ClassicCar

russmaas wrote:

Hi All



I am talking to a gentleman about possibly making moldings for the bottom , fender, door and quarter panel stainless 48-49 and steel trim 52/53 for 2 and 4 doors.

From my experience this trim is hard to find. Is anyone out there making this trim already? I dont want to duplicate it if someone already took the time to do it.

Just trying to get a feel if this is really needed out there.



Thanks Russ

Russ,these are really in great demand and I think it would be a good item to reproduce. Good luck and keep us posted. :cool:

Russ, I hope you'll be able to make this happen. The moldings for the "long door, long qtr panel" bodies are especially hard to find. 3-4 years ago I had to have the body shop splice a couple pieces of lower molding from a 4-door to make the needed long one for my convertible.

russmaas wrote:

Hi All



I am talking to a gentleman about possibly making moldings for the bottom , fender, door and quarter panel stainless 48-49 and steel trim 52/53 for 2 and 4 doors.

From my experience this trim is hard to find. Is anyone out there making this trim already? I dont want to duplicate it if someone already took the time to do it.

Just trying to get a feel if this is really needed out there.



Thanks Russ

Russ, in the later part of 2007 I noticed an article in a street rod publication related to making custom stainless and painted steel moldings for custom cars. After reading the article, I contacting a fellow who was providing the trim noted in the article. What I learned from him was the process being used to create the trim was called Roll Forming. Roll forming uses a set of die rollers to form metal that is pulled over dies to create a formed metal product. Once a set of dies for pulling the steel into shape are created the reproduction of the trim is quite easy to accomplish and repeatable. The principle cost after the dies are created is material. The Roll Form process can be done in a small shop enviornment or as a production run opeation. The person I spoke with also said, the products could be easily length tailored when making straight trim. I believe a hobbiest who posesses the correct steel rolling tools could manufacture all of the standard straight Hudson Stepdown moldings. The current demand should be sufficent to pay for the die costs and make money to boot.



If there is sufficent demand each of the trim types could be turned into the minimum run length for a roll form company. Some companies will make the dies as part of an order. The die then becomes the property of the person who orders the run. Repeat runs are then possible at a lower cost. A short run for most of the roll form companies is 2000 feet.



Just my thoughts.

get many requests for these items as well as the lower ratainers that hold them on. I would be a customer, BILL ALBRIGHT

Update on the progress. Will have availability and pricing in about 2-3 weeks. Hoping to make a run of 10-12 complete sets for 2 doors in stainless that can be either painted or polished for 48-49 and 52-53's you can also put these on you 50-51 if needed. Also will sell these individually. Will have the option of polishing yourself or professionally. Price will vary on that of course. Due the variances in stamping dies and cost into making two different die sets, they will all be made out of stainless.



Russ

Russ-



Interesting you brought this up. I had every intention of buying a roll-forming machine in about a year. I spent part of my trip to the Nat'l this year to do homework to make repro stainless trim. I was going to start with the '52-'53 and progress from there. I located a couple of places that would be willing, and capable to do the die work. Stainless can be purchased in "ribbon" form, which comes on a roll and is cut to width per your specifications.



However, I was not going to be able to be up and running for probably 18 months from now. If you are ready to get started, I say more power to you and I will be one of your customers instead of the other way around. Call me if you need a sounding board, I've been thinking and plotting of this for the last couple of years and have some good ideas I've come up with.



Russell

210-380-9709

I'm just looking for the rest of the car! Can we just roll out a couple of say, 51 Hornet coupes?:o

Russ, Count me in. I need a complete set for a coupe. Any idea on pricing yet?