Reproduction carb side covers 350?

[coxy]

yep one bid, you would think the bidding would be going through the roof for such a rare item even with so much time left. how may people reckon they will sneak the last bid in  ? this part is like winning the lotto hey!

[Sno Jet]

Coxy, what are you waiting for?   The bids will be coming.  A lot of days left at this point.

[moonpup]

Ok, less than a hour to go on the auction...... got my beer, got some , let the show begin! 

[moonpup]

Just as I thought, 2 bidders taking jabs at each other for a week and at the last second...BAM, a 3rd bidder jumps in and snags it out from under them!  

Sold For $313.00

[ztnoo]

Actually there were four bidders.
Two of them, t***e & 0***c, went back and forth the entire auction. 0***c apparently quit @ $250 on the 27th, but t***e followed that @ $270 on the 31st, yesterday.
Two more bidders jumped in at the end.
e***1, who lost, bid with 6 seconds remaining but it wasn't high enough. He had to be using Bidnapper or another sniping tool with that close time line.
In the end, c***r scored with the high bid, with 31 seconds remaining in the auction.

Anyone recall seeing one of these side carb covers selling in this range before?
Anyone here win this carb cover?
If there is another NOS cover out there somewhere, this may have established a base value going forward.
They aren't growing them on trees, and they are pretty rare birds.
This one had some oxidation, but with a little elbow grease and lots of time, should clean up pretty well.

[ziggy stardust]

Well the figures speak for themselves, only four serious bidders for such a rare item.

Quite a fair price in my opinion but obviously there was not the demand expected for the cover at that price so if new ones were to be available at a similar price I'm not convinced the demand would be there at all. A pair at that price would help but would could they be manufactured so cheaply?

RC will do his figures and see if it's a worthwhile exercise.

Z

[moonpup]

ztnoo.... I must have dyslexia! (or had too many beers)    I completely missed e***1 after looking at all the t***e bids.

I actually think the bids might have been a little higher if Richard had polished out the oxidation before listing it. Sometimes it's all about presentation.

[ztnoo]

Well the figures speak for themselves, only four serious bidders for such a rare item.

Well put, Ziggy.
I haven't seen anything in the couple of threads about carb covers that leads me to believe there in sufficient demand to justify the cost of a production run of reproduction carb covers.
That's not to say perhaps there haven't been some private conversations and communications about higher numbers desired than what we have been privy to, but in the end this proposal has to be economically viable to work. Richard talked of numbers in the hundreds to potentially make this reality. So far, nothing I've seen indicates anything approaching those counts.
That's not to say I'm opposed to the project......not at all. I'm very much in favor of it, BUT the numbers have to work.
There's absolutely no reason for Richard, or anyone for that matter, to throw money at this and see it potentially disappear down a rat hole and wind up with several hundred reproduction parts that might sit on a shelf somewhere into the 22nd century.

Moonpup, hey its all about getting the balance right........you know, the caffeine (stimulant) to alcohol (depressant) ratio!
;-)
Check my signature line.
Yeah, it could probably could have brought more dinero all buffed out, but I imagine Richard has better things to do with his time........like actually selling and shipping the stock of parts he possesses.
Overall, I think that was a pretty good sale.
Wonder who got it???

Regards all,
Steve

[oldstarfire]

Coxy and I went around the mulberry bush with this some time ago.
I still intend to talk to a local investment (lost wax) casting foundry about the feasibility of a decent repro.
Chances are slim tho.

Also, I have made repro parts for cars for many years (mostly plastic) and found one unfortunate truth.

A soon as a repro is available, the demand disappears.

[moonpup]

....snip......

If there is another NOS cover out there somewhere, this may have established a base value going forward.
They aren't growing them on trees, and they are pretty rare birds.
This one had some oxidation, but with a little elbow grease and lots of time, should clean up pretty well.

Just another thought ztnoo.... Yes, NOS covers are indeed "pretty rare birds" but used ones run a pretty close second if not tied. This is because this is the type of part that if undamaged, really only needs polishing or paint to bring it back to it's former glory. It's not like rubber or plastic parts that deteriorate with age and fall apart in your hands or electrical items that get so corroded there's no way to salvage them.

I could easily take a used cover and with the right polishing methods for both the front and back make it look like a NOS part that may have sat on the shelf awhile and no one would be any wiser. That's why I don't put any added value for NOS vs. used on a part like this. It's value lies in the fact that there are so few of them still left.

[coxy]

hey steve the first bidder was me unfortunately i got stuck doing a 16hr sift and didn't make it home  in time win some loose some

[ztnoo]

coxy,
You need to try Bidnapper or some other sniping tool.
https://www.bidnapper.com/

You determine what you are willing to pay, a maximum.
It monitors the auction, and if current bids eventually exceed what you set as your ceiling price, it will notify you and you can determine if you want to set a second threshold to buy the item.
You may not always win, but my wife and I have had outstandingly good success using it.
It's better than staying up all hours of the day and night trying to keep up with bidding and THEN TIME your final bid in hopes of winning.
It might have made the difference in this case.

Just a head up there, mate!
;-)

Regards,
Steve

[Sno Jet]

There are about a dozen of us on here regularly speaking about these covers for the other 1372 members who only periodically drop in on the site.  I also understand that not every one owns a 350.

  There are two types of people who need these covers, those who are actively looking for one and others who need one but are in no great hurry.  I need a cover but I was not willing to spend $313.  It was just not my priority at this time.   That cover got more than a dozen views. 

I would think that Richard would have an idea of what the demand is or would be as he is the one answering and trying to fill people's requests for parts over the past years.

Maybe he can give us an idea of what the demand has been?  One thing I know for  sure is that there will not be much demand for $313 right hand covers no matter how many owners have a broken one.

Until he gets the final cost numbers and minimal units needed, we can only continue to speculate. 

[ztnoo]

Sno Jet,

That cover got more than a dozen views.

Harry, how in the hell do you know that fact???

I looked at and reloaded the link at least that many times myself to keep up with the auction.
Reloading is a "view".

That is seller specific info only................as far as I know.

Please enlighten us..............
Do you have a crystal ball no one else is aware of
Not trying to be argumentative or combative.......just would like to see some justification for your claim...
What say vous?

Regards,
Steve

[Sno Jet]

I am confident more than twelve people viewed that cover.  I viewed it about 4 times so make your deductions.  If less people viewed it, it just makes my point stronger that not everyone with a cracked right side cover is actively searching for one.   Does not mean that they do not need one or will someday buy one.   Not everyone spends as much time on the computer as you or I.  I do agree there is not a market for 300 pieces.

You seem to have a strong opinion in carburetor covers.  With all respect Steve, do you own a 350? 

[ztnoo]

I am confident more than twelve people viewed that cover.

OK, so you have no more proof or evidence of your statement than your "confidence"?

I know you have no idea about how many views there were of the auction............unless of course, you have insider information.
So.............do you???

What does ownership have to do with the topic at hand???
Nada, IMO.

[Sno Jet]

If you go to the closed listing on Ebay, you will see that the counter had 147 hits.    Steve, I am not going to make this an argument between you and I over the Forum.    What I would like to do is convince you that you should use your energies in a positive way.    I have a direct interest in this subject as a 350 owner and will help out and encourage any one who wants to reproduce parts for this bike.     

[RayK]

Come on guys - Calm down.
After all it is only a hobby (mainly for Baby Boomers).
In the highly unlikely event of acquiring a GTR 350 - which I would love to have for my collection, I would be most grateful for all parts including a RHS cover being available. So for my part I would like to encourage Richard to consider the repro project.

Cheers
RayK

[moonpup]

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming........          

[Richard Clark BS parts]

Since you guys stated a new topic, I thought I would post my original message for all to read.

I am still considering reproducing these covers, but  I need input!

Need to know who and how many covers  you want at what price?  PLEASE NO ARGUING OVER THIS, as it for the good of the BS world

A general statement:  Any reproduction covers will cost more that 40 year old NOS 175 carb covers, it is
very expensive to have a proper mold made, not to mention the cost of having to produce more covers than
would  ever be sold.  Yes: the cost of all these covers will have to be paid by the ones that are actually sold.

Yes: I feel that 300$ is way to much to sell any number of covers

Here is my original posting about this subject:

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BS Friends:

I am considering making a run of Bridgestone 350 carb covers. I am considering making the right side, or maybe even pairs, including the left side.
Contacts in my other business would allow this to happen, since I already have a few thin wall aluminum items currently being made.
These carb covers are basically not available on the open market in any numbers.

Keep in mind the left cover while not in such demand is also somewhat rare too.

The problem with making these is directly related to price, the more that can be sold the more can be made.  Making more greatly reduces the cost per item, however with an item of this complex thin shape, and fully polished.  I do know for a fact that the order would need to be for 100’s of items.
If I had to order 500 to get a low per piece price, just how many would I sell, Keep in mind that the small number of ones I sell would have to pay for the whole lot!

My Questions:
1) Do you want sets or just rights, then what happen when folks want left side ones?
2) Give me your ideas on a retail price on rights and pairs.
3) Tell me how many you would send a deposit for, at what price.


When answering the above questions, I am not asking what your would pay for that “last one available” as what happens currently, the price I need to know, if you knew that I always had them.

Response from this message will determine if I go forward with the project,  or if someone else want to do it, I will step out.

Thanks for your input
Richard Clark



Here is a copy of my second response about this topic:

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To you guys who have commented on the potential side cover project thanks!

To add a thought or two:

1) If reproductions were to be done, by me. They would be as original, very nice as the company I use produces superior parts.
2) You guys are correct, we would need some serious numbers of orders, to get this done.
3) From my limited knowledge, I feel price on reproductions would need to be south of 175$ as many BSers, seem to have limited budgets, that is to sell a lot.
4) To achieve that price point or less, see my thought #2
5) First major cost of project would be production of a mold, suitable for thin wall production. Same issue I was up against concerning  my abandoned 350 clutch plate project.
6) Not to beat a dead horse, but we will need some serious numbers of orders, to get this done.
7)  I already have 55 BS items being reproduced, so really do not mind doing it, but there has to be a market.
8. Yes that my cover on ebay, as covers are getting hard to find, so there it is, for sale. at least we may see what a remaining cover is worth!

Need more comments from anyone who is interested in the 350.  Six different people have responded, there has to be more guys interested, or is there?

Do any other BS parts suppliers want to help?  I will check with a few of them.



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Questions? or need Bridgestone parts? call:

Richard Clark
812-944-1643  8am-6pm EST Weekdays