New Custom PT Parts?

[Candyman]

Hey Everyone,

I have a good friend, and metal Fabricator that is very interested in trying to make some new Custom PT Parts for the PT on the side to earn some extra cash. He used to professionally design, and build Class 11 Off Road Race Trucks, and has experience, in CAD Design, full metal Fabrication, custom suspension, and much more! He even has a friend who has access to a Foundry that can do custom billet aluminum castings, and has access to the machinery to do pretty much anything anyone can dream up! From Custom one off Grilles, to pretty much anything, he can make it, or he access to the people that can, and everything he builds is not only built bulletproof from his Off Road Race Truck experience, but everything he builds is designed, and built right!

Right now, we are using my PT as a test mule for some new ideas, and plan to offer them to anyone interested soon! Here is a quick brea down of what we are kicking around so far.

1. Reverse Tilt Hood Kit:

It is a well known fact that their are a few Reverse Hood Kits available on the market for the PT. In fact, it really isn't all that complicated of a bracket set up to figure out! In fact it is fairly well established that installing a kit should take no more than one to two hours helper. So, why is it that most of the large PT Parts places around the Los Angeles Area have been known to charge as much as $3000.00 to install a kit? And then their are a few kits that seem to have a very hard time holding the weight of a stock hood! To me that is just not acceptable any way you look at it! So we are working on tackling this problem! We are working on a new bracket set up that will be supported by both the top and bottom radiator support which will give very good rigidity look great and work the way its supposed to! We plan to offer this kit much much more affordable than anything on the current market and this kit is designed to NOT NEED any paint touch ups or modifications of any kind!

2. Billet Mirror Mod Kit

It seems like when it comes to custom side view Mirrors for the PT their are limited options available! I wanted to try to change that by working up a custom plate made out of Metal that would mount up using the stock bolts but is designed to utilize Chopper Style Billet Motorcycle Mirrors. Their are hundreds of cool designs from Flames tear Drops Ovals and much more! Our Bracket Plates will be designed as a separate piece. The idea is to buy the custom Mounting Plates and then choose any kind of hundreds of mirror Combinations you wish! Again these plates will be very affordable and like most of our parts will come available in chrome or ready to paint! to match your ride!

3. Shifter Knobs

Here is another area where their just seems to be a lack of imagination when it comes to after market accessories! The 5 speeds are easy but their is very little in the way of knobs for the Automatic. For our first prototype we are building a custom shifter knob built from a Harley Piston which will give me the American Graffiti look I want but in a mini version which will be a good fit for the PT! Though we are currently working on a Piston Shifter we can make a custom knob out of pretty much anything and adapt it to work!

These are just a few of the ideas we are working on at the moment but we are always looking for more ideas or any kind of custom work that anyone might want all the time! So if you got an idea for a new cool custom part for your PT or anything please let me know and we would be more than happy to see what we can do for you!

So take it easy and please let us know what you would like to see!

Candyman

[CREWZIN]

Nice Ideas Candyman. Back in 2003 there was a small company called Rapid Craft that started up business the same way, building hand made, almost one-off custom pieces for anyone with an idea. I forget which forum they were dealing with but the members came up with some pretty good ideas and when this company showed what they built, myself and lots of others stated to buy their wares. I have a few almost one-off pieces that nobody else has been able or willing to duplicate.

I'm beating myself trying to remember the parts people were looking for that nobody else was making and the only thing that comes to mind is some sort of tray or cover made of chrome or billet for the cubby hole in the center dash.

Oh, to finish my story, just as things were looking good, they closed their shop and the rumors were that Chrysler themselves bought them out. Never did find out for sure.

Here was the thread I started back in July 2003 when they closed up shop.....

Bye Bye Rapid Craft

[Bobster]

I am wanting to remove my stock mirrors. Maybe just replace them with a polished or chrome cover plate and then use a set of clip-on peep mirrors.
I am looking for a broken mirror with a good mounting to play with if anyone has one. Either side. thanks, Bob

[teahead]

Can you make mirrors for 'verts? There are absolutely NOTHING out there for 'vert custom mirrors. Keeping them power would be nice.

Heck, you can get e-bay custom ones for $20.00 for a hardtop, but nada for a 'vert.

[Candyman]

Hey TeaHead,

I have to get a few measurements, but should be no problem! The only catch we might have at the moment is that since we are focusing on Bike Mirrors for the most part, at the moment, I can't seem to locate power adjustable mirrors. They do make power dimming, and Digital LED Turn Signal Mirrors with the signal showing through the mirror, but nothing adjustable at the moment. I will keep looking as I am sure that this will become an important topic as we develop this idea!

To give you a better idea of our concept we are shooting for, The mirrors on the hardtop (as should be similar on the Vert) are just one piece units held in place by three bolts. Their is an after market replacement mirror available now that uses a flat looking mounting plate which uses the same three bolt locations for mounting, and has a small round mirror, and stem attached to it. While that is great, and all, the mounting plate is made from a lightweight fiberglass, or plastic material, and lets say, you don't like that round mirror, and would like a different design. Well, your out of luck because that round mirror is part of the whole assembly. I myself would rather have a few options to display my own vision, and custom touch!

Here is a couple of links to a website that has a pretty good selection of mirrors like the ones we would like to incorporate into our design. Every mirror is held on by one bolt, and nut which would attach to a metal, or aluminum mounting plate that would in return match up to the three bolts for the stock assembly. That would allow you to pick, and change mirrors all day long by simply loosening a couple of nuts! Here are the Links:

Flame Harley Davidson V-Rod Mirrors

Custom Harley Mirrors, Chrome And Black Motorcycle Mirrors

Those are just a couple of examples, but if you do a Google Search on Motorcycle Mirrors, their are thousands, and they all will fit our brackets, leaving you thousands of new possibilities for customizing your PT! Whats even better is when you start looking at these bike mirrors, most of them have cost range of $120.00 - $240, depending on how fancy you want to go. without even running the numbers you will easily save between $80.00 to $1oo.oo off of the cost for the alternative mirrors, and get a better product that was not punched out on an assembly line, but rather custom made by hand to fit your car!! And with that kind of savings, you could afford to custom paint your brackets, or even have them chromed if you like! Were here to make what you want, how you want it, and when you want it!

Please let me know if you might be interested, and I can get some more information on the specifics tha you are looking for so I can get you a great price! Thank you, and take it easy!

Candyman

[CYCLONE_06]

I have a good one. Some sort of black, chrome, stainless, or color matched powdercoat lower lip cover to cover up the plastic "air damn" thats made into the lower front fascia, as well as side "skirts" to cover up the nasty pinch welds, to make them a little less ugly. These wouldnt even necissarily have to be metal, but a stainless piece covering that ugly black plastic in front would do wonders.

Also, maybe come up with a tag bracket that, instead of being drilled into the front bumper directly, it could be like the one that used to be offered, that bolted to the underside metal section of the bumper and hung down under the lower bumper instead of out in front of it.

~CYCLONE_06

[CREWZIN]

Race & Street already sells the stainless front lower lip cover for $39.

[Hooligan]

[QUOTE=CREWZIN]Race & Street already sells the stainless front lower lip cover for $39.

It is a good fit and improves the look!!!

[CYCLONE_06]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

Race & Street already sells the stainless front lower lip cover for $39.

I see. I was unaware. Looks good. Too bad theres nothing for the sides to match Prolly sucks if you scrape it tho lol Any reason it might say that it doesnt fit the turbo on Maggies site ?

~CYCLONE_06

[CREWZIN]

You'd have to ask Maggie about that. I know the Turbo's have a bigger grill opening on the bottom for the Intercooler but I thought underneath that it would be the same.