Thank you very much for taking the time to request feedback from our forum.
One thing I would like is to replace my 72 fastback quarter trims, but there have been reports from people that have bought them that the fastback quarter panels you sell at the moment have quality issues. A couple that I remember are that trimming is required to fit the floor, misalignment of mounting holes, front lip on the repop panel doesn't suit the Mustang windlace, and that the quarter trims are made from material that is way too thin.
Is this feedback that you have heard before? Because if the above is true then it sounds like some minor tweaks to the design could make a big difference in the usability (and hence the desirability) of these parts. I know I've personally been turned off by the feedback and I'm just waiting for the day that someone reports that they bought some quarter trims made of suitably solid material that dropped straight in without any mods and look great to boot. When I hear that I will open up my wallet in anticipation!
I am sorry, I have been completely unaware of the feedback, which is why, when I heard about it, I immediately turned to you all. I do have to add that, with most of our parts, you may have to do some trimming (addressing about the floor). We did it that way because with a lot of older cars, there are so many differentials that we decided to leave enough room for those circumstances. We figured it was best to give too much, instead of too little. I do realize it is a hassle for some people, but it was the only way to account for everyone. Now, seeing that a lot of people don't like it that way, would it be possible to tell me exactly how much modification is needed. Maybe we can meet in the middle somewhere so that you don't have to trim as much. I don't know exactly how much is too much. That's why I'm hoping someone here could help me.
For the mounting holes, would it be better to leave off the mounting holes altogether so that you could drill yourself? That way, you can get the holes square to what you need. For the convertibles, we leave off the holes for boot for the same reason (differentials) so if it would be better for you all to leave off the mounting holes, we can certainly do that.
For the upper lip not fitting the Mustang windlace, I haven't heard anything about that, but if someone could clarify for me, that would be great. Is the lip not long enough, wide enough, that kind of thing. It's something we absolutely want to address.
For the material, the ABS we use in 1/8" thick. During the vacuum-forming process, some places may become thinner but we adhere an additional piece of backing to it. It's not really needed, just put as a precaution. There are certainly pros and cons between ABS and fiberglass. With the ABS, it won't crack like the fiberglass, so putting the holes on the boot (even if it feels thin) won't damage or crack it. If it ever does, that means the plastic is bad and we need to know about it immediately, which we will replace at no cost to you. With fiberglass, you get the extra thickness, but it's not flexible. Let me ask, if we made it out of a thicker material, would you be willing to pay more for the part? We considered making it thicker, but we would have to raise the price for them and consequently afraid that people would be turned away from it for that reason (especially in this economy). The plastic would be 1/16" thicker and it's a significant difference. It's a fire retardant material but it's quite a bit more on our end. Without doing the correct calculations, it would probably raise the price a good $50-$75. Is this something you all would be on board for?
I hope this has opened the doors for discussion for all of you. I would like your input. We really do appreciate your feedback. I am hoping to get on other forums (for other years) and do the same thing. So, you are teaching me how this all works. Thank you again!
