Air conditioner unit for the Mistral

This might be a good case for 3D printing the part. The AC unit for my Mistral is currently out of the car. It is in very good condition so it should make a good model. I would be willing to pursue this if you are interested and can't find a replacement part.

 

Hi Terry, is it possible to use plastic that's actually strong enough for rugged service?

What's the finish like?

 

Bob, I have never done this before but I'm interested in trying since this would unlock a whole new world of possibilities for rare replacement parts. The fit is supposed to be perfect but I too wonder if they will look right and be durable. This will require some research and experience but it is possible that the modern materials could turn out to be superior.

I saw a 3D printer for the first time in the mid 90s in a mechanical engineering lab at Georgia Tech. They were developing them for rapid prototyping at the time, which I thought was super cool at the time but of no use to me. Seems the future has caught up to the present.

 

OK, I thought you had. Perhaps someone else knows if durable parts like this can be made. That housing is likely to be fairly large so maybe the leverage stress would be too much on a piece such as that?