As those who follow SOCTFL activities will be aware, one of the projects that has been under consideration for some time is re-manufacture of inner sills.
A modest sum was invested in creating “flashes” to capture the shape of an original pair that we were able to borrow. SOCTFL then investigated the cost of the tooling necessary to produce complete inner sills using the flashes as the starting point. This was variously estimated at £18,000 plus (for both left and right hand sides), i.e. not affordable.
It turns out, however, that many SOC members and professional restorers would be quite happy if a repair panel could be produced to allow the lower half of the inner sill to be replaced (the bit that rots) whilst retaining the upper half (usually sound). A longitudinal joddle in the repair section would allow the upper and lower halves to be joined.
The feasibility of this has been investigated as a joint exercise between SOCTFL, a Stag parts wholesaler, and a classic panels manufacturer. The outcome is that the repair panels could be produced by a fabrication process rather than pressing, so avoiding a heavy investment in tooling.
The fabrication process would make use of the flashes owned by SOCTFL, an existing tool owned by the wholesaler, and expertise of the manufacturer. However, there is (as always) a challenge in producing an affordable panel given the number of process stages: the panel is 67 inches long; it has six or seven folds; it has an eight inch depression that needs forming and seam welding; it has an uplift on the lower edge that requires cutting, patching, and welding; it has a front fillet that requires forming and welding; it needs a hole for the seat belt with a nut and reinforcing plate; it needs a full length joggle. Finally, it needs metal finishing and spaying with primer.
There is, apparently, an inner sill repair panel on the market at a selling price less than the cost of producing a SOCTFL version – and that’s before we add distribution, retailer’s uplift, and VAT. So what’s new, I hear you say – this applies to a number of panels we produce, and we all know that its worth paying the extra to save labour costs or your own time in achieving a good fit.However, we need to get some idea of what SOC members would be willing to pay for the SOCTFL version before we take the project further. SOCTFL would be most grateful if you would please take a few moments to complete our poll.
A modest sum was invested in creating “flashes” to capture the shape of an original pair that we were able to borrow. SOCTFL then investigated the cost of the tooling necessary to produce complete inner sills using the flashes as the starting point. This was variously estimated at £18,000 plus (for both left and right hand sides), i.e. not affordable.
It turns out, however, that many SOC members and professional restorers would be quite happy if a repair panel could be produced to allow the lower half of the inner sill to be replaced (the bit that rots) whilst retaining the upper half (usually sound). A longitudinal joddle in the repair section would allow the upper and lower halves to be joined.
The feasibility of this has been investigated as a joint exercise between SOCTFL, a Stag parts wholesaler, and a classic panels manufacturer. The outcome is that the repair panels could be produced by a fabrication process rather than pressing, so avoiding a heavy investment in tooling.
The fabrication process would make use of the flashes owned by SOCTFL, an existing tool owned by the wholesaler, and expertise of the manufacturer. However, there is (as always) a challenge in producing an affordable panel given the number of process stages: the panel is 67 inches long; it has six or seven folds; it has an eight inch depression that needs forming and seam welding; it has an uplift on the lower edge that requires cutting, patching, and welding; it has a front fillet that requires forming and welding; it needs a hole for the seat belt with a nut and reinforcing plate; it needs a full length joggle. Finally, it needs metal finishing and spaying with primer.
There is, apparently, an inner sill repair panel on the market at a selling price less than the cost of producing a SOCTFL version – and that’s before we add distribution, retailer’s uplift, and VAT. So what’s new, I hear you say – this applies to a number of panels we produce, and we all know that its worth paying the extra to save labour costs or your own time in achieving a good fit.However, we need to get some idea of what SOC members would be willing to pay for the SOCTFL version before we take the project further. SOCTFL would be most grateful if you would please take a few moments to complete our poll.
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