So after my round of swap meets this year, just looking whats out there for tail lights for custom builds I have been discouraged at the crazy prices on a nice cherry set with chrome and lens. Not that it really matters what car they were original on but I'll use this as an example These just happen to be one of my favorites The price I keep seeing on these is crazy and I'm sure its because of the nice condition. of the lens. Even the 56 Merc's had crazy pricing and not even in usable condition. So I was talking with a plastics manufacture about doing tail light lens repop's This particular manufacture does everything in house as to cnc alum molds from a laser scaner , high pressure and vacuum molds. They also work with very exotic plastics costing $1600 for a 1'x1'x1/4" piece. They know quality and although they have no experience with tail lens they are confident they can manufacture a very accurate part. So my question to HAMBers, Not just Packard but other hard to find tail lens, what the demand might be for me to invest and start making hard to get parts in plastic. I'm wondering if its worth the effort. It could be Studebaker , Packard, Mercury Chrysler, Desoto or just about any that are not being produced but have a decent demand .
A guy in Australia was doing the Chrysler and DeSoto lenses. They're high both because they tended to deteriorate or get broken and because no one ever repro'ed them for aftermarket like a lot of GM and Ford lenses were. I thought someone was doing those '56 Packard lenses too. I sold just the chrome for them - and that in crappy shape at that - for $400 a couple years ago. For me the solution to high prices is to just use something not everybody else is using.
You would surprised what is already made in the repro market. I have experience with '41 Studebaker taillights, and I use lenses from a vendor. I make all the rest myself. There are a lot of lenses made for many different makes, and sometimes the price really isn't too bad. But, sometimes the prices are outrageous. Thoroughly check around before you invest big money on a lense that is already made. Rings and buckets are a whole 'nother thing though. It's a lot more investment to make the metal parts, so many are not done. That's where you can fill a hole.
Well thanks for the tips, and this company I'm talking with has the ability to manufacture the trim also. But casting them would not be what I would want to get involved in but machining them in metal or aluminum is a possibility because of the equipment available. I did check and yes the Packard's are available as are the 41 Studebaker but I knew the Stud's were being done. I'm looking into this from a cost for end user point of view, It's just frustrating to see such crazy money being needed for some of these parts. I know getting involved in this is pretty risky, but I know the owner of the manufacturing business and she wants to help. She is a total gear head.
'59 Pontiac Bonneville is one that I have yet to find reproductions of and are popular for customs. (Like my '60 Chev) From what I understand they cracked easy when new. I bought a spare at a swap meet "just in case" and it isn't even in great shape.
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