ALLY ROOF STRUTS
ALLY ROOF STRUTS
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Discussion

Deeman

Original Poster:

1,609 posts

211 months

Friday 26th April 2013
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Some of us must want these really badly at the current bidding price! With the way things are going, maybe its worth breaking the car for indicators, roof struts and steering wheel! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-GRIFFITH-CHIMAERA-S-...

phillpot

17,508 posts

212 months

Friday 26th April 2013
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yikes I thought the "going rate" was around 100 - 120 ish ?

mohitos

1,313 posts

228 months

Friday 26th April 2013
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That's crazy! I bought a brand new pair from eBay recently for £135 in delivery.

jim3000s

142 posts

237 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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Maybe worth approaching an engineering company to make a batch?

junglieD

165 posts

183 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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Ridiculous - I got mine for £75 inc P&P from the PH classifieds section. Nice upgrade but not at that price imo. D

mikel003003

1,084 posts

195 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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I would like a pair but that's bonkers. I would just get a pair made

Scoobimax

1,892 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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'Kinel!!!!!

I'd better adjust my agreed valuation with RH Insurance!!!

Loach1

437 posts

170 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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If someone can measure up a set, or just take a bunch of photos, I can see if I can get them made for a good price. Some of our suppliers use machine shops in Asia that have very good prices.

David

phillpot

17,508 posts

212 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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Someone looked into this before I believe (Norman?) and one problem was that the oval section alluminium is not a "standard stock" size, this seriously increases the price.

Of course if a rectangular or whatever section was ok maybe they could be produced at an acceptable price?

Guess it depends on what enough people call an acceptable price scratchchin

v8s4me

7,275 posts

248 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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What would be the problem with rectangular ones? It’s not as if they were “standard” or “original”. In fact the original mild steel ones are rectangular.

Gerald-TVR

4,896 posts

226 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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phillpot said:
Someone looked into this before I believe (Norman?) and one problem was that the oval section alluminium is not a "standard stock" size, this seriously increases the price.
Yep spot on, I was hoping to modify them to have the same geometry as the originals thus avoiding re-drilling two of the mounting points but the cast was astronomic but if that is the going rate then................

Unfortunately my contact is no longer prepared to do small batch work so, good luck guys!!

mikel003003

1,084 posts

195 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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I'll text Shaun (s3c) he could probably do them in stainless

Loach1

437 posts

170 months

Saturday 27th April 2013
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I was thinking round bar stock, milled on front and rear faces, blasted and clear anodized. Re-use the mounting brackets from the steel ones, paint them silver to match if desired. Length would be the same as existing. I've not actually seen any in the flesh, so I'm not 100% clear how the hinge and over-center 'lock' work, but it can't be too complex. If someone has some pics to share I will make a quick drawing and see if I can get some quoted.

David

phillpot

17,508 posts

212 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
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I can lend you a pair (or just one if that's all you'd need) of original steel items ?

v8s4me

7,275 posts

248 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
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Loach1 said:
I was thinking round bar stock, milled on front and rear faces,...
Why over-engineer this? If suitable rectangular bar comes straight off the shelf wouldn’t it be cheaper to use this? We’re not exactly replacing an “original” item here are we so why make it difficult? After all, difficult = time = money. What are other peoples’ opinions?

HvdWeerden

1,739 posts

229 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
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v8s4me said:
Why over-engineer this? If suitable rectangular bar comes straight off the shelf wouldn’t it be cheaper to use this? We’re not exactly replacing an “original” item here are we so why make it difficult? After all, difficult = time = money. What are other peoples’ opinions?
The oval shape is one of the things that make these struts desirable. If you want rectangular ones you might as well silver/matt paint the black ones ;-)

han

Sandgrounder

564 posts

173 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
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I agree with Han. I am interested but only if they look like the Chim ones.

Otherwise, I wil stick with the steel ones and just give them a coat of satin black.

Loach1

437 posts

170 months

Sunday 28th April 2013
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I can measure my struts to get the important dimensions, but I can't find any good pics of the Chim struts that clearly show the shape. The pic below looks like the front and backs are flat, and the sides are rounded. I can't tell if they were made from a custom extrusion or if they were round bar milled on two sides? If they were from a custom extrusion, it would be difficult to match the exact profile without a lot of machining cost, but we could get somewhere close by using round stock. Only the radius of the rounded sides would be different, which would hardly be noticeable.

If someone has the aluminium struts, I'd like to know the width and depth of the main sections, then I can whip up a drawing. As I said before, to keep costs down I think the end brackets should be re-used. Does that make sense?


Top Gear TVR

2,251 posts

183 months

Monday 29th April 2013
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for £500, i would want an electric roof, and a button to press

v8s4me

7,275 posts

248 months

Monday 29th April 2013
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£200?!! At this rate I think I might take mine off to flog on Ebay and put the old steel ones back on laugh