Interest gauging Anodized aluminum replacement for notorious gen 3 plastic door trim

[Viperholic]

Hey guys! I wanted to throw this out there and get some feedback. I am not attempting to collect any cash or make promises, just gauge interest right now.

A friend of mine is a master level machinist with years and years of experience in various hobby, prop, and performance motor sports applications. I approached him today with the idea of creating a permanent anodized Aluminum replacement for the dreaded plastic door trim piece that breaks on generation 3/4 vipers. I told him that the interest would likely be very high for an affordable replacement. I’ve sent him many photos and He’s very intrigued and thinks it’s likely doable but likely a PITA. I approached him mainly because I met him on another forum (on which I am a moderator) where he produces hundreds of high quality complexly machined screen-accurate lightsaber replicas at a time, multiple times per year, in Detroit, by hand. He has a very strong reputation on our forum for creating a large number of consistently uniform and high quality pieces, and thus is a sponsored vendor with us. He also is a car NUT and loves Vipers, and his Duster.

It’s much too early to say what pricing would be, and would depend on R&D and number of trim pieces ordered, but it is safe to say that it would be MUCH MUCH more affordable than replacing the entire door panel, and a much better option than stapling another crappy trim piece on. Likely only color would be black, and pretty much a perfect replica of the stock piece, but it all depends on interest. There could be options.

So ladies and gentlemen, please comment below if you have any interest in this becoming a reality. I know some folks have tried to do it in the past, but I couldn’t find any active sale posts, or recent discussions about it, so I’m hoping to not step on any toes.

We will also eventually need donor trim pieces (broken or intact) and door panels for the R&D process if we decide to move forward, so if anyone feels like contributing and loaning some parts for the cause, we just may be able to gift a pair to those generous folks. No promises, who knows.

Thanks guys!

*If anyone has high res pictures of these trim pieces, broken or intact, and/or measurements, or can take them, that would be extremely helpful!!*

[Redx]

I'd be interested, i just dont have any donor pieces. Im due for a a window regulator, mines being intermittent.

[J TNT]

I'd be interested , prefer black to match the factory piece . It's a common problem for Gen 3 and Gen 4 cars ....
Unfortunately I don't have a donor .

[TheMadMachinist]

Do you have a pic. of the part in question?

[Jmerk1031]

Agree, a pic of the trim in reference would be helpful. Would hate to assume.

[pokeyl]

I rebuilt my door panel and reused the factory trim. If I were to make trim strips it would be from very thin carbon fiber and glue it on. Just my thoughts.

[Viperholic]

Here’s a pic guys. When sitting in the car, roll the window up. It’s the plastic trim piece on top of the door that covers the gap between the door panel and the window. If you drive with your elbow on the door, it’s resting right on that trim piece. Very brittle and snaps often when removing the door panel (like when you replace a window regulator... Cough...) or snagging your shirt on it. In this photo, the piece is broken off.



https://goo.gl/images/GhcJtQ

[Jmerk1031]

I’d be interested, I blew mine up 1 day after buying my 2003 while cleaning the car for the first time. I don’t have any pieces to donate, sorry.

[V10Sidepipes]

I have a broken one or two I’ll try to find tomorrow. Sounds interesting...

[Viperholic]

Wicked! Anything is helpful. I haven’t come across the problem myself yet, but I’m about to change my window regulator on my nearly showroom 2005 Yellow Vert, and it got me thinking about the very real possibility of ending up with broken trim. I figure there aren’t any suitable replacements as of now so we can try to take a crack at it.

[repiV]

I'd take a couple. The one on my drivers side is broken but it's still on the car which looks crappy. I'm sure it will fall apart if I every need to change the window regulator.

[ky13]

Interested. Both of mine have lifted a bit.

[TheMadMachinist]

Now I understand.... I don't know if this will be and issue but Anodize fades in direct sun light faster than you mite think.

One interesting fact is that Sun Screen Lotion works just as good on Anodize as I will on your skin.

A little messy I'm afraid.

[Zubik]

I am down for this

[Black Pearl]

Aluminum can be powder coated instead of anodized. Still not sure which part is the problem

[V10Sidepipes]

Rough measurements (in):

F9A27C52-5E14-4D5E-9C49-99725C5E0E85.jpg
5B229B83-9977-455B-A6B0-D4E0964D0410.jpg
BD5FB848-F573-4FC1-B7F8-F697A6C20D5E.jpg
234EC436-C8C9-49F3-9131-8013252B289D.jpg

It also isn’t straight and has a curve in both dimensions it looks like...

[TheMadMachinist]

That will be an interesting part to make if it has a curve in two different planes.

Almost looks more like a fabricating job than a machining job or most likely a little of both with the bending required.

I would be very interested in seeing how this job is attacked if possible.

Not to worries you will get no competition from me. Just curious is all.

[Viperholic]

That will be an interesting part to make if it has a curve in two different planes.

Almost looks more like a fabricating job than a machining job or most likely a little of both with the bending required.

I would be very interested in seeing how this job is attacked if possible.

Not to worries you will get no competition from me. Just curious is all.

Definitely interesting. That’s for sure. That’s the PITA part.
As for competition, I’m not wanting to make any money off this if it happens, just provide a solution to a stupid problem. I’d welcome competition.

[06SRTCoupe]

Almost would be better if it was a thick rubber replacement instead of metal. Those bends are important and so is flex.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

PartsRack is already having these done at a WELL KNOWN race shop fabricator. 3-D printed already in ALUM. and that set already on a 2008. L-R are different, opposite bends and twists, double work. Tough piece to clone.

Will likely mfr in plastic. Release date hoped in Spring. Not a huge priority for the shop......

HISSSTORY TRIVIA:

At one time we had SRT permission to have the OE Vendor make these for PartsRack directly, instead of having to buy the entire door panel. We bought 100 of each side, [and sold 99 of each side.]

"SOMEONE" in the club-purge era objected, and we were prevented from reordering! Now that MFR is not making them. And we all lost. Thanks chris, lee, marv and bod......

[Viperholic]

PartsRack is already having these done at a WELL KNOWN race shop fabricator. 3-D printed already in ALUM. and that set already on a 2008. L-R are different, opposite bends and twists, double work. Tough piece to clone.

Will likely mfr in plastic. Release date hoped in Spring. Not a huge priority for the shop......

HISSSTORY TRIVIA:

At one time we had SRT permission to have the OE Vendor make these for PartsRack directly, instead of having to buy the entire door panel. We bought 100 of each side, [and sold 99 of each side.]

"SOMEONE" in the club-purge era objected, and we were prevented from reordering! Now that MFR is not making them. And we all lost. Thanks chris, lee, marv and bod......

That’s excellent news Jon. I imagine it’s too soon to say, but any idea of super rough ballpark pricing? If you guys are going to be offering these for a reasonable price, not much reason for my friend to bother attempting to machine them. Are yours going to staple onto the door panel or have a better method of attachment?

It’s a pity that some people have to cop an attitude for various reasons and piss on everyone else’s parade. That’s why we can’t have nice things.

[Mr. Bill]

PartsRack is already having these done at a WELL KNOWN race shop fabricator. 3-D printed already in ALUM. and that set already on a 2008. L-R are different, opposite bends and twists, double work. Tough piece to clone.

Will likely mfr in plastic. Release date hoped in Spring. Not a huge priority for the shop......

HISSSTORY TRIVIA:

At one time we had SRT permission to have the OE Vendor make these for PartsRack directly, instead of having to buy the entire door panel. We bought 100 of each side, [and sold 99 of each side.]

"SOMEONE" in the club-purge era objected, and we were prevented from reordering! Now that MFR is not making them. And we all lost. Thanks chris, lee, marv and bod......

Excellent. I had to “fix” one of mine and while it looks ok I’d like to replace both of them.

[SNKEBIT]

You don't have to staple them back on, some black silicone adhesive where the staples go is fine. That part kind of "clamps" itself on anyway, the silicone is just and added measure. Have repaired many...…………..

[J TNT]

FYI I believe the 2010 designs where a little more robust and would make a good design starting point .
Glad to hear this is being replaced with a new option !

[nautoncall]

I would be interested. I pulled mine off. I got tired of the rattle