Unbreakable Temp/Vent/Choke Lever Bezels at Last!!!!

Coming soon from Unobtainium Supply Co.

As you know, I've been supplying reproduction lever bezels in chrome plated or black plastic since '03. See:

Unobtainium: Ask & Ye Shall Receive
http://70.85.40.84/~ferrari/discus/messages/256120/202534.html

However, I've always wanted to be able to offer a truly unbreakable lever bezel. Also, it's a continuing challenge to find places that will chrome plastic parts for a reasonable price.

I've been working with a local machine shop to make them out of aluminum & just received the first prototype made from the CNC milling tape. Thought you'd like to see it also. See pictures attached.


Please note that this is the 1st prototype. We didn't have the right taper end mill for the inside edge of the bezel, & used a handmade cutter for the outside. Also, some of the dimensions need fine tuning, and this one isn't polished & chromed, (Or powdercoated mirror black for the 'GT4 & other cars.).

However, we're getting really close to production parts. I'm really excited & wanted to share it with you!
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Price looks like it's going to be just under $100 each. To get down to that price I'm going to have to order in batches of 15 to 25 bezels. The shop would really like an initial order for 25 bezels.

Other than the machining itself, A big hitter is the chrome plating shop's setup/minimum charge. I'm going to call around to see if I can find a shop with a lower minimum charge. I may have to trade off delivery time to get a lower charge tho.

I haven't scheduled the initial build with the machine shop, but I expect lead time to be something like 6 weeks from when I order the 1st ones until I receive them back plated & ready to ship.

BTW, When we started measuring the NOS ones I've been using for mold masters, we discovered that the oldest ones were slightly different from the newest ones. Looks like maybe 3 slightly different mold designs were used. The differences aren't noticable until you put them side by side & take a really close look.

Differences are little things like the width of the flat top on the bezel, the curvature & slope of the side from the top down to the lable mounting surface, number of square holes on the back, and the width between the mounting screw holes. Mostly just a few thou, or a few degrees here or there. Some of it may even be just due to thicker or thinner chrome plating. The oldest ones seem to have much thicker plating then the newest ones.

Biggest difference was the mounting holes. Their center to center spacing varied by ~1.5mm!

We're shooting for a common denominator that should match up pretty well with all of them, and are using a stud or cap screw that's enough smaller than the big sheet metal screw so that the mounting hole spacing won't be a problem for any of the varients.

However, if you want your bezels to all to perfectly match, you may want to consider buying a set of 4. Think of it as a permenant fix for broken bezels.

However, if you don't lube your cables, you'll find that the next thing to give will be either the knobs will break, or the levers will bend!

Next project will be a mold for those pesky disc shaped lever & switch knobs. They're going to be the first part I make using my injection molding machine.

That rectangular hole inside them just doesn't work with my current RTV mold based molding process. The plug that creates the hole gets torn out of the mold after 4 or 5 pieces, & the mold is scrap.

 

They have to be polished to a mirror finish before chrome plating. Polished Al does indeed look nice, needs occasional repolishing tho. Will consider it.

My machinist just stopped by with 2 more units from the final milling tape & tooling. They do indeed look very nice. I'll post pix later this weekend.

I also finalized pricing with him.

Price is $90/each +6.85 USPS Priority Mail shipping, tracking & Insurance. If you buy 4, I'll eat the shipping cost.

The first build should ship in early May, assuming I place the order next week.

To order send eMAIL:

SUBJ: Unbreakable Lever Bezels, Qty: n
TO: [email protected]

Indicate if you want Chrome or black.

Is there enough interest to get a group buy going?

If I can order at least 25 pieces, I'll drop the group buy price/piece by $10.

GREAT!!!
I've been looking for one for a while!

I've got a backlog of orders & products I've promised people I'd tool up for right now, so I probably wouldn't be able to get to making the knobs until next fall tho.

 

It's just the bezel, you re-use your old lever, knobs, lables, etc.

The labels come off the old bezels pretty easily, the adhesive is some kind of a rubbery cement, maybe contact cement. You just soak them for a day or so in mineral spirits, then gently pry the lable off.

Lables are on my list, but probably not soon.

Sorry, I don't have a vacuum forming machine. Your best bet would be to make the outlets out of fiberglass.

 

Get a spray can of motorcycle cable lube & a cable luber. There's usually a kit of 1 each on eBAY, or search the web. The luber goes on one end of the cable & seals around the control wire. The red tube on the spray can goes into the luber, & the can's pressure forces the lube the entire length of the cable. Quick, easy, & thorough.

BTW, the lubers with 2 thumb screws seal much better than the ones with just one.

Alternatively, replace the cable jackets with teflon lined bicycle cable jackets & never lube again. See:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1511

 

I got prototypes from the final tapes & cutters Sunday.
The finish was pretty good as machined, but a couple of minuites with the DA sander using 1500, then 2000 grit, & some metal polish & they had a mirror finish.

Certainly couldn't tell the polished Al from chrome. Will post pix as soon as I get a chance.

However, If anyone used metal polish on them once they were mounted, they'd be a tad ticked about the black stains on their console leather. They're going to be finished somehow so that can't happen.

Now need to take them to some chrome plating shops & see what kind of a deal I can get.

Am also considering trying a clear powdercoat, or a clearcoat on one to see how that looks. I think you won't be able to see it if it's done right. Unlike polished wheels, inside the car they're not going to be subject to salt,etc, so a clear coating should protect them indefinitely.

What do you think about the clearcoating option?

BTW, already have orders for a couple of sets, anyone else want in at the $90 + shipping initial price? If so, see the ordering info earlier in this thread.

 

It's got to be indestinguishable or I won't use it.