Will someone please catch me up to speed? [re: Washer Bottle 3431154]

[Not Right]

Hello to all.
A couple of years ago, one resin molding company in the Pennsylvania area was bought out by another molding company. The former company made Reservoirs, but not the seldom seen 3431154. This new company had made promise to us (& the Public at large), that they had distinct plans to tool up and begin producing the 3431154 by the end of that year. I apologize for my vague story, as I can not remember the names of these two companies, or the year that we all had our FCBO conversations. I "think" it may have been early 2019. Anyway, we were all excited to hear the news. A couple of us even made contact with the new company and confirmed their plans to reproduce the Reservoir.
Well, whatever became of this new company and their projected plans? Have you all kept up with this issue in my absence? Thanks, -Not Right

 

[Toolmanmike]

Too bad the blow molds cost so much to produce. (around $10,000 each from what I understand)

 

[Not Right]

Ah ha.... okay, thanks for the update. I guess unless we hear something positive and concrete from someone on this issue, we will have to consider it dead. Thanks. Richard H. (NR)

 

[Big_John]

Hello to all.
A couple of years ago, one resin molding company in the Pennsylvania area was bought out by another molding company. The former company made Reservoirs, but not the seldom seen 3431154. This new company had made promise to us (& the Public at large), that they had distinct plans to tool up and begin producing the 3431154 by the end of that year. I apologize for my vague story, as I can not remember the names of these two companies, or the year that we all had our FCBO conversations. I "think" it may have been early 2019. Anyway, we were all excited to hear the news. A couple of us even made contact with the new company and confirmed their plans to reproduce the Reservoir.
Well, whatever became of this new company and their projected plans? Have you all kept up with this issue in my absence? Thanks, -Not Right

I think you have the story very confused as to the type of company, what they purchased, and what was promised.

@QQE can probably shed some light as to what is going on and perhaps, rather than ask some sort of snotty (IMHO), vague question, it might be best to ask them directly. From what I've seen, just keeping up with regular orders and dealing with COVID-19 has been difficult for all the automotive suppliers, and the restoration business is no exception.

Not sticking up for anyone here, just having been in business myself, it ain't as easy as it looks.

One of my favorite YouTube channels recently addressed this.

 

[Big_John]

Too bad the blow molds cost so much to produce. (around $10,000 each from what I understand)

I think it's done with a rotational mold. I don't believe blow molding could do the pump outlet or have the detail needed for the parts numbers. I could be wrong though.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Not sticking up for anyone here, just having been in business myself, it ain't as easy as it looks.

Well Big_John, somebody seems to think it's easy for anything other than 3431154. Hell, ya can even get them AGED, fer chrissakes! Electrical, Windshield Washer Bottles :Mega Parts USA

 

[Big_John]

Well Big_John, somebody seems to think it's easy for anything other than 3431154. Hell, ya can even get them AGED, fer chrissakes! Electrical, Windshield Washer Bottles :Mega Parts USA

When all the tooling is already made and the demand has been there for a long time... Yea. Been able to get those for 30 years now (seriously). Probably amortized the tooling cost 29 1/2 years ago.

Let's do some math... What do you think the demand is? Let's say there's 300 cars out there that need washer bottles. So, maybe 50 will buy them when offered at $100 each. So we have $5000. Hmmm... We haven't even paid for the tooling (if it's $10K) and we still have the cost of materials and labor to manufacture. Are we going to sell 50 the following year? Probably not... but let's say we do... With the costs to manufacture, you still haven't paid for the tooling. Or made a profit for that matter. The last time I checked and the only reason I was ever in business was to make a profit. So, now we're out three years and we've finally made up the tooling costs and starting to make a profit... Not a good business model and hard to make payroll if that's how you do everything.

Those are optimistic numbers too. I think the numbers are under 100 total with $200 or more being a target price.

But wait, we're talking C body guys ! Why should we pay $100 for a washer bottle when the B Body guys pay $60 or less? The masses collectively yell "Screw them" and slide the gun across the vendor's table and tell them to "do the right thing".

You know... we've had three or four original washer bottles listed here in the past few weeks. Yep, they were expensive, but you if you bid enough $$, one could have been yours... Just saying. You gotta spend that money from your first paper route sometime.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

You gotta spend that money from your first paper route sometime.

Fortunately for me, mine is pristine....so "Screw them!"

 

[detmatt]

Murray Park was working with someone on this too but he told me recently that COVID had stalled the project.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Murray Park was working with someone on this too but he told me recently that COVID had stalled the project.

Jim Fillmore (Detroit Muscle Tech) was working with Murray on something in summer 2019....forgot what it was.

FWIW, I think DMT is a shining example of an outstanding repro company.

 

[polara71]

A lot of C.Bs on this board. Lately however I noticed more guys digging deeper. 250 seems like a lot for an unnecessary part but I've been tempted to buy the NOS ones for 500 or 600.
It's an interesting thought " how many would sell ".... and it is a part the covers multiple years and lines.

 

[Big_John]

It's an interesting thought " how many would sell ".... and it is a part the covers multiple years and lines.

That really is the bottom line and something that everyone forgets about when talking repop parts. I see a lot of people saying "why don't they make ____ ?" and the reality is that a vendor might only sell a handful of the parts if they did make them. The tooling, manufacturing, distribution costs have to be paid for along with enough profit to be an incentive for a vendor to have the parts made.

Of course, one other thing that a lot of guys don't seem to get is that there aren't very many vendors actually making parts.

 

[Big_John]

I think DMT is a shining example of an outstanding repro company.

I gotta agree with that. I think he even does a few things that may not be real profitable today on the hope that it pulls in tomorrow's profitable business. Some would call that a "good will" investment. Not a lot of that around. I know I buy everything I can from him just based on how he treats his customers.

 

[QQE]

We have reopened this project and the scans and cad work are at my tool maker. We had halted this project when Covid hit because we were not sure what was going to happen with business or finances. The tooling is partially finished and is being completed as I type this. The tooling will then go to blow mold shop to get prototypes made and then tested. We will have at least $10k invested in this mold. But it is made in US and not China and I can control my costs and run quantities. I hope this answers questions and will try to provide some more updates. Thx for all support from the customers on this forum. Dave

 

[Toolmanmike]

We have reopened this project and the scans and cad work are at my tool maker. We had halted this project when Covid hit because we were not sure what was going to happen with business or finances. The tooling is partially finished and is being completed as I type this. The tooling will then go to blow mold shop to get prototypes made and then tested. We will have at least $10k invested in this mold. But it is made in US and not China and I can control my costs and run quantities. I hope this answers questions and will try to provide some more updates. Thx for all support from the customers on this forum. Dave

Good to hear for you guys that need the parts. Not for the feint of heart and most people don't know what's involved. My neighbor own's a pattern and mold shop and we have had lengthy discussions about all that is involved in producing a simple part. I had questions about reproducing 66 Dart headlight bezels. $10,000 each for the press dies. (left and right at $10 g's each.) Then almost the same for the trim dies to finish them. $40,000 invested in just the dies and how many do you have to sell at $100 each just to pay for the tooling. You do the math. I talked to Dave Layson and he chuckled. He has gone down that road many times.

 

[QQE]

It’s a lot to keep up with. Sometimes things don’t always go according to anticipated plans but you got to roll with it.

 

[Toolmanmike]

It’s a lot to keep up with. Sometimes things don’t always go according to anticipated plans but you got to roll with it.

I don't think some of the guys above thought my $10,000 mold estimate was very close. Damn, it takes a lot of machine and man hours to produce a finished mold. Good work isn't cheap and cheap work isn't good. LOL

 

[QQE]

My last bottle mold was 13000. Plus I have to pay Chrysler licensing for every one I sell and they have to approve it. Guys don’t realize what all is involved in these projects

 

[Toolmanmike]

My last bottle mold was 13000. Plus I have to pay Chrysler licensing for every one I sell and they have to approve it. Guys don’t realize what all is involved in these projects

True that but thanks for what you do.

 

[polara71]

We have reopened this project and the scans and cad work are at my tool maker. We had halted this project when Covid hit because we were not sure what was going to happen with business or finances. The tooling is partially finished and is being completed as I type this. The tooling will then go to blow mold shop to get prototypes made and then tested. We will have at least $10k invested in this mold. But it is made in US and not China and I can control my costs and run quantities. I hope this answers questions and will try to provide some more updates. Thx for all support from the customers on this forum. Dave

! What would be a projected selling price ?

( I won't hold ya to it )