240Z Horn Button Refab

[Pharaohabq]

I'm happy to give it a shot. just send me a picture of where you're talking.  oh and what year is your car?

[Pharaohabq]

Well I recieved your Picture, and this is what I came up with.  I'll probably have to get the original, (or at least the pieces) to get the scale/ dimensions more correct.  Let me know if you think we should look further into this.  A part this size should only take about 20 min to print, but I already spent an hour on this model.

 

  (cropped image)

 

  (Model of the horntab)

 

Phar

[Dan_Austin]

Photos of the buttons over here- http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/114249-do-i-need-a-new-combo-switch/

Not my thread, but Onion has the same issue and already has the parts out.  I suggested he try to get

measurements.

[rturbo 930]

Phar, think these will be available in the future? I just checked both my horn buttons, and both are broken, so I might be interested later, but I can't justify the purchase right now.

[Reverend]

This would be awesome

[Pharaohabq]

These horn button plastic replacements are available now on an as needed basis. PM me about them.  I am always looking for other Z parts to model so if you are looking for that hard to find part, or if you have ideas to modify an existing part, just let me know and we can work up an idea.  If any of you have a 3D Printer yourself, I can share my models on a personal use basis. 

 

I've started working on the ashtray lid but I need to see what the bottom of the lid looks like, since I don't have one to compare.  Does anyone have a picture?

[LanceVance]

I'm working on a fiberglass taillight panel similar to the Zforce Productions Corvette style panel (see below), only with staggered size lights (á la Nissan Skyline). I can make a nice smooth panel, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to produce consistent perfectly round rings to go around the lenses.

 

Think you would be able to print out some rings if I gave you the measurements? It would be so much simpler to just inset the rings into the foam body, and wrap the whole thing with FG.

 

I'm planning a fusion of these two styles:

 

 

 

Edit: I've got a center console in my garage, I'll check to see if the ashtray cover is there, and I'll send it to you if you like. I won't be needing it.

Edited August 13, 2013 by LanceVance

[Pharaohabq]

LanceVance,   Sure if you want to send me the Ashtray cover I'd love to see what I can make from it.  I'll PM you.  Those rings I should be able to do, though on these 3D printers due to the nature of the STL files we'll see they're not exactly round, they're more a series of straight lines in a circle. but the resolution is tight enough that it looks round from any distance more than about a foot away. The variance is within .5 mm.   That being said, I'd be happy to try to print you up some if you give me dimensions.  Would you need the edges beveled like in your picture?  I can model some up and  you'll just need to let me know how big.  The designtime is low so cost shouldn't be much. Some sanding and filling may be required since the plastic is laid in layers, but if you're going to just cover it then this should be fine.

 

quick n dirty side view.  95mmx30mm

 

quick n dirty top view. 95mmx30mm

 

These are solely based on the picture you gave estimating the dimensions. extending 10mm below the surface.  We would print these upside down on a raft to ensure a good print. 

 

Phar

[CruxGNZ]

Lance,

Why couldn't you make those rings out of MDF? It's just the same as making speaker mounting rings, then use a router or shaper to give you the type of edge you want.

[blairjj]

All,

 

Eric is a standup guy.  My ring was at my door step 2 days after I paid him.

 

Eric - Thanks for re-enforcing my belief that our members are by and by some of the best folks on the 'Net.

 

Jay

[LanceVance]

Lance,

Why couldn't you make those rings out of MDF? It's just the same as making speaker mounting rings, then use a router or shaper to give you the type of edge you want.

I've considered it actually, but the shape I'm looking for is slightly more complex than just a straight ring... That and I don't have a router!

[Pharaohabq]

Unfortunately those rings ended up being bigger than my machine could handle.  Too wide and the print becomes unstable.  I found that though I should have been able to print about 200mm X 200mm, my actual print area is more like 170mm X 170mm, but even then large prints seem to have issues with shrinkage and adhesion to the build plate.   I gave lance the design files and I'm going to see if there's a commercial printer that can do it for him.

 

I'm still looking for any other Z parts that we might want to replicate. Mostly I'm thinking parts that are hard to fine, NOS or NLA. Small plastic pieces.  Just let me know. 

 

Still thanks to LanceVance I'm going to be working on replicating the plastic ash tray door for the 240z. These often crack off from the framework, so maybe we can make stronger tabs.  I'll see when I get the part.

[mckinneyhunts]

http://forums.hybridz.org/gallery/image/27348-imag0503/

Here is a photo of the horn contact wiper installed on the new plastic block.  This worked perfectly!  The alignment has to be right or the contact will not ride in the contact ring, or worse it will snag and break off. 

[Pharaohabq]

So we had a new project. The 240Z door Dovetails. "Jesse OBrien" with drivenDAILY put me up to recreating the 240Z door Dovetails. 

 

 

Since these were to be printed in ABS we made them a bit thicker and solid.  Here's a rendering.

 

 

We've printed these and are testing them to see how they hold up.  Concievably we could have them printed in Metal through Shapeways, which would be cheaper than buying the Billet reproductions from MSA, but still pretty costly. So I'm hoping these will hold up in ABS.  These Dovetails help align the latch on the 240Z. A little mod we made was to make them universal fit by adding the wedge on both bottom sides.  Let me know if you have any questions, or if there's other parts you might be looking to have recreated.

 

Phar

[socorob]

What about the ones for the hatch?

[Pharaohabq]

What about the ones for the hatch?

 

Hmm I could probably do those too.  Are yours broken?   I'll take a look at mine and see what's involved.

[Pharaohabq]

I know this isn't an S30 part but on my 300zx, the upper window pin again broke yesterday. This allows air to whistle while driving and water to leak in with the rain. I'm tired of tearing the door apart to fix a cheaply made part. So, I started looking into what can be done to fix this issue.

 

Well the stock pin has a white plastic ring around a metal ball end, allowing for some movement. The plastic is what breaks. I looked at it and figures a 5/16" washer would almost fit over the ball portion, but would not fit past it. That would be enough to hold the pin in place, but I'm not certain if it required much more than that to keep it from rattling or wearing badly.

 

I got into PTC Creo and desiged a new round bottom portion which would allow the pin to slide in the track AND incorporate the 5/16" washer. I printed it up on my Mendel Prusa 3d printer at .1mm layer height, and a .5mm nozzle. at 80% infill. This created a very strong part with a little xacto persuasion I was able to fit the stock metal door pin and now I've got a new slider made from ABS which should work well. The phillips head is lightly recessed for grease to fill and I will glue the washer into place. This looks like a very good solution for a part that breaks all too often. If you end up needing one of these, let me know, I'll sell it cheap. picts below:

 

 

 

I'll add more picts when I get to install it probably this weekend.

 

Phar

Edited September 19, 2013 by Pharaohabq

[Pharaohabq]

Okay I attempted to put in the remade window slider pin this afternoon. Unfortunately I had to mod it a bit for fit.  Turns out there's only about 7mm of space in the track. That means the washer on top has to have .5mm of plastic to hold it in in it's standard configuration.  that's not really going to work.  So the easiest method is to bevel the inside of the washer to about 45 degrees, this will allow for nearly 1.5 mm of plastic between the pin and the washer itself.  The stock plastic roller is 17mm wide, which is 1mm wider than the washer, so the outter rim will have to go, we will rely on a tight fit center ring and glue to hold the washer to the slider. The new part fit within the original dimensions, but the back side with the Phillips slot will need to be filed on the edges to prevent any binding, as that could break the window glass. If anyone is interested in this, I'll post more. 

 

Now back to the S30, I was looking at the 240Z hatch dovetails. The metal really isn't bad on mine, I kind of don't think these often go bad.  though I did note my drains on my series I hatch are missing, I'm going to have to find one and make a prototype of it so I can replace the missing ones I have.  I could make something that would functionally be the same but I'd like to see the originals just to be certain I know what I'm trying to make.  The little grilles over the drains are easy, I'll make those soon, and probably have them printed in stainless steel.

[Pharaohabq]

Here's a pict of the refab'd z32 window slider. Pardon the base, I hadn't filed off the extra plastic yet when I took this picture. This one fit very well and the window slide up and down smoothly, Grease is a needed thing since this is metal sliding on metal.

 

 

Phar

[rreford]

another good part idea would be the map light bezel - they don't survive too well.