Black 79XS1100SF Special Sidecover (LEFT)

[buickyouth]

I've been searching high and low for this puppy and have been comming up with nuthin' but snake eyes.

Has anyone got a lead or ideas (aside from ebay and merrian's fiberglass jobs) on getting my paws on a decent one?

Riding around with my toolbox showing is like walking around in my favorite jeans with the fly open.

[ratbyk]

Side Cover

That should not bother you if your skin is 3' thick!
It has nothing to do with how reliable, fast or economical the bike is. Just makes it prettier. Go by everyone at 60 mph and no one will notice.
Ken/Sooke

[poorboy112597]

I had talked to Ken Talbot last winter about him recreating side cover emblems, maybe he could make a mold of some side covers too and start selling them. I would buy an extra set myself and many others i'm sure

[Ken Talbot]

I tried that a while back - trying to make a mold for a whole sidecover. Boy, what a mess that was! I see now why Merriam Cycles charges what they do for reproduction covers made of fibreglass.

[Shuriken]

How much do they charge for the reproductions?

Once you get the mold set up it's good to go, right?

My uncle runs an injection molding shop. I should talk to him...

Ben

[poorboy112597]

$175.00 each

[John]

Ben, if you could do that, there's a lot of folks out there that would be XStremely happy. You could even make a few bucks, we could save a few bucks...everybody's happy.

[Shuriken]

I'll give him a phone call and will update you all.

Ben

[gaffer77]

xs panel

hi i used to work for my mate who made fibre glass body kits,we made everything from sierra cosworth whale tale spoilers ,bonnet louvres ,bumpers,toyota pick up liners etc etc even a canoe and paddles, and lamp posts any way this was 10 yrs ago now and no longer in buisness ,i have a few contacts we made a panel for a suzuki for a mate once the mould is the prob costs prob 10 times the cost of the panel in time and money and theres allot of maintanance to keep the mould perfect,anyway for all the kit to make one mould and 1 panel alone would cost 250 dollars ,but that would then make hundreds more panels ,youd really need a market to take on the cost ,i will try and find a couple of people we used to know see if they can make a mould and knock some up but cant promise , i know i may be able to get someone o make me a mould and i could knock some panels out myself but cost and mess is an issue ,as it happens ive got an sf with perfect panels i could mould ,its just i am not competent enuff to make a mould myself i know ruffly but i could damage my panel or make a warped mould or it could have a lot of pitting and holes etc so panel would need a lot of finnishing afterwards anyway if lots of people respond to this i will see what can be done once you got the kit panels prob only cost $5.00 each to make

[Shuriken]

I'm listening/responding.

Ben

[thumperjsa]

Personally, I think if you could create new sided panels, you would get a lot of interest, particullarly at that low of a cost. For that cost, I would by new and a few spares so I can play around with colors.

[gaffer77]

hi there the cost once you have the materials is not a problem its the initial outlay the panels would probably only take an hour half hour to make ,its just waiting for gel cote to cure the resin to cure then time finishing after the half hour of making them ,you are the only response to this at mo i would like to help its going to take me some effort to find my mould maker ,i have about 4 contacts but havnt seen them for ten yrs but would be able to trak them down ,then its getting the supplies then finding a place to manufacture them i have a lock up or they may be interested in knocking them up themselves its just the stench of fibreglass ,you get imune to it but neighbors etc if i did it in my shed and my missus of course would be gunning for me the other thing is i only have sf panels so would be stuck with just that line,as you know its either hard or expensive to get hold of other panels for all models ,i wouldnt be in it for a profit on this site but id have to get my initial outlay bak which will be hard with just one panel also as i couldnt make a mould myself i mite have to pay for that service as well but i know my mates woul be willing and very very reasonable well have to see if theres more response before i start investigating the possibilities

[fredintoon]

FRP side panel production.

I used to build FRP sailboats (we only lost $250 a hull) so I learned about small production run FRP work the hard way.
I've listed the problem points as I see 'em.
Moulds.
Gaffer77 is right, the mould is the hard part BUT it ain't the only hard part; what about the knobby bits that hold the cover onto the bike? With the injection moulded plastic of the original panels it's easy to make the dog's dick on the right side panel and the lock latch on the left side panel as an integral part of the cover. With FRP hand layup construction they'd have to be seperate pieces either built in during the layup or attached afterwards.
Layup.
I'd use a woven roving outer layer, a mat core and boat cloth inner layer for a hand layup. Chopper-gun FRP would work just fine too but you'd have to get someone to do that for you as an add-on while they were building a boat hull or whatever.
Shapes.
There are subtle differences between years and between models.
(My XS11SG has the stock LH cover and a modified RH cover from a '79 Standard as that's what I could find used; the slots in the '79 cover were changed to the hole & notch of the '80 with a Dremel tool then reinforced and it's dog's dick fits OK. You can't see both sides at once so the shape difference don't notice)
I'd leave the holes/slots/notches uncut for the purchaser to make.
Colours.
Gelcoat? Puts the price up and makes it hard to build inventory as you'd be stuck with all the colours no-one ordered. I'd send 'em out in primer after thoroughly washing off the parting wax.
Makes Merriam's $175 a cover seem almost reasonable, don't it?
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[gaffer77]

fredintoon is right ,but on mine there are slots at the top of the panels (no probs) and the pin things well you cant have everything the one with the lock i always used a cable tie when they snap on other bikes ive had you can usually get away with very narrow ones which barely notice if you can hide them underneath ,but have thought about attatching velcro inside the panel to wrap around frame tube or something,its not the end of the world theres ways and means for everything ,like fiberglassing a bolt or pin etc etc etc,if you wanted it as it was when it came from the factory you wouldnt be buying a fibre glass panel for peanuts would you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


not enuff interest yet to even consider asking around yet !!!!!!!!!

[fredintoon]

About the money - - -

- - - it's always about the money.
Hi Gaffer77,
what part of Gloucestershire are you in? I was a BAC greenskin at Filton/Patchway before I came to the Colonies.
OK if you are wealthy lay down the loot for a pair of Merriam's replacements. If you are really wealthy send your bike there for a total rebuild. If you are as poor as most folks who run 25 year old bikes, you do what you can as cheaply as you can.
You are right, a plain FRP shell without the fancy lower latch could be made for a quite small material cost if the moulds were available. The only tricky bit is the lower latch. If you don't mind a visible fastener a screw, Dzus or Oddie fastener would work once you'd created the inner half onto the bike frame; or there's always tie-wraps. If a person was really anal about not having a visible fastener, use Velcro or bond a slab of 10ga steel into the cover and bolt a big magnet (salvage off a dead speaker) onto the frame?
Fred Hill, S'toon.