Best alternative or replacement option for this

[texaxile]

Hi,
Time to rack the brains of this Sub forums collective again.

I need to replace 4 wheel centres. They're NLA from the manufacturer and noone on the MLR has any going spare or for sale. They're centres for Alloy wheels.

Now, I've had a couple of quotes for machining from steel but both are high and the engineering companies I approached were simply not interested. My other option of offering a bloke working there cash to do them on the side met with a shrug as well.

A friend suggested that I could get a sheet of Acrylic and shape them myself with a dremmel, then spray them to match, but to be honest that's something I'll try as a last resort unless anyone here can suggest another method. Couple of pics for guidance.






Cheers in advance,
Pete

[finlo]

Measure them and trawl a certain auction site.

[uk66fastback]

I would use Google and try and find a local metalworking club/group meet etc ... then email them or turn up and offer them the job - these guys with the lathes like nothing better than a small challenge like this. I had an old and manky wooden gearknob on my Datsun. 40 years of sweat on it etc. You can buy a new repro one for $99. Shines like a beauty, but I googled and found a local woodturning group - who meet once a week on a Sat and talk about candlesticks they've turned, fruit bowls etc - emailed the webmaster and he said sure, bring it down, so I went down there on a Sat morning and met up with them - and one of them took on the job of polishing me knob so to speak.

A week later, it's been back to his, gone on his turning lathe with some 2000 grit, been polished with a proper tool and looked fantatic. £20.

[55palfers]

If you had say, 20 made to cut the unit cost, would you be able to sell the rest on eBay?

Maybe yours would end up being free?

You need to approach the right sort of company. I may know of one.

[InitialDave]

A 3D printer should knock those up no problem.

[texaxile]

Thanks for the suggestions, sadly they wouldn't sell in any number on Ebay because it's a fairly rare wheel. I never even considered 3d printing though! Just so happens I might be able to get my friends daughter to make me a few in her Design and Technology class for nothing more than the cost of a bag of chips!.

Good work fella!. PH comes through again.

[InitialDave]

If she can't, my mate probably could, so drop me a line if you want me to ask him.

[texaxile]

InitialDave said:

If she can't, my mate probably could, so drop me a line if you want me to ask him.

Hi, thanks for the offer! I think I'll be ok though. She said it might take a couple of attempts to get them right, she's taken the best one away and is going to measure it with a micrometer and have an attempt next week. I'll post the results on here as it might be of interest and use in the future, like getting interior parts made which are NLA on some obscure or older cars.

Gotta love technology!.

Cheers
Pete