It's a good day for the Gbody community

[tobyp]

I had a cool idea of having the Lighting Rods name in transparent ABS with ambient lighting making the words glow.

Yeah, wonder where that came from...

http://gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=37008


Its cool youre making repair/resto parts, we get that.
But seeing stuff like this makes the community wary of sharing uniqe and custom ideas with the comminity in fears that Cineesr children will be soon mass prouducing it being on everyone and their brothers cars...
Whats next, an AWD Cutlass conversion or Andrew Geetings FE3X?

4 board members have already PMd me expressing their distaste...

Dont assume that I got this idea from you. On my Grandmother's grave this I swear. Me and Brian we discussing it. And as I read your post, for the first time I see that you are just planning this as a one off project for your own car, so why do you care?

Oh, and the people that I was looking at having this created with are from Micro Platers in the good ole US of A. Mike and others on here that consistently bash us about getting things made Chinese is starting to tick me off when much of the time is not the case.

Here is the company's web site, no secrets, they are a great vendor of mine that specialize in plastic injection, and yes, OEM as well..... Call them up, say that I sent you names are John and Kim Hicks, they are the owners.

Now what is the reply????


http://www.micropb.com/plastic-part-production
Geesh!!!!!


stop the BS or I'll just stop posting on here for everyone else, then they can be ticked off at the few that ruined it for everyone else.

 

[mr evil]

Dont assume that I got this idea from you. On my Grandmother's grave this I swear. Me and Brian we discussing it. And as I read your post, for the first time I see that you are just planning this as a one off project for your own car, so why do you care?

At the risk of wading into a pissing match, I have to agree with toby on this. Just because a very similar idea was POSTED by you here recently, doesn't automatically mean the idea was solely yours, or yours first. Even if it was, why wouldn't you be proud to have provided that inspiration? Hell, you know enough about these cars, Cutlii in particular that I would think you would jump at the chance to help the entire community by working WITH these guys...not to mention GBodyParts should be happy to have input from someone such as yourself.
I sense there is a more personal reason for your discontent about this, but I won't jump to assumption about what that might be.

 

[88hurstolds]

I was told not to waste my time with you by replying...

SO WHY DO I CARE?
YOU JUST DONT GET IT MAN... ITS OBVIOUS ALL YOU SEE IS DOLLAR SIGNS.

This really isnt about who came up with the idea first but a certian line thats starting to be crossed between things that are purely for restoration and things that make some these cars unique and stand out from the rest.
I'm not saying I came up with the idea soely, but I and allot others don't believe you either, its just doesnt look good...

Nor was a final decision was made to go to full on production, I'm not here for capital gain, I live and breathe these cars and restore them for pure passion just like most others here.
I don't have thousands of investment dollars and connections with vendors like you do, just a small project I'm working on that may someday lead to some being produced for others and not on a mass scale to where its no longer unique or cool.
Just found it a little to coincidental and disturbing to see this, how would you feel man?
It just seems that your taking our hobby and exploiting it for capital gain.
Especially after hearing you trying to put out a small vendor in this community whos been supplying an item for 10 years by reproducing their item yourself because you didnt like their price and pricing him out of buisness when he makes pennies on the dollar and does it purely for the hobby... and a few other things I wont get into.

You hurt some feelings in this community already and now this with me not to mention the PMs from others if they so choose to come forward.
You're a sales and marketing guy who bought a gbody for buisness purposes to display and promote parts, nothing wrong with it just some are getting the wrong impression thinking you're just using us and our ideas for capital gain and PMing me about it.
Some buisnesses pay big money for market research, you got it from us for free and some are going to make some good money because of it, but hey its buisness...
It's cool your making parts for these cars, don't get me wrong thats not what this is about, but you seem to be coming off the wrong way towards some and they feel either threatened or annoyed.
I've been in that boat before it sucks...
Remember, if everyone has it, its no longer unique, rare or cool.

To see a custom idea become mass produced just sucks, its no longer custom, stick with the factory stuff and dont step on peoples toes... thats all.

stop the BS or I'll just stop posting on here for everyone else, then they can be ticked off at the few that ruined it for everyone else.

Pretty childish thing to say...

 

[mr evil]

Personally, I understand both views on this. I guess at the end of the day it really comes down to personal preference. We all enjoy this hobby for various reasons and enjoy all sorts of different mods, performance goals etc. As far as choosing who I would buy a product from...for me, I like having the ability to do just that...choose, who I'll buy from, what I'll buy etc. etc.
I for one would have no interest in this specific product, but the next guy might be tripping over himself to be the first, or next, to drop the coin and put it his car. As for whether he buys it from them, or another them or makes it himself, he gets to make the choice.
When we end up left with no choice, we could all end up like lemmings, and THAT is when we truly get taking advantage of. :wink:

 

[tobyp]

You're a sales and marketing guy who bought a gbody for buisness purposes to display and promote parts

My dead Grand mother in law willed it to me 2 years ago before I started procuring parts. So, make sure you know what you are talking about. I started this because I was granted the ability to make parts for a restoration company. If you believe that I am doing this for capital gain, you are wrong. After I am done with the Gbody line I no longer get to manage the line, nor take any responsibility in it. This procuring is for pure care and need to keep the cars alive and from the junk yard crusher.

 

[88hurstolds]

You personally might not be making the money but you still represent the buisnesses that will, nothing wrong with that... this is America. But some in the community like to maintain the uniqueness of our ideas and vehicles we put hard work and time into.
It dosent matter how you got your car either but more so what outside observers are interpreting whats being done with it coming off as a promotional tool and not a hobby.
Motives are starting to be questioned and a few are feeling threatened... thats all.
You tend to throw around the attitude "I cant find it so Ill just mass produce it", thats ok but when it starts getting into unique custom ideas it pisses people off and gives the impresion you're really just here for the money and hold nothing sacred.

 

[Burnhard]

There is a real need in the G body community for reproduction parts,I think it would be great to see a lighted lightning rod top plate.The factory top plate was not very well made,it would be nice to see a high quality after market top plate that is lighted.Thanks for bringing new parts to the G body Community.

 

[robert56]

Ok, look, just chill out. I for one choose to believe that if the man says he came up the the idea independent of your earlier post, then that's the truth. And you're not the only one to come up with the lighted shift plate idea. I had a similar idea last year but choose not to pursue it because I want my car to look 100% stock inside and out when it's finished.

Now that I've got the major mechanical restoration done on my car, I am looking forward to being able to open a catalog and see many of the hard to find exterior and interior restoration parts that I need for my Cutlass (dashboard parts to be specific, hint, hint). I would think that you would feel the same way and would be more supportive of this guy. I've even bought some parts from YOU in the past, but the supply of NOS parts is drying up and were it not for guys like Toby, we would be left with cars that are near impossible to restore.

Cool down and put it back in your pants. Let's not get this thread closed.

 

[Brick442]

This isn't the Polio Vaccine being invented folks! Nobody's name will go down in the history books with that lighted top-plate.

These g-bodies have been around long enough that there probably aren't any original ideas left. I saw a regular Cutlass at a car show in the early 90s with lightning rods . . . one cool thing about it was the owner used some kind of homemade back-lit top plate, even though it looked crappy.

And as for the stock parts being made, the only reason anyone would get mad is because this would cut into their bottom line. After parts are mass-produced for our G-Bodies, there will be less of a market for original NOS parts. Very few people will care if the window sweeps with reveal molding on an Olds are NOS or re-pro. The guys who hoarded the NOS and are selling them on eBay and such will be less likely to command $150 for a pair of amber turn signals if they are made available aftermarket.

 

[Burnhard]

I thought about a lighted top plate as soon as I found out the factory one was not lighted,but thought it was just to hard to pull off/ have it look oem. I wanted it to be made out of aluminum as the factory plastic one just looks to week/cheep.I have a one off alum one right know but would love to have a aluminum one that was lighted or quality plastic one that was lighted .I think a lot of Olds G body guys have thought about this but felt it was just to hard to pull off. Look at Toby's build its a quality car with quality parts, he has also fabed up some parts that looked to have been well done.Car guys like to mod parts and many have the same idea as to what would be cool.