I have just begun production of a repair kit containing the most commonly failing parts of the 328 round dash vents: The two louvers and the cross link are made from fiberglass reinforced UV & chemical resistant polyurethane (see 1st picture below). By the end of the month I will begin production of complete vent assemblies(2nd picture below) Part #s and prices are: 61738800 328 round dash vent complete 328 3 Oz $195.00 + $9.05 61738800-REPKT 328 dash vent repair kit 2 louvers + link 328 2 Oz $97.00 + $8.25 S&I To order click on my name by this post & select [Send eMAIL to Verell] Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Tillman asked for some improvements in this thread: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/252464-need-part-center-top-dash-ac-vent-86-328-gts.html The base material is stronger, AND I've done two things to strengthen the tabs: 1. Added a buttress to each tab(see pictures below) 2. Moulded inside each tab is U shaped piece of 20 gage wire. It loops around around each tab's hole with the legs of the U bent & anchored inside the buttress. These pictures below show the OEM louver tabs side by side with Unobtainium's buttressed tabs: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Forgot to mention, I'm also strengthening the link by casting lengths of wire inside with a small L end that fits inside the posts.
We need someone to reproduce the frames around the center console switches. They truly seem to be Unobtainium now. I'll send you my supply of Unicorn horn if needed to reproduce them.
I can make them no problem in my molding company but like always how many of them can i sell.if i can sell 100 pcs then $45-50 is ok
What about the pins (for lack of better term) that the vanes attach to the circular surround and rotate on? Once those snap the whole thing drops into the vent tube. Have they been strengthened? Image Unavailable, Please Login
No, I was referring to the orange, blue and yellow frames (what Ferrari calls them) that go under the fan cntrol knobs.
That's one of the reasons I'm still working on the circular parts. The pins are small & the surround material is pretty thin. My current thinking is to cast in steel dowel pins, but am open to suggestions.
No, the 308 & GT4 use a different part. I do have a NOS 308 vent, so making one is on the list, but most likely not for awhile.
GREAT! ..... Dash doesnt need to come out to replace for the 328 ? any hints on how to actually get the ring that holders the louvres ...i can seem to do it at all....
The louver ring just snaps into the dash mounted piece. The ring has a shallow (~0.5mm) groove that a mating ridge in the mating piece fits into. It's a tight fit, but it does just pop out. I ended up just pushing it out with my thumbs while holding the other piece, but I had it out in my hands. IIRC I also gave it a bit of rotating motion at the same time. I haven't tried to do this, but I suspect that it would have a bit more give if the louvers were removed first. The ring has about 2mm long posts that the louver pivots on. I removed my louvers by using a very stiff spatula to pry along the side of the louver until it popped out of the ring. Just be careful & not break the linkage by trying to move the released louver until the other louver is also released.
Wow Verell, didn't know you were working on this! I broke the living heck out of mine in the fall, just hit it a bit hard and the whole thing dominoed into its little hole. Fished it out and used washers on either side of an epoxy mess. Works, but yours will be so much better. I've bought Verrels stuff before, for my Boxer's pull latch (engine and boot) to 512TR lamp holders, all of excellent over-engineered quality. If Verrel had worked for Ferrari at time of production, we'd be up there with Camry's on reliability.
how about casting the part with a divot or pilot hole and fitting a spring loaded shell in it? J.W. Winco, Inc. - Spring Loaded Shells should hold and also allow for assy without bending or fatiguing the part. just a thought.
Conceptually I like the idea. From a quick look at the shell specs, the smallest one (2mm dia) might work. Have to make some measurements as I'm not sure there's room for a 12mm deep hole. IIRC, there's only about 6 - 8 mm of total space in that area. Still, maybe I can find a smaller one from another source, or cut the spring & shell down. Alternative might be to put the shell in the louver & the mating hole in the ring, I think this is more promising. Will think about it after I get dug out from the 28" or so of snow the Blizzard of '15 dumped on me yesterday.
I'm sure interested, and I know others are. BTW, the way the frames are painted, translucent color (blue, orange, or yellow) is painted on the frame top, which is clear plastic. Then the black "graphics" in painted over the top. The frame edges are also painted black. If someone could create the black graphics as a stick-on, it would be easy to recondition the old frames. The graphics are the same for all 4 fan frames. Just a thought.....
This is all a SWAG, but I'm thinking that if I can just make the louver pivot holes deeper then they still would be backwards compatible! Just to set expectations, I'm running slower than planned on the molds for the two rings. Part of the delay is figuring out a pivot pin solution.
Yes Just to set expectations, I'm running slower than planned on the molds for the two rings. Part of the delay is figuring out a pivot pin solution.
