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Your opinion needed - about the rare R4 chrome grill

S

Shakk

New Member
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4
Location
Israel
Hello,

In the middle of '82 R4 project.
I have noticed that the long aluminium/chrome grill is very hard to find,
Even at sites that specialize in parts for R4 - franzose, melun retro passion etc. - it's not existing.

I am trying to understand why no replica of it has been made. It seems to me very desired part, and while everything else is reproduced - this specific one isn't.
What do you think about that?
Maybe it's somehow very hard to mimic?
Or it is not really that sought-after?

Eager to hear your opinions on the subject.
 
The only way to reproduce it is by press-stamping it, roughly like a body panel. In theory, body panel reproducing companies, like Warny for example, have the necessary tooling and production lines for this item.
In practice there are two major drawbacks. A die has to be fabricated and this may cost several thousands of euros, so in order to absorb it (and make production profitable) either the grille will have to be sold at a rather high price or made at a quantity of some thousands of items - that will ultimately stay unsold, becaute its market is in fact not that big.
Another drawback is that, it's made out of aluminium, which must set it apart from body panel production lines - you cannot simply change the die in, say, a press that produces wings with the grille die, there are a lot more processes that need to be changed, that should necessitate a separate production line for the grille itself. This means higher manufacturing costs = lower profit for the manufacturer.
 
Shakk said:
Hello,

In the middle of '82 R4 project.
I have noticed that the long aluminium/chrome grill is very hard to find,
Even at sites that specialize in parts for R4 - franzose, melun retro passion etc. - it's not existing.

I am trying to understand why no replica of it has been made. It seems to me very desired part, and while everything else is reproduced - this specific one isn't.
What do you think about that?
Maybe it's somehow very hard to mimic?
Or it is not really that sought-after?

Eager to hear your opinions on the subject.
Click to expand...
Afternoon Shakk
Not sure if attached is what your after ?
Regards
Hoof

7A738BAA-F539-4301-8827-9502722E2658.jpeg
 
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