Fast Eddie B
Well-Known Member
for almost a month I have been looking for the elusive front cross bars for my 77 T&C roof rack. There are no NOS parts. Everyone beat me to them. There are no repops. There aren't any for any parts! (But carpet and upholstery. Sort of).
I have found three people with parts cars with 'very good roof racks' until they go look and say, 'oh, the front pieces have.....rust spots...'
The pieces themselves are wing shaped tubes or simple sheet metal with one big bend, a couple of curves and a welded seam to grind down. Is this something I should be able to get a machine shop to make? I have done some surfing. It seems out of the realm of custom tubing shops. I thought maybe a simple round tube could be crushed. Maybe not on this shape. I see process to create extrusion dies, and besides the cost of building dies, they would need some kind of minimum and it will take forever and they would not want to do the project.
So that gets me thinking. Someone must be making old car parts and this must be easy. Anyone else have a similar problem? I know these cars don't warrant the expense but this is a labor of love and I do what a roof rack! I have spent (or lost money) are crazier stuff.
Any guidance here from all the wisdom floating around? This is a great site and most people here have some really good advice.
I have found three people with parts cars with 'very good roof racks' until they go look and say, 'oh, the front pieces have.....rust spots...'
The pieces themselves are wing shaped tubes or simple sheet metal with one big bend, a couple of curves and a welded seam to grind down. Is this something I should be able to get a machine shop to make? I have done some surfing. It seems out of the realm of custom tubing shops. I thought maybe a simple round tube could be crushed. Maybe not on this shape. I see process to create extrusion dies, and besides the cost of building dies, they would need some kind of minimum and it will take forever and they would not want to do the project.
So that gets me thinking. Someone must be making old car parts and this must be easy. Anyone else have a similar problem? I know these cars don't warrant the expense but this is a labor of love and I do what a roof rack! I have spent (or lost money) are crazier stuff.
Any guidance here from all the wisdom floating around? This is a great site and most people here have some really good advice.