Won24

Hello Folks,

I am trying to determine if there is interest in a part I am in process of designing or if I am really just making this for me. The model isn't complete, these are still a work in progress. I just know that these things aren't available anymore, and that they turn to dust if you look at them wrong. For right now my plan is to 3D print them using a resin printer, but if there is enough interest I will look into injection molding and get into large scale production. My goal was to make the part as close to the original as I could, and require no modification (I still need to see if I can track down the factory connector to allow the bulb fixture to be plug and play). I do plan to use LED bulbs, so if you're thinking about this for a USDM vehicle it will trigger the bulb out monitor unless you use a load resistor. I have not determined a price yet, but my guess is somewhere around $150-$200. That might change, especially if I can move to a better means of production. It will come with everything needed, color matched, with a new base. These are just renders, but take a look and tell me what you think (disregard the gap in the lowest lens piece please). The waffle pattern in the lenses is there, but you can't see it in the render for what ever reason. I am interested in creating more parts in the future, but for now I am working on this.

khomer2

Late to the party with your suggestion.
Why re-invent the wheel? - it's already available and expensive too, just like your proposed fee.
Try the PnP.
The oem rear cover is still available and cheap.

Pass.

Won24

Wasn't trying to reinvent the wheel, just started drawing it for myself and thought maybe others would be interested. To be honest I don't think that's all that expensive either. New factory housing is $80, not sure what the base costs probably at least $30. I'm not an industrial manufacturer, so there's no way I can compete with them price wise.
Didn't realize you can buy just the back cover. I contacted my local dealership and they said my color was nla and all I could buy is black. My base was also sharding when I touched it to get measurements the other day. Who makes the other 3rd brake light?

Are there other parts that can't be had that are worth reproducing? I'd imagine for w123 and older cars there are parts that people would like to have. The other things I was going to make were silicone vacuum canister bulbs for the HVAC system. Those would be considerably cheaper, but I'm lamenting the idea of taking my dash apart until I'm well ready.

What's the PnP? Are those the glue on plastic tabs with all thread? I felt that was a pragmatic solution, but my car didn't come with a 3rd brake light and all the lenses I found on eBay had melted (at the time, I'm sure there are good examples to be had).

Thanks for your honesty opinion!

mark9208

Hi Won24,

How was your success with the brake light? I have been searching all over to replace mine but have been unsuccessful. Octoclassic sells the outer shell only and top parts have them also for sale but top parts’ third brake light is slightly different so I worry it won’t fit mine hence I wanted to buy one in a complete set (console/brake light /assemblies etc) btw Octo and Top Parts are all reproductions and are very very expensive. Do you have any leads or anyone on the board reading could lead me to a source to purchase the third brake light? Thanks

Mark
W124 1994 E220 cream beige

Won24

Honestly I kind of lost interest with Khomer's response. I didn't delete the model or anything, just been busy with life and haven't prioritized it in a long time. I was also desiging it to be 3D printed and small batch manufactured. I have to realize that people don't really want something unless it's $100-$150 and for me to produce it at that price I have to make an injection molding machine. Which isn't out of the realm of possibility, but it is going to take a back seat for a while. If you're interested I could probably finish the project and print one off in the next couple of months... I still haven't been hassled for missing my 3rd brake light, then again there's much worse things on Southern California roads than me without a 3rd brake light in a W124. Also, most folks who would gripe probably just assume the car never had one.

Been more focused on designing and aquiring all the parts to do my powertrain swap. Still waiting for US Shift to release the Quick 10 . Probably putting the 606.962 in my car in the next couple of weeks. Brushing up on my CAN bus knowledge so I can make a custom dash along with a bunch of other stuff that I probably shouldn't do to the car. Eventually I want to reconfigure the factory dash to function electronically because I like the original look, but I'm not going without an odometer or speedo in the car when I remove the 722.4. It also feels like way more work than just setting up a screen that I can adjust and reconfigure.

But, if there's a reason to do it, I'll gladly work on it when I feel like relaxing . It was pretty close, I decided I needed to redesign the base/pedestal too and never got around to removing the trunk deck lid as I figured I'd end up scanning, then breaking, and redesigning a bunch of other plastics along the way.

I remember considering designing it around breaking the original out because mine wasn't much more than a dry sandcastle of plastic that could also somehow deeply wound me if I wasn't wearing gloves. It aslo seemed easier for the end user to replace it that way. I don't recall if I ever could find the proper procedure for replacing that pedestal, but I do remember looking around and deciding I had to remove more than I wanted to get at the nut on the underside.

mark9208

hi Won,

Well I wish the part wasn’t NLA. I know Mb online parts in the US according to their site have stock however they don’t ship internationally. I wish you were able to produce them and yes I am interested 😁
I did manage to find two companies that can reproduce the part. This one is in UK but the price is too high for me USD 218!! But it does look like the original and quality looks good based on pics.


I found another shop that can reproduce called top classic parts and they are slightly more reasonable at USD 159. Only part that I’m concerned is that it’s slightly different from the original:


I agree with you, just a slight touch would render the item useless.
Thanks,
Mark

nehuge

Whatever replacement you get, I'd recommend getting a "matte" automotive clear coat that you spray on from very far away, like a mist, super light coats at a time to keep texture to prevent the sun (window tint or not) from making it brittle again.
I horded plastic interior parts from junkyards (in the pacific northwest especially as they don't have tons of sun here or heat) just because it's hard to find things now.