Playing With SOLIDWORKS

[Halon]

Yeah, I got SS button heads for everything. In the pic they are used on the air dams., but I put the stock socket head bolts on the spark cover for test fitup. Those have now been replaced with SS button heads as well. Looks nice and clean.

I have a set of valve covers here now that I need to modify for larger ventilation ports, then get coated. These black ones in there now are temporary. Not sure what to coat them. Matte/satin black seems like it'd blend in nice, but could also do some sort of color for contrast. I'm bad at color coordinating, lol.

[Halon]

#1 complaint from people was that they wished the spark plug cover went down to cover up the recessed valley on the sides of the NA valve covers. So I got a qoute to try and get a 3D / Form done. They told me the mold fee was almost a grand!!! So yeah screw that, that's why I'm sticking with flat pieces.

So, I kinda came up with this idea to keep it simple and cost effective. I think it looks pretty good, so I'm going to have some made out of CF on my next order.

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/656/medium/20160317_225607.jpg

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/656/medium/20160318_144623.jpg

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/656/medium/20160318_144633.jpg

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/656/medium/20160318_144643.jpg

[A//// Guy]

That looks nice!

[turbotalon1g]

hell yeah very nice.

[Halon]

Got my next runs in. Same Semi-Gloss and Matte as I've been getting. But I handed off a bunch to the same guy that painted my car, and he cleared them so I can offer a High Gloss version. Holy cow makes a huge difference, really gives the CF some depth!

Also, the side tabs seem like they will work out nicely on the spark covers.

The manufacturer also finally seems to have understood what I was looking for with the weave pattern. Entire sets all match perfectly together now! Funny how this small detail was actually kind of tough to get my point across. OCD baby.

And also, I made one set out of satin black G10 Garolite. The idea there was it's a little more OEM / subtle looking because I receive comments about folks who don't want the CF look. And also, it's almost half the cost, so even the po-folks can play :)

Pics :D

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4808_1067x800.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4803_1067x800.JPG

http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4822_1067x800.JPG

High Gloss (Cleared)
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4780_1067x800.JPG

High Gloss (Cleared)
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4775_1067x800.JPG

Satin Black G10
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4781_1067x800.JPG

G10
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4783_1067x800.JPG

Comparison Hi-Gloss, Semi-Gloss, Matte, G10
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_4771_1067x800.JPG

[rose0529]

The carbon does look really nice with the high gloss on there!

[turbotalon1g]

agreed, time to make some for the durango!!

[s1ngletracker]

good stuff brandon! I love CAD!

[Halon]

Thanks man.

I will say, making and selling these has been an interesting experience. Learning so much about the business side of things. Finding manufacturers you can trust, pretty cool even if it is super small scale. I still really have enjoyed it. I'm not making much money on it, the joy has been just in doing it.

However I am now seeing another side of it. Copy-cats are starting to pop up now that people are seeing how quickly these are selling. I actually see the side of things now where companies spend time and money designing things, just for them to be duplicated by someone else later. That's kind of a bummer, but it is how it is. If these copy cats end up being around the same price range as me, then this may be my last run of these.

But, always interested in new things. So if anyone has ideas, lets work together and draw em up! To me the fun is making it. Selling them and making a little money is kind of cool, but the true fun to me is designing it, seeing it manufactured just like you wanted, and fitting right! So anyone has anything simple they want done, lets do it up!

[Halon]

Another very simple piece. It's a spark plug cover for the 1UZFE (SC400) motor. Someone with my other covers asked if I could make it for him. So he helped me with the prototype set. Said fitment was spot on, he was really happy with them. So I made a few more sets. One local guy (red drift SC400) has a set now, and two more sets just got thrown up for sale today :)