found a thread on a German forum of a guy who made new hardware from stainless steel. They looked pretty close to the original.

It's a silicone mold, not sandable. But my opinion is that the parts made are good enough, just wondering what other people's expectations are.

Do you have the link for the hardware by the German guy?

[D.Martijn]

It's a silicone mold, not sandable. But my opinion is that the parts made are good enough, just wondering what other people's expectations are.

Do you have the link for the hardware by the German guy?

Right, yeah can't sand that lol.
It looked like some kind of resin on the pictures.

Here's the link

https://e30-talk.com/topic/104026-superholtis-calypsoroter-325ix-a-touring/page-11

[ghatid]

Right, yeah can't sand that lol.
It looked like some kind of resin on the pictures.

Here's the link
https://e30-talk.com/topic/104026-su...ouring/page-11

Holy crap, those look amazing. He made one offs of stainless steel brackets including welding? I don't think I have the ability to do that...

[rzerob]

ghatid

Please explain this pricing. You mention half of $700. So $350 for a set? You also posted save $150 off the price with no hardware. So $200 for a set of just the flaps? And what is a set to you? Just the two ix specific front mud flaps? Or all four mud flaps?

[ghatid]

ghatid

Please explain this pricing. You mention half of $700. So $350 for a set? You also posted save $150 off the price with no hardware. So $200 for a set of just the flaps? And what is a set to you? Just the two ix specific front mud flaps? Or all four mud flaps?

In my mind, a set is just the front flaps including all of the hardware.

Otherwise, you're right about all the pricing I was describing to set you guys up with an expectation:

$300-350 for front left flap, front right flap + mounting hardware similar to OEM
$150-200 for front left flap, front right flap + some jerry rigged method of attachment

From the looks of it, the rear flaps are hard to get now too, but I don't think I'd bother reproducing them unless the demand was big enough (and if I can do a good enough job with the ix flaps).

Even just looking at cost of materials, I don't think I would even break even selling 10 sets for $100 each pair of mudflap with no hardware. Different story if I sold 20, but I don't think there's that much demand, and it would take me forever to fill those orders.

[nando]

IMO, just make the flaps themselves, and people can figure out their own method for attachment - whether they want to buy an expensive exact replica of the original hardware, or do it cheap and dirty with whatever they have laying around.

Getting some bits of metal cut and bent is easy, anyone can do that with a hacksaw and a trip to the hardware store. The impossible part are the rubber flaps themselves.

Personally, I wouldn't care if they are not 100% perfect, as long as they look good on their own.

If our small community will only accept perfection, then it's never going to happen, or if it does whoever pulls it off will have spent so much money on it they will never make it back because nobody will be willing to spend $400 on a set of mudflaps for a 30 year old car.

Keep it simple and maybe this thread will finally amount to something. :)

[kronus]

In my mind, a set is just the front flaps including all of the hardware.

Otherwise, you're right about all the pricing I was describing to set you guys up with an expectation:

$300-350 for front left flap, front right flap + mounting hardware similar to OEM
$150-200 for front left flap, front right flap + some jerry rigged method of attachment

From the looks of it, the rear flaps are hard to get now too, but I don't think I'd bother reproducing them unless the demand was big enough (and if I can do a good enough job with the ix flaps).

Even just looking at cost of materials, I don't think I would even break even selling 10 sets for $100 each pair of mudflap with no hardware. Different story if I sold 20, but I don't think there's that much demand, and it would take me forever to fill those orders.

For some context on demand, there was a set of iX flaps that was on craigslist for a total of 7 hours in the east bay last week. This is in a place that does not get snow and does not have a lot of iX's.

I'd be down for a set. In fact, if you don't have an iX available for trial fitting, I do ;)

[nando]

Another thought - since this is just a side gig, making the brackets is probably very difficult and time consuming for you, slowing things down. But maybe we can just come up with some sort of template that people can download to make their own brackets?

Or maybe a 3d printable model? I have access to a printer and modeling software to build a prototype. i think a decent ABS plastic would actually hold up just fine.

[audiquattrot]

Alpina mudfaps? Do you have any pictures of these? Never heard of those before

[The Dark Side of Will]

Another thought - since this is just a side gig, making the brackets is probably very difficult and time consuming for you, slowing things down. But maybe we can just come up with some sort of template that people can download to make their own brackets?

Or maybe a 3d printable model? I have access to a printer and modeling software to build a prototype. i think a decent ABS plastic would actually hold up just fine.

Hell, they could be lasered out and bent up 100 at a time without much trouble... if we only had a design. Old boy in Germany welded a tapping block on, but that should really be a clip-nut instead.

[cscracker]

To answer your questions, I'm interested as long as they look good, they don't have to be perfect, they just shouldn't look ugly. Also, while OEM hardware would be awesome, I'm interested even without hardware. I'm reasonably handy and could figure out my own way if needed. And I'd be happy to buy at those prices.

[ghatid]

Here's the first version. I think I can get fewer bubbles in the next one, but probably there will be small imperfections on every set I make. I'm glad you guys are cool with figuring out the hardware yourselves.

In terms of materials, I have found something that is pretty hard (95 Shore A) and should be somewhat UV resistant. I want to beat up this version to make sure it won't get get ripped up when rocks hit it, but we can start with some photos.

https://imgur.com/a/c7H9SY5?

It's harder than the original, but it's still flexible so it should take rocks splashing against it. Anyone want to suggest some tests I can run in my garage or with basic tools? Like a drill powered mace or something?

[D.Martijn]

Yeah, you might be ale to remove the small air bubbles by first placing it first in a vacuum pot? Is there a way for air to escape from the mould when you pour it in?

[Aigar]

I‘m not sure how does your manufacturing process exactly look like, but a garage method would also be to put the mould on a vibrating surface (an electric sander) so that the bubbles could escape upwards.

Regarding testing I would like to see how acts when hit/scratced with a sharp stone, bent on room temperature and also to see how it bends when it‘s taken out of a freezer. Does it get brittle then or no...

Also when do you start the deliveries and don‘t tell me you won‘t ship to europe :)

Cheers!