Author |
Message |
71_transporter Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2005 Posts: 823 Location: Southern Illinois
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:25 am Post subject: Fiberglass buggie bodies For sale! |
|
|
Like the topic says Im getting ready to start making fiberglass buggie bodies. I have a mold for 2 and 4 seaters. These bodys are something like the manx style. They are going to be aprox 1/4 inch thick hand layed bodies with reinforced with steel in the nose and rear.(I can build with or with out reinforcement.) I figure the price range for an uncut body is going to be in the range of $600.00 to 1000.00 dollars depending on what kind of paint job is wanted. If anyone is interested Please feel free to email me at.....
[email protected]
Currently me and my parter are building the prodotype. Together we have over 20 years in the fiberglass buisness. These will be NO cheap bodies.....
Shipping available world wide
If you have 2 buggies and want to get rid of one, or a vw that you dont need we may be able to work out a trade for something of equal value. Pictures coming soon!!! _________________ Bryan
Old hippies never Die, They just go up in Smoke!
63 Bug
67 Bug
82 WestfaliaVanagon |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jowlz The Anti-Purist
Joined: May 02, 2005 Posts: 2464 Location: Tunkhannock, PA
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
Do yourself a favor. Go with colored gelcoat...or raw unpainted. Shipping a painted body by freight will be a nightmare. First problems is damage and scuffs while in transit. Second problem will be if the color isnt what the customer thought. In my business I deal with vehicle graphics quite a bit. I have seen many people get colors they dont want because the colors were approved online, and their monitors must have crappy color. Since you are going to do most of your business online, I would skip custom colors.
The next thing I would do is build yourselfs a few bodies...and offer the finished product for sale. It cuts down turnaround time. Customers hate turn around time. They want it now.
If you make nice looking, good thick bodies...you are probably sitting on a goldmine. It doesnt cost much to set up an LLC or at least incorporate. Do this now. Dont wait until some schmuck sues over something stupid and you loose everything.
Finally, get a local business license. Register with BBB. Get someone to handle your taxes. Pay them monthly so you dont have a big bill every quarter with interest.
I should have also mentioned. Make some written, legal agreements with your partner. Things happen when people go into business with eachother. Divorce is a good one for adding an expected third partner into the business. Set down the laws that you guys will live by.
I know this all sounds silly...but loads of big companies started the way you are starting yours.
Good luck. _________________ The honey-do list put my project on hold....... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
71_transporter Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2005 Posts: 823 Location: Southern Illinois
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
thanks for that bit of advice. It will all come in handy!!! _________________ Bryan
Old hippies never Die, They just go up in Smoke!
63 Bug
67 Bug
82 WestfaliaVanagon |
|
Back to top |
|
|
tcrdn Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Alabama
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Bryan,
Post pictures of the process as well as the finished product. I know I would love to see how it goes together and it should be great for business.
I hope you make millions doing this and help to bring buggys back to life. I'll also second the colored gel coat statement. Can't beat a classic metal flake gelcoat buggy.
<><
TC |
|
Back to top |
|
|
greatlord Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 212 Location: southeast CT
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
are you making bodies that fit a full length pan? I love buggies but I hat chopped pans, also for those of us in the north any chance of getting something with a decent roof and heat tubes for defrost?
seeing something new go into buisness I have to ask questions
I'd love to build a full lenght buggy with a nice solid snap on roof and stock type heating system, I might be alone on this but I know some other guys who drive their bugs year round |
|
Back to top |
|
|
tcrdn Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Alabama
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I meant to meantion the full length thing too. Mine is on a stock pan.
My guess is that as stock pans become harder to find, the aftermarket shortened frames will be the way to go. But I really like my long body. I didn't buy it because it's a long body but now that I have it, I love it.
<><
TC |
|
Back to top |
|
|
71_transporter Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2005 Posts: 823 Location: Southern Illinois
|
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
eventually we will be making full length bodies along with tops and other things as they come to mind... but the mold i have now is for shortened bodys _________________ Bryan
Old hippies never Die, They just go up in Smoke!
63 Bug
67 Bug
82 WestfaliaVanagon |
|
Back to top |
|
|
71_transporter Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2005 Posts: 823 Location: Southern Illinois
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
anyone interested? _________________ Bryan
Old hippies never Die, They just go up in Smoke!
63 Bug
67 Bug
82 WestfaliaVanagon |
|
Back to top |
|
|
greatlord Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 212 Location: southeast CT
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'll bite if ya mold in some heater tubes for me and promise me the first top ya make |
|
Back to top |
|
|
71_transporter Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2005 Posts: 823 Location: Southern Illinois
|
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject: updated |
|
|
Also if anyone is interested I have 2 body styles available right now.
The first one is a manx style body If you are interested in this body I can build it with a detachable top. Also for this body i have side pods available. I also have a california style buggy. _________________ Bryan
Old hippies never Die, They just go up in Smoke!
63 Bug
67 Bug
82 WestfaliaVanagon |
|
Back to top |
|
|
HeidelbergJohn4.0 Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 1199 Location: Havre de Grace, MD
|
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Why don't you post a few pictures in the gallery or something so we can get a better idea of what you have.
I have a full length as well that is torn back down right now to refinish the body. It isn't the thickest so I've actually really thinking about coating the body with Line-X. That stuff makes rhino lining look like the parts store stuff out of spray cans. That would make it one hell of a tuff body, but a new full length body I wouldn't have to ship across country would be a great option. I also have a second chassis I'm still looking for something interesting. An affordable new body would be great. Good, rust free OG un-cut chassis are hard to come by around here. There's no way I'm gonna shorten it.
I'll second the call for a good hard top option with some doors. Have you ever seen the manx hardtops with the gull wing style doors. They are the only ones that I've seen that actually work. I'd write you the check today for a long body version.
And heat would also be a great option. You are in Illinois afterall. Molding in some heater channels would be awesome. I was actually thinking about glassing in some channels to carry some heat forward.
What does the "california style" buggy look like? _________________ 71 LWB Manx style dunebuggy
71 Beetle
71 Volksrod
Machette Speedster
2012 Passat TDI SE (sadly sitting in a buyback parking lot somewhere waiting for it's heart to be ripped out.) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SCOTTIE BEE Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 33
|
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 5:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
had concidered stripping mine, filling all holes and stating from scratch, but, this may be a cheaper less stressful way to go.
cant wait to see piks! _________________ Click to view image
my #1 super hero...
O.G. BUMBLE BEE (no relation) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|