NLA parts

[Potenziato]

How about making the Milano hood prop clip. I've been using VW ones since the Alfa one is NLA

[Hit an Apex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potenziato How about making the Milano hood prop clip. I've been using VW ones since the Alfa one is NLA

[bialberocorse]

front and rear side marker lights for the USA spec bumpers, seem to be hard to come by. i wonder if a special cover to go on a common gas cap to fit would be an easier fab job. cheers, scott

[kredden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit an Apex I got one from Alfa Parts in Berkely (sp?) not too long ago...

[Tim-Spruill]

Ok, so if this gas cap turns out nicely and is repeatable for reasonable cost, then I think the next logical move is to bigger pieces. I am especially looking forward to trying to copy the reflective bar on milano trunk lids. I think just about every car needs one by now, and they are no where to be found. Other lenses would soon follow.

And, if the cap turns our ok, then other small stuff like the prop clips would be so easy.

The cap I am going to make will be a copy of the original, but I am not including anything for the lock. The hole for a lock will be flush and the cylinder on the inside will be reduced in depth to save plastic. Instead of a two piece assembly it will all be one piece. Might even glue in the gasket rather than use the metal clip. Not something I would take to pebble beach, but definately very close to original. Only the initiated will know the difference, and it beats a greasy rag stuffed in the hole any day!

Was going to wait till Monday to start, but may order some raw materials tommorow. Will be out of town all weekend, but can get a jump on it when the stuff comes.

Tim

[Balocco211]

Tim,

If the Milano benzina cap is a success, will you consider adding the GTV-6 threaded cap? E-bay appears to be the only solution.

[jazig.k]

ill put my hand up for the treaded one should they be available

[pilote]

if the gas cap becomes reality and is viable i'll try one too...

[Tim-Spruill]

Alfisti,

here is the latest update. I have contacted several plastic materials suppliers and learned a great deal about plastics. Turns out that the types of plastics that will tolerate gas for any period of time require a different style of manufacture than what I had initially planned on. So now I am shifting focus to that new method. I consider this all part of the process towards a final product, so bear with me. Hopefully the less "exposed" plastic parts on these cars will be easier. I am going to stick with the gas cap for my first item, because that is what I said I would do, and I figure it is one of the hardest things to make at this point. So, everything else will seem easy....

Still plugging away,
Tim

[Tim-Spruill]

Alfisti,

I have reconsidered my methods for making the gas cap and have come up with a solution to the problem. The issue was exposure to gasoline. Well the original cap appears to be constructed from two types of plastic. I am imagining that the inner plastic is nylon or abs to deal with the gas, but the outter plastic is something different because it is on the other side of the rubber gasket. So my redesign is to make the entire unit out of the two part resin system and to seal it off with a gasket. To do this I am going to eliminate the long cylinder shaped internal protrusion and have the gasket cover the entire inside face. This will cause the depth of the hole in the outside (for the lock) to be decreased. I am now posing to everyone who wants one, how deep would you like it to be? It would be quite easy to just eliminate it and make that surface flush and continuous. I could also just leave it and have the hole go as deep as possible till it hits the bottom of the cap. With the hole present, the cap will look concourse correct to all but the most discerning eyes. There will just be no lock. Of course if the judge takes the cap off, he will be quite confused. So let me know, I am going to try and order plastic again, today.

For all those people who have to have it just perfect, I will continue my efforts to figure it all out and make it better and more correct. At this point I just want to get one out there for testing to see what happens.

Tim

[verdemilano]

You should make the gas cap to accomodate the lock. The locks can be taken out of the old cap easily and installed in your new cap.

[twoliterlover]

How about good old inner and outer door levers for 164's?

[Jamxx]

Perhaps some inner door handles for the Milano as well. Those things always seem to pull off! Annoying, too... Both the actual handle itself and the little plastic cover.

[Grant]

You can reinforce the door pulls by using a flat washer on the inside of the door panel to spread the pulling force out.

[Tim-Spruill]

Plastic is on its way!! I ordered the correct materials today to make the complete gas cap. I was able to stay with the two part resin casting system. I found a plastic company that claims their stuff is not affected by gasoline. I will believe it when I see it. The color may be a little bit blacker than original, but they did say it will fade in the sun just like everything else. I think the mold will pick up the textural differences between the glossy interior parts and the matte finish exterior bits. I am going to attempt to take the original safely apart and make each piece seperately. This should assemble into a complete, as original, cap that will accept your old lock mechanism and look great on a concourse.

I am concerned about the ability to withstand gasoline, dropping, the sun, and repeated usage over time. The company assures me that this stuff is fine for all that and will not be a problem. All of the other companies were reluctant to say their product would do much of anything, so I am a little skeptical. I will start by making just one cap, then photographing and posting the results. If it turns out well I will use it for a short while, then send off to someone else to evaluate. I think it is really important to thoroughly test it out. I would hate to supply a large number of these only to discover they disintegrate after a short while.

I am so excited! I cannot wait for the supplies to show up!!

Tim