panels to replace bumper bellows

[jeff1hughes]

Has anyone come up with a good way to get rid of the coily looking bellows for the bumpers on the SCs and Carreras without doing a full 964 conversion? I hate cleaning in those little crevices. Can you tell it's spring?

[TRE Cup]

if we made them, what would you feel is a fair price for a set of four ?

[Moses]

Originally Posted by TRE Cup

if we made them, what would you feel is a fair price for a set of four ?

If you do a search, I'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR THESE FOR YEARS! Are you making them now, Dave? Pics? It's a great idea.

[jeff1hughes]

Hey, if you're the fabber, give me an idea what it'd take. I'm sure others want them too. In fact I'll tell you what, you can make up some samples, I'll mount them and let you use my car as your spokes model for no charge. Hey, times are tight, I've gotta try

[autovon]

anyone have any idea what they would look like?

[Buckterrier]

Count me in for sure. Price would be dependant on material, engineering, and fabrication time I'd think. Bringem' on!!!!!

[SCWDP911]

Dave,

$200-300? This may be too low from a manufacturing standpoint, but it would be the range I would consider for 4 small pieces such as these would be.

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by v8_ranch

Dave,

$200-300? This may be too low from a manufacturing standpoint, but it would be the range I would consider for 4 small pieces such as these would be.

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!! $200 - $300?? Geez, I was thinking $75 - $100. You could count me out is they cost friggin' $300
They could be made from ABS or some other cheap plastic.

Edit: OEM's are only $46 a piece

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by Buckterrier

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!! $200 - $300?? Geez, I was thinking $75 - $100. You could count me out is they cost friggin' $300
They could be made from ABS or some other cheap plastic.

Edit: OEM's are only $46 a piece

I am definitely on your train, but I was trying to be conservative knowing they would be a limited market item... if they could be had for the same price as the OEM's, I'd definitely be interested.

[Mysterytrain]

Well, the factory rubber bellows aren't cheap. Reading from the porsche parts bible, the book of wayne, I see that they are $46 dollars a pop. Which is $184.00 for rubber! Can I get an Amen

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by v8_ranch

I am definitely on your train, but I was trying to be conservative knowing they would be a limited market item... if they could be had for the same price as the OEM's, I'd definitely be interested.

With you Shane, I'd pay OEM pricing for a quality product.

[sand_man]

subscribe...

[175K911]

Doesn't rarlyL8 get $100 or thereabouts for a rear valance? I'd think that 150-200 for 4 bellows would be reasonable when put in that context.

BTW- might be interesting to see if the right front replacement piece could be made with a Naca duct to aid cooling air over the oil cooler. Or the rear bellows could duct air to our stainless M&K mufflers to cool them down a bit.

[Rich76_911s]

I have also been thinking about this for a long, long time. A couple months ago I contacted http://www.alfaparts.net/911.htm to see if he would be interested in making some. He felt that it would be pretty easy. He asked me to make him a cardboard model to use as a template. I just haven't had the free time to work on making him a template, and honestly I doubt my cardboard skills are up to the task of making an accurate representation of the area between the bellows. Once I finish my exam on June 7th this was on my list of projects to work on though. Also been messing around with google sketchup to try and make a digital copy.

The back seems like a relatively easy part to manufacture. But to do the front well you really have to work to get the roundish bumper going to flat as it moves towards the back of the car.

The guy at alfa parts talked about using thin enough sheet metal that the crunch section would still crunch in a light impact situation.

Maybe a fiberglass product from TRE would better fill the spot. I don't know the characteristics of fiberglass, but I am sure it would also be sacraficed in a small bump rather than having your fender get mangled.

The replica 953 in Excellence had removed the bellows. I think TRE even had something to do with that car if I remember correctly. Here is the only picture I have of it. They also shortened the bumper shocks to bring the bumpers in closer to the car. Another modification I have been seriously thinking about.

Sorry the picture is so small:



Just found this picture too:


To me I could see spending $200 for a nice part from TRE. I might even be able to get talked into $300. I really want to do it though. Others who are not as excited about it might not be interested at the $300 level.

Dave if you decide to tackle this could you please let me know. Otherwise I will keep trying to do it on my own, and I am sure I won't do 1/2 as good a job.

Rich

[TRE Cup]

Hi Rich
thanks for the compliments !

anyway... i will speak with my mold maker on this. We are talking 4 different molds, as each piece is unique for each corner of the car. Sure the parts are small, but they have some intricate curves when passing from the bumper to each finishing part (small rectangular up front and the bumper extension flare on the rear)

Will post our decision/ anticipated pricing by middle of next week

thanks
dave

[jester911]

I would love to see some myself. The duct idea is a good one too.

[SCWDP911]

Dave,

I sent you a message earlier about this today.

I too like the cooling duct idea, although not sure how much more work that would actually add to the design phase.

One other idea I have had about these from my DIY thoughts was to make several vertical cuts or notches across the backside of a 6-8 inch section of each piece to act as the crumble area. Not sure if it would be as effective, but just an idea.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by jester911

The duct idea is a good one too.

How would it work? It would be behind the trombone cooler, at least on 911S's and SC's, wouldn't it?

Not that familiar w/ Carreras.

[Jim Garfield]

This is something that I've been thinking about for a long time too. The SCRS and Paris -Dakar bumpers eliminated the bellows, but the pieces were pretty crude - here is a picture of the Ickx Dakar car that I took a few years ago.





Dave, I will be watching with interest what you come up with. I wouldn't be interested if they have any ducting built in, just something simple that follows the contour of the bumper to the fender and attaches with the bellows mounting points.

[4flyboy]

I'm subscribed Dave........been wondering about this for years!

Scott