I was looking at my torn apart interior of my contour and wow does it look outdated compared to most new cars with metal accents in them these days. Painting never comes out right, so I was thinking about metal door handles (the part you grab to close the door) It is something we could make very easy in one piece with a nickel finish. It would just have the two screw holes visable. Making a cover plate like the factory would be a real PIA.

Any thoughts?

Some one with the proper machinery and specs I bet it wouldn't be too hard to do at all. The hard part is getting all the specs, I mean all of them, and then doing up the drawings in Solid Works or something. The hardest part is the prep work. So if you could find someone that is willing to take the time to get all of the dimensions, again all of them, (maybe me) I have solid works on my comp now. I can do up the drawings and send them to someone. Then all you would need is someone who would be able to get the materials and then has the machinery to do the work. Let me know if someone has the means and the materials to make them. If so i will spend the couple of hours specing out the handles. After that no telling how long it will take me to get the solid works done.

~Dan

i like this idea, keep me posted

As long as we're dreaming, how about doing the same with the radio/HVAC surround trim and the little piece around the headlight switch? That way we're not just talking about a couple of random metal handles floating around the cabin w/ nothing tying it all togeter. The "Oh Jesus" handles might be nice too. Hmmmm.......

As i said the hardest part is the prep work. I have the materials and the software to get machining drawings done... might take me some time tho. If anyone has the equipments to make them then we could be good to go.

I have the ability to have it done, its a matter of how expensive of a material. Sniper, if you did the drawing, I could have it machined locally, but that would be more expensive and a lot of time involved for you.

If the interest is there, I can have a mold made for these and we could crank out 100 sets and have them plated in an assortment of finishes. If the process started today, I could have them complete in 10 weeks, but I have to see an interest first before we get crazy with mold making. This would be cheaper as it would be a casting.

Any idea what the individual cost for these items might be if we went the casting route? My wants would be:

Door pull handles (I would vote to leave the slot open for the stock insert/screw cover to be used)
Oh sh!t handles (I could go either way on these. They're my third choice of the three)
Lower dash trim (piece behind headlight switch, and the radio surround)

I can't think of anything else off the top of my head that would look good in metal, but maybe someone else can.

As far as finish, I'd want something that matches my polished aluminum shift knob, and/or the brushed aluminum finish on my head unit.

Very interested keep me posed please!!!

I'm with the Speling Nazi on this one. If I'm going to do door handles, I'd like to do everything. And that includes the radio, hvac, and headlight switch surrounds, as well as the door handles. Maybe a full package deal?

Mark

What type of prices will we be looking at?

If you pop into a Group Buy with these pictures of these on the car and ready to be made, you could spark tons of interest.

Here's a quick photoshop, something like this?

Originally posted by Berkel:

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What type of prices will we be looking at?

If you pop into a Group Buy with these pictures of these on the car and ready to be made, you could spark tons of interest.

Here's a quick photoshop, something like this?

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Exactly like that! Possibly include the door handle surround, and maybe even a center console option for pre-98 consoles. (I suppose that could come later if the first part were successful) I can go either way on 'oh sh!t' handles.

Originally posted by Y2KSVT:

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I'm with the Speling Nazi on this one.

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Seriously?!? You make it too easy for me! Meh...just messing with you!

I do think a package deal would be perfect, if the cost were reasonable. Should we find out what people might be willing to pay for a package first, and then see if it's a feasible number to aim for? Myself, I think I'd be willing to throw $200-$250 at this, possibly a little more. For that, I'd be wanting the two dash pieces and the four door pulls at least. Does that seem reasonable or am I being naive/cheap? I really don't know. If the door handle surrounds could be fabricated and included at roughly that price-point, then count me in for sure!

Also, if full-on billet pieces were too expensive, I wouldn't be opposed to ABS plastic plated in a nice brushed metal.