Interest in 3D Printed Replacement Parts?
 

Hey all,

Recently I've begun working on some 3D printed replacement interior parts for my SA and I'm curious if this is something anyone else might be interested in having available. With the popularity of kutukutu1's replacement headlight bushings, I thought perhaps folks may be interested in hard to find replacement interior (or other) parts as well.

Currently in the works are a new center console façade, door handle screw cover trim (not sure what to call it; it's chrome and covers the top door handle screw), and new door handle cups. In the short term parts would be left unfinished, although they can be easily sanded and painted, or vapor smoothed. Material would be some form or cousin of ABS - at the moment I'm playing around with HIPS (high impact polystyrene).

So anyway, just testing the waters for now to see if there's any interest. Unfortunately I'm a little tied up these next couple weeks, but I'll update with what progress is made. And of course I need to make it clear that this is (for now) a side project. If there's sufficient interest it will become less of a side project and more of a side gig :). Also if anyone has ideas for other parts that they'd like to see made available I'll gladly consider them.

you need to heat it up to 130-150f after you print it, it gets hot in the car

True that the parts need to withstand the high temperatures (and potentially low temps) found in a car interior. ABS (and similar materials) should hold up to this just fine. PLA on the other hand, the most commonly 3D printed material, would most certainly not hold up to the heat. ABS is printed at around 250C with a GTT of ~100C. If it ends up being unsuitable for some reason I'll look for an alternative, although it should be adequate for most situations.

I'm always happy to see someone reproduce old parts this way. I have bought several. I know someone made 3d printed door pull cups already. I've had a set sitting around for a while waiting for paint.

Now that you mention it, that does ring a bell. Perhaps I'll skip over those for now to avoid stepping on anyone's toes. The center console piece is my top priority as mine is cracked and multiple repairs have failed - the PO cut it up to fit a single din radio which in turn split it. I'll be making a stock version as well as a couple others to fit gauges and whatnot.

Definitely door pull cups.

Also the little screw caps that hide the screws that hold the rear hatch trim in place. Mine all all missing.

Here is a reach. Wiring harness connectors that plug in to the stock radio. The idiot radio installers that installed an after market radio cut the connectors off from the factory wire harness. Having trouble sourcing the proper connectors that mate up to the factory harness.

1979/1980 rear plate lights. Maybe a design where a camera could be integrated.

On the 80 SAs those chrome covers for the door arm rest would be sweet if smooth and chromed but thats asking a lot. I actually shelled out for 2 armrests just to get those a few years ago.

The other one is simple. The screw covers on the lower center console, 2 on each side. They cover the screws holding the console in place and look ugly not being covered. I have one left intact except for one leg is missing. Its a circle with 2 legs opposite each other and they snap into the edges of the hols so the circle covers the opening.

+1 to what KansasCityREPU said. Don't really need an integrated camera, myself, though.

I'm interested.

I would like to get the plastic trim around the shifter and the trim in the rear where the hatch latch is...
I have a NOS center console if one is needed to 3D scan but it's installed in the car so I wouldn't want a lot of downtime if it's needed.

Good luck and have fun, I just started doing something similar with some AE86 parts.

the biggest issue I’m having is getting plastic in the colors needed for these old cars, like maroon and blue, I don’t want to just paint stuff. There’s also the fun balance of what you fit on a printer vs how fine of detail you can get.

Be prepared for people to ask for your files too. Haha

Ohhhhh, what about the dash defrost vents and the actual trim itself. SA/FB is two different designs, hard to find too. Also door lock trims, and GS/GSL rear model badges the GSL-SE badges are everywhere

Woah, lots of replies. Thanks everyone for the great ideas.

Looks like the list so far includes:
- door pull cups (if someone isn't already making them)
- screw caps for rear trim (I've never seen these, I don't have any either)
- SA rear plate lights (maybe with "camera support")
- SA chrome door bolt covers
- center console screw covers
- shifter trim
- dash vents and trim
- badges
- center console façade

I should note that larger parts are going to be a stretch for the time being. My printer's build volume isn't all that large, although conveniently ABS can be solvent welded so printing large parts in pieces should be a viable option. Really large parts (like trunk plastics) are definitely out of the equation for now due to their size. Maybe down the road, but for now the focus will be on smaller parts. 3D printing also has it's inherent limits so I'll see how it goes. I started messing with 3D printing about five years ago, but it's only now that I finally have my own machine.

Also, I had a little time this evening so I threw together a quick model for the center console screw covers. Note that I'm prototyping with PLA so the surface finish is a bit glossier than it will be with HIPS.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f7f29820c1.jpg

For whatever reason the photo makes the printed version look larger, but it's not. Tomorrow I'll test fit it to see where we're sitting.

Also regarding the chrome parts, I've stumbled across some products that seem great although they're quite cost prohibitive. I'll continue looking for alternatives, but I think for now any finishing will be left to the end user, we'll see. Still plenty of time to work that out.

member here has been doing this for a while now. also doing the plastic pieces for the arms of the headlights and the wipers(under cowl area).

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...ement-1089623/

Try Eastern Beaver. Sells a LOT of various JDM-spec harness connections...

Stu A
80GS
AZ

Ah, I should have figured it was kutukutu1. I've had his headlight bushings for a couple years now and they're great. Clicking on that thread, however, made me realize I was thinking of a different part than true door pull cups. I didn't even know those were a thing - maybe they're just on S3 cars? I was thinking of the trim pieces that go behind the interior door handles. To me they kind of look like a "cup", I'm curious what the correct name for those are. Anyway, I've seen a lot of these "door handle cups" disintegrated so I figured they'd be a good one to put on the list. In fact I've got a partial test print of one running right now. I don't think I'll ever make the actual door pull cups like kutukutu1 has; I'd never compete with the urethane mold process he uses for those.

On a related note, earlier today I test fitted and revised the console bolt clip/cover and I'm happy to say that after a couple tweaks it fits like a charm now. Below is a photo.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f8af4491c5.jpg
Yeah, my interior needs some love. The woes of it being my daily driver.

Pretty sure I need that one too.

I 2nd the screw covers. It's a pretty minor trim piece but they just press in and I would guess several people have some that are missing. Color shouldn't matter, easy enough to paint. Here's a pic. You need a sample?


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...bcca1fdaeb.jpg

Put me down for 4 of those once you get them ready. Sweet!

Anyone that owns an early car will definitely be down. Some of the little trim parts are near non existent anymore.

Oh interesting, the only screw covers that I recalled looking like that are in the arm rests, but those go to the rear hatch trim? Intriguing. And yeah, a sample would be great. Feel free to pm me with what you were thinking and we'll go from there.

Will do! I hope to have some parts available starting in about three weeks (provided nothing goes awry). Whenever they do go up for sale, those console bolt covers will be some of the first.

That reminds me about the chrome trim that goes on the dash of the 1980 cars and perhaps others. It's just a little line of chrome that continues the ones on the door cards across the dash and glove box. I'd like to get copies of those made as well - most of mine fell off a while ago and disappeared. If anyone has some extra's they'd be willing to lend while I model them I'd greatly appreciate it.

Yes, both inside rear wheel covers have two attachment points that are plugged with caps / covers.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f7889f6804.jpg

The dash trim you refer to, its a simple shape. I have a small section of that too.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e6d112c97b.jpg

I suppose you cold just print up different lengths of it to accommodate the different dash panels, but both end pieces are curved to wrap around the dash ends. Not sure how that would complicate things. The chrome strip would still need to be applied too. Possibly this method I previously wrote about could be used.

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-gene...ation-1103911/

Also try Corsa-Technic. I have an FD but they have the majority of the connectors on their site, and they'll even search for them for you, they've done that for me a couple times.

Oh interesting, I never knew there were caps for those. Are there perhaps caps for the A-pillar trim as well? That's another place where there's exposed screws that I have not seen caps for (S3 used clips there instead of screws if I recall correctly).

Neat. I checked my interior and it turns out I'm missing all of mine aside from the glovebox piece. I also didn't realize there were two different styles - one with the two small chrome strips, and another with a single wider strip. I have an 80 but my glove box has the earlier two strip design. I'd assume it was just swapped out at some point. Also nice thread, I'll have to give the process a shot once I get some samples done.

Printing the trim itself should be no harder than the rest of everything, all I really need is the profile and I'll get the length and curves from the dash itself. Unfortunately, with all these interior parts I am unable to replicate the texture of the factory plastics. Well, actually, I can, it just doesn't look so great. Same thing goes for anything that is ever so slightly rounded. Since a 3D printer uses layers, that slight curvature ends up only taking a couple layers worth and so you end up with visible steps and flat spots. The layer height could be reduced, but that increases print time by a fair amount. Currently I've been printing parts flat with 0.16mm layers and the visible face on the build surface. Not necessarily factory, but pretty close and it's better than having a gaping hole.

Speaking of printing, I've got a couple more things modeled. I'm still short on time and so these are pretty tiny parts but....

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...315de23f96.jpg

Now completed are window crank bolt covers as well as SA center console switch blanks. Both fit great, although I'm going to make a couple tweaks to the switch blank. Not sure if anyone will want the switch blank, but the reasoning behind it is that my power antenna switch broke a long time ago and so I just removed it leaving an open hole. With the blank the hole can be blocked off nicely or I may make a version to accept a standard toggle switch.

I like the SA switch cover.. I'd be interested in both toggle and blank. I don't need it but still be nice to have I think.