Gauginging interest in new product

[Nuked]

Hey guys my good friend owns a metal fab shop and we have been throwing around a couple of different ideas for some stuff to make for the Cobra. Currently we are working on a tubular K-member and tubular control arms. The one item we have been tossing around the idea for is an aluminum fuel cell that works with stock filler neck and stock mounting straps. Do you think there is any market for this kind of thing? Also anything else you would like to see made?

SQ

 

[Tabres]

I mean no offense, but I very much doubt you'll get people lining up to buy suspension parts, or a gas tank for that matter, when you don't have a recognizable name or credentials to back you up and products that have been proven to work.

The market is already saturated with a lot of good versions of the products you're proposing to offer.

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

A low cost fuel tank/cell with a sump would be cool.

 

[SVTContique]

I mean no offense, but I very much doubt you'll get people lining up to buy suspension parts, or a gas tank for that matter, when you don't have a recognizable name or credentials to back you up and products that have been proven to work.

The market is already saturated with a lot of good versions of the products you're proposing to offer.

What he said.

 

[Nuked]

No offense taken at all. Let me give a little background on our goals here. All the parts mentioned are things I am having made for my car to meet my personal goals. For example my shitty QA1 K-Member is trashed, so we looked into other "beefier" options. After reviewing everything we came to the conclussion we could build one of the same quality for cheaper. I also wanted to run tubular control arms, yet retain a stock stlyle spring setup. We looked and could not find any aftermarket options, hence the A arm plans.

Lastly the fuel cell is something he makes for the DSM market (where he is very well known) and again we looked into the aftermarket first. All we could find where a couple of overpriced stamped steel units.

We tried searching various vendors to see what stuff was out there and what kind of price point each of the items carried. Obviously there are alot of things that are priced too competitvely to bother with, so we aren't.

I totally agree on the name recognition and what not, however you have to start somewhere!

SQ

 

[goat-ee]

WTF is "gauginging"?

 

[mustang3X]

WTF is "gauginging"?

:lol1:

It is gauging , before spellchecker.

What kind of prices and warranty will these parts have? what about materials used?

 

[crazycarlo]

the fuell cell would be cool if it had a sump in it that u could plug up if u were running the stock system or unplug it and use it as a sump. Just make sure it has baffles.As long as its cheaper then the stock 03 tank you could prob do pretty good. The interest is there however your probably not going to get much hardcore press until u atleast have a prototype man. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[RedTwilight]

What about a chrome-moly IRS cradle and tubular IRS control arms?

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

what Carlo said

 

[Nuked]

I will try to answer the questions as best as possible. Only parts that we have a rough estimate on right now are the K-member and control arms. K-member is looking to be around 500 and control arms 200. We plan to have the K-member proto-typed by next weekend, after that we will have a better idea of exactly how it is priced out. Materials for the K-member is mild steel.

The fuel cell would be made from aluminum from the gound up. Internally baffled, sumped, accept stock filler line and fuel sending unit. We could do one that is bolt in or retains the stock style strap mounts. Capacity could be whatever you want. The fuel cell is more for the person that is interested in running an external pump style setup. I will attatch a pic at the bottom of one of his DSM cells so you get an idea.
As for the 03/04 tanks... I thought those where returnless systems?

As for the IRS brace and control arms... We would have to check one out (which we do have access to) before we could commit/estimate pricing on them.

Like I said before, we are just trying to make a few parts for my personal car and if there is demand for them we can offer to the masses. Our goal is to have some of these ready to display at Mustang Week (both on my car and off).

 

[Nuked]

Here is a pic of the 2g DSM cell he offers for that market. Obviouslly ours would look different, but you get the idea.

SQ

 

[83 5oh]

as long as you stand by the parts that you offer and warranty them with out much hassle. Obviously incorrect install would negate a warranty. I see no problem why you could not offer parts with any problems. I would rather spend money on smaller shops than big companies. Theres something a big company that just makes parts indiscriminately for the masses that a small company that makes parts for individuals doesn't have. Big companies tend to forget that they started out as gear heads building parts for gear heads, not cash cows.

 

[harvboi05]

thumbs up to more options and motivated craftsmen.

id certainly be interested in some tubular control arms that dont require coil overs. e85 compatibility with the aL tank?

 

[My94GT]

a low cost fuel tank/cell with a sump would be cool.

+1

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

Looks like he can weld for sure.

 

[Nuked]

thumbs up to more options and motivated craftsmen.

id certainly be interested in some tubular control arms that dont require coil overs. e85 compatibility with the aL tank?

Yes tanks are e85 compatible. Thats actually what he runs in his drag car, e85 (actually the higher octance E stuff) + tank you see above.

I asked him about doing stuff in chrom-moly as well. He said he could make it (suspension stuff) out of whatever, although he doesnt recomend the chrom-moly for street use. Something about it becoming brittle over time.

I am not sure what his warranty policies are, although I am pretty positive he has some. The guy is very strict on quality and detail. Nothing leaves his shop unless he is 100% satisfied with it.

Forgot to mention we will probably do a nice catch can setup. He makes some very nice ones and its something we have discussed. Thats further down the line on the priority list however.

SQ

 

[Cookieman00x]

Id like an aluminum radiator cover to replace my plastic one.

 

[Tabres]

As for the 03/04 tanks... I thought those where returnless systems?

Fore Precision makes a nice fuel hat that allows for the use of dual or triple in-tank pumps and converts it to return-style. It is very popular among the 03/04 owners.

 

[Nuked]

Ok I understand now.

So for example if I wanted to "upgrade" my fuel tank setup I would need:

03/04 tank ~ 370.00
dual or tripple fuel hat ~ 430.00
plus fuel pumps, lines etc

So if we could offer a bolt in aluminum fuel cell, internally baffled and rear sumped for an external fuel pump (say two Bosch 044's, A1000, Eliminator, Weldon etc) for 800 or less we would have a market for the non-termi's?