TDR 427 Roadster is Now for Sale

[DaytonaTim]

Ok....... It has been a long time coming........

Syd has been shaking down this kit for the past year and is rapidly approaching the finish. We hit a few bumps in the road but with Syds help we have made design changes to correct the problem.

The new TDR 427 is breaking new ground in many areas and is changing the way you will build models in the furture. Gone will be the days of setting around wishing you could purchase this part or that part to customize your latest build. We have broken up the TDR 427 Roadster kit into multiple "Package-kits" that will allow you to purchase the necessary parts in smaller groups and allow your model to grow at a rate you are in control of.

Heck.......just think of how much space you will save in your model room when you do not have 5 large scale models setting on that shelf.....and under your work bench......and maybe in your wifes closet.....!!!

OK, enough chit chat. Here is the link to the new Shapeways store front for TDR Innovations.

TDR Innovations by tdr.innovations on Shapeways

The new store front only has about 40 some kits in it. It will be growing over the next couple of weeks.

You will find the individual "Shops" over on the right hand side of the page. These shops are a convient grouping of our kits to help you find what you are looking for. You will find two shops that contain all the printed parts for the TDR 427 Roadster, they are the "TDR Roadster Frame Shop" and the "TDR Roadster Trim Shop". Since the Package-kits in these shops are designed to produce a specific project, you will find them numbered. This is the recommended order that the modeler should purchase them in as his project grows.

This new manufactureing process has really opened a whole new world to TDR. We will begin to offer individual parts for you the modeler to buy. You will be able to purchase as many Holley carbs as you want, and maybe pick up a new Nitrous Oxide kit, and what the heck throw in a universal kit too...... Just think of TDR as your "Model Buffet" pick out what you want....when you want.

One of the major benifits of using the Shapeways rapid prototyping company is that we can now offer our parts in many different materials. If you are on a tight budget, there is an economical material though it will need a little more finish work. If you have a little extra coin in your piggy bank and not much time for finishing well, there are more expensive materials that produce near styrene quality strength and finish on its parts......and some amazing details too.......!!!

Now we have limited your selection of materials to just those that we feel will provide a good quality part for you. You do not have to worry about picking the wrong material. Not all materials are available on all kits. If the kit is made up of very small high detail parts....we limit your selections to the high detail materials. If the part is large and usually rough in real life...we give you the option of the more economical materials. Here is a brief summary of the materials that we offer our parts in.

1) White Strong Flexiable (WSF): This material is good for the larger parts we produce. It produces a very tough part, has good detail, and is the most economical material for our products at Shapeways. It does produce a "sand cast" finish but this finish is about 1/3 as rough as our old parts that you are use to, so it is smoother than our old materials and it produces better details.

2) Frosted Detail (FD): This material produces a finish that rivials styrene injection molded plastics and produces very very good detail. It is a good middle of the road matial and is my choice for all detailed 1/8 scale parts.

3) Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD): Is the ultimate in detail and finish. I strongly recommend this material if the kit contains tiny parts and it is the only material we offer 1/16 scale parts in.

Oh.....thats right.....I need to mention that we are now offering many of our parts and kits in 1/12 and 1/16 scale now too, with many many more still to come.

To find the smaller scale parts, just click on the 1/8 scale kits you like and if they are offered in the smaller scales you will find a link to them in the body of the text for the 1/8 scale parts!! The links are at the very begining of the text, so you will not have to search around for it. We plan to offery most of our parts in these smaller scales but we have to check the designs, one by one, and make sure they can be scaled down and printed in these smaller scales.

Ok, well go to our new store and look around. Let me know what you like, what you don't like, what kits you would like to see put in the store and in what direction you would like to see the store grow. We are at the begining of this store's development and it is a lot easier to change it now than it will be to change it later.

Lastly, I just want everybody to know that our old store at TDR Innovations Home Pageis still acive and still in buisness.

Thank You

Tim

TDR Innovations

[Harry P.]

So what does a complete kit go for?

Any price break if it's all bought at once?

I didn't "do the math," but just looking at the prices on the packages, you are talking some SERIOUS $$$ for a full kit.

[DaytonaTim]

Harry, that is not as easy a question to answere as you would think. We offer the Package-kits in multiple materials and these materials have different prices.

But I have crunched the numbers many different ways and here is how they shook out.

1) We are offering the kit in a curbside configuration (I still need to upload the unique curbside parts). You can build a curbside kit for about $1000

2) For the whole chassis, engine, and body kit you are looking at about $1600 to $2100 depending on the materials you choose to have your parts made in.

Now that price can be reduced also by building your sheet metal parts yourself. I am going to publish the instructions and the 8th scale patterns for all the sheetmetal and post them in our Google documents archive. So you can download them and print them out to create your own styrene sheeting or your own aluminum sheeting. Of coarse you will be able to purchase the sheet metal from TDR if you desire,

So, like I said, it is not as easy to answer your question as you would think.

I have been concentrating on getting this new SW store up, so time is kind of tight. I will list our sheet metal kits, and multimedia 427 SO engine in our old catalog here in the near future.

I hope this helps some

[old-hermit]

you are talking some SERIOUS $$$ for a full kit.

You didn't really think it was going to be cheap didja Harry !!!!! heh heh heh. $2000.00 for a kit ??? Lotsa luck.

[LR3]

Before wrapping up the interior, the exhaust and air ducts should be trial fitted. The realistic air ducts were made from the white RP material as a six-piece assembly.

There is a left and right so the bends should be inboard to leave room for wheel and tire.

Right now I am just checking to see how they will be finally attached before painting. There is a small hole in the sheet metal to allow a wire to pass through to align the parts, which also have holes in their ends. The front collector piece can be made to slip easily over the front hose end to allow for final mating adjustment when gluing to the body. The part mating with the foot box will fit against the foot box securely and it may be prudent not to glue it to the box as you might need to flex the sheet metal when fitting the body.

The collector can be temporarily held in place with masking tape.

The air ducts will be seen with the hood opened.

[LR3]

Now is a good time to consider how the exhaust mounts also. The exhaust has mating flanges to the manifold. It would have been helpful to glue 00-90 bolts into the exhaust manifold flange before originally mounting the engine. I have not been able to mount the bolts in the confined area now that the engine and sheet metal are in place. The exhaust pipe rear extension slides through an opening in the rear frame/floor support. It should not be attached until the body is finally mounted, then small straps can be made to hold the rear extension from being dislodged.

[Romell R]

Its a nice kit from what i can tell But I totally agree with Harry this is an expensive build, come on a 1000 bucks for a curb side, starting at 1600 Big 1's just to be able to show the motor. I guess I'll never own this one cause my pockets aren't that deep.

[Harry P.]

I applaud the effort, and I hope you actually can sell this.

I know you want a realistic return on your investment, everyone has a right to make a nice profit. But the cost of a full kit really has me wondering how many of these you can realistically sell. I mean, the price puts this into the realm of only the wealthiest of the hard core builders... your potential customer base has to be microscopic.

I could see this selling at a $300-500 level... maybe.

But at $2,000 I have some serious doubts that this is a viable product.

[DaytonaTim]

Guys, we are creating a new industy here. Rapid prototyping or on demand manufacturing is in the very early stages right now. Three years ago when we first started this little venture, to print a model out to this level of detail and surface finish would have cost $15,000 to $20,000 in printing costs alone!!!!!

The technology is improving and the cost is coming down. Someday you will be able to print these parts out on your desktop 3D printer, in your own house.

If you think we at TDR are motivated by money......... you could not be further from the truth. Modeling is a passion for us.

Tim

[Harry P.]

If you think we at TDR are motivated by money......... you could not be further from the truth. Modeling is a passion for us.

I didn't mean to imply that the price is inflated or based on greed... I assume the price is based on a fair return based on your production investment/costs.

And I don't doubt your sincere motivation. Like I said, making a profit is no crime and I wish you all the best. I really do. I just question how many people out there will be willing (or able) to lay out two grand for a model kit. It's like building a super-premium car. The price may be very fair based on the cost to manufacture the car... but realistically, how many potential customers do you have?

As I understand it, you'll be creating these on an "as needed" basis and not have to make the initial investment of creating an inventory... so you do have that going for you.

[DaytonaTim]

We built this kit for the exact reason why car companies build those "super-premium cars"....... to push ourselves....... to improve ourselves.

Just look at what has shaken out of this project. Now we can produce sheet metal parts, whe have developed a way of making wooden steering wheels, we are expanding our markets into the overseas areas, soon I will be looking into the use of water cutting equipment to produce photo etched parts, we are using new materials......and on and on and on....

You will never know what is over the next hill unless you put out the effort and go see...........

[stump]

Big congrats Tim.

The cost quoted/estimated would include delivery too, is that correct Tim ?

Which, when the size is taken into account, helps a good bit in my opinion...Shipping these items across country or o/seas can't be too cheap....

I've only purchased 2 small items previously, and they were from the "older" technology, I'm really looking forward to seeing my NEW bits I ordered the other day.

I doubt 3D'ing will ever out do the big model makers, but it sure as heck opens up the market for guys wanting something just that bit different.

You can be sure I'll be back Tim.....tho it may still take me a while to save for a Roadster. (if I stop buying other parts I'll be right..... )

[carsntrucks4you]

Tim,

congratulations on that job. I had purchased the Allison engine a few months ago, this kit is great a litle rough in detail, but thats rapid prototyping. I think with the new materials that you offer you are on the right side.

Speaking about the cost of a fully detailed 1/8 kit, you are over the price of the old Pocher kits. There is a company in Australia that offer a Ford Falcon XW GTHQ for about $1350 for a fully detailed diecast. So how is speaking about money? It will be exclusive so we have to pay.

I think to offer packages is a good solution so that the modeller can decide how much he want to spent and how far he want to build the model. The chassis alone is a model for itself.

There were some german guys who had offered a 1/8 Cobra during th late 70's/early 80'S for about $2500. But as far as I know they never sold a complete kit. If had that money at age of 18 I had to buy it. Also today its a lot of money to spent, but I'm going to order the first chassis parts.

When do you think that the engine, transmission and the body will be avialable?

Regards

Edited August 10, 2011 by carsntrucks4you

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Tim, Tony........could one of you guys post a couple pics showing a part or 2 printed in the newer materials...I think a photo showing the difference between the surface finishes of the lower cost printed material and the ultra detail would be very helpful for the members.

I know I was floored when I saw Tony's email pics of......... I think it was a 1/16th scale Chevy engine block.

I doubt that it would need more than minor finishing if any before primer and paint.

[DaytonaTim]

Don your timng is perfect. I just got something in from Shapeways.

Let's play a game.........can anybody guess what scale this body is?

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Look closely folks......this may surprise you.

[crazyjim]

1/32 scale.

[DaytonaTim]

Your pretty close Jim.........acutally it is 1/43!!

This is a test I ran for the Frosted Ultra Detail material. I wanted to push the material to its limits of thickness and detail and it did very well in both catagories.

This body will remind you of a vacuum formed slotcar body. It is only .020 thick so it is flimsy but the detail is all there. If you look closely at the back of the car you can see the Bugatti emblem.

Keep in mind that no finish work has been done to this body at all. All I did was soak it in Blech White for about an hour, washed it off, let it dry, and hit it with a very very thin coat of primer to bring out the details.

This material FUD is the best plastic material Shapeways offers. It has the smallest minimum thickness and the highest detail capabilities........it also has the highest price

The material that is a very close cousin to FUD is the Frosted Detail material (FD). This is the material I recommend for most parts. I have had identical 1/12 scale carbs and jackstands made in both the FD and FUD materials and I could not tell the difference between them. The best part is that the FD material is only about 60% of the cost of the FUD.

These new materials are a game changer. They are the materials that are allowing TDR to break into the 1/12 and the 1/16 scales. So if you are looking for these smaller scales, just click on the 1/8 scale parts in our catalog. If we offer the same kit in 1/12 or 1/16 then there will be links in the text to take you to the listing for these smaller scales. To see what I mean, just click this link and you will understand.

http://www.shapeways...tml?gid=sg93489

So you guys that like the 1/12 and 1/16 scales, stand by, we will be expanding our products into these areas. It will take some time and some redesigns of our produts but it will come.

Tim

[carsntrucks4you]

Today I got my first frame parts. The quality is much better than the older parts like the Allision. Great stuff. In my opinion it is worth the money.