Nobody Loves us... Belt Weatherstripping search.

[Money pit Beretta]

Well we should be able to make the 1k minimum. That is if a set would be $250.

[3X00-Modified]

well scratch that... he just called me back, hence the deletion of the prior message.

For them they are talking about 3-5k to have a mold made, then 1k worth of parts produced. They work with GM Chrysler and other companies when they design a new product and they have no design staff so all drawings and info is provided by the customer.

Bottom line we need to find a small prototyping group that could make this OR just find a belt that will work by possibly sectioning it into what we currently have... aka SOL on getting an exact replica made.

[Money pit Beretta]

Bugger.

[3X00-Modified]

I might be buying something from restoration specialties soon to see if we can build something to work with what we have. It's our only hope.

[Money pit Beretta]

This is just hard to take. Only ten years ago this could have been done, but at the time it was unneeded. Wonder what we should be thinking about next.

[3X00-Modified]

How do you figure 10yrs ago it could have been done? The market still wasn't there so no one would want to reproduce it. The issue is the car is so disposable no one cares to have to replace these items so they never ask for them.

[heavywoody]

How do you figure 10yrs ago it could have been done? The market still wasn't there so no one would want to reproduce it. The issue is the car is so disposable no one cares to have to replace these items so they never ask for them.

10 years ago there were most likely many smaller shops that would be willing to do this... hence the reason they are no longer around.

[Money pit Beretta]

I'll agree with that and blame the high cost of living/opperating for their loss.

Figure? I saw a few places that did it. I was looking(at the time) to find a way around the high cost of GM brand parts. Also there been makers that do long dead and unwanted car weatherstips. I'm talking about cars that were unwanted when they came out and easly out sold by the Beretta(even per capita). The problem now is what I said above. This problem will only get worse as the cost of living goes up. Soon parts dealers will not carry any parts for our cars(it will cost them too much to keep an inventory).
I look at it this way too: the Fiero drivers somehow keep thier cars on the road. Did we miss a chance to set up part makers for our cars? Or is this our last chance?

[3X00-Modified]

Look at the qty of the Fiero group... Unfortunately there are too many Beretta owners that don't car about being in a club and others that can't swallow their ego so they don't want to be associated which just separates us even more. Our enthusiast group is too small, I also highly doubt there were small shops that could do this before... he quoted me 3-5k on a mold... I doubt that price would change even if it was a smaller business willing to make these. If our group was larger then the 3-5k mold price would be easier to swallow over the whole group and they COULD make these if we got all the info we needed to them, but that just isn't going to happen with our size.

[Money pit Beretta]

I understand what you are saying. It's just frustrating. You would think that with a pace car under the Beretta belt there would be a little outside support. LOL there was a Pinto pace car.....but you could put a V8 in those. I know, I know....just trying to make myself feel better.
Dead and almost gone forever. It's just a matter of time.

[3X00-Modified]

oh trust me I'm just as frustrated... My father in law can flip through a book and order BRAND NEW parts for his 1960 Austin Healey 3000 but we cant even find belt weatherstripping for our windows, OR even dash covers or something for the 91+ interiors, its pathetic how the aftermarket works, it pretty much creates the sought after popular to restore cars simply by the qty of how many there were.. any low numbers and forget it, your on your own.

I hope to be able to find something that will work and not be a huge headache, OR expensive.

[Money pit Beretta]

I'm not much on hope, faith is something I don't have. I'd like to think that you will be able to find something some day. Like the new title to this topic!

[1990BerettaGTZ2.3L]

Jon why don't we do what they mentioned in their reply wonder if we could get rockauto to get em made because it does have alot of demand to some people restoring these cars and it's impossible to find a good set unless you get lucky with a GM set and even those I'd be afraid to let in the sunlight lol

well I doubt we'll hit their min... and they don't even sound like they know what I'm taking about.

Dear Jonathon,

Thank you for your inquiry. The costs to start manufacturing a new part can range from $1000-$2500 depending on the complexity of the extrusion. The minimum commitment is usually 1000 pcs.. Fairchild would need an automotive distributor like Rock Auto , 1A Auto, US Auto Parts, Classic Industries, etc. to express interest in distributing a specific part. Have you checked the above distributors? When you mentioned that no GM books list a part #, is it possible the original part was manufactured as part of the door? Sorry we are unable to help you.

Kind Regards,

Cindy Bergstrom
Customer Service Representative
Fairchild Industries, Inc.
1200 Ensell Rd.
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
847-550-9580, ext. 25
847-550-9585, fax

Back to the drawing board.

MPB, the rubber part of the dew strip is only held to the molding with some fold over clips... I was looking at getting the whole rubber part re-created. If there is one backing of metal on it then so be it that would have had to be added in, but unfortunately with this community we'll never hit their minimum.

[1990BerettaGTZ2.3L]

I'm telling ya jon we need to get some buisness cards made for the site if we get enough interest can't tell you how many berettas I've seen around town I've wanted to put on under the wiper for them to check us out but maybe when I get my computer up and running because I just moved I'll try to design a cool looking prototype

Look at the qty of the Fiero group... Unfortunately there are too many Beretta owners that don't car about being in a club and others that can't swallow their ego so they don't want to be associated which just separates us even more. Our enthusiast group is too small, I also highly doubt there were small shops that could do this before... he quoted me 3-5k on a mold... I doubt that price would change even if it was a smaller business willing to make these. If our group was larger then the 3-5k mold price would be easier to swallow over the whole group and they COULD make these if we got all the info we needed to them, but that just isn't going to happen with our size.

[1990BerettaGTZ2.3L]

Someday when these cars are valuable and sought after i've dremt of make a resoration catalog for them if there's interest I think it would be sweet to do now like get together with western salvage yards and get every single part and recondition it, and maybe get some rust free bodys sandblast and prime the crap out of then on a rotisserriee underneath and all sell a mint ready to be build body for 3-4K