Visit our Popular Forums

TMiller · 05-04-2005, 08:17 AM

Our local community college is interested in reproducing obsolete Airstream parts. I have a call in to Airstream as well as Andy at Inland RV to see if some kind of arrangement can be worked out. The college students are in the Industrial Engineering degree programs and are interested in replicating obsolete parts from existing parts and blueprints, etc. The college may also be interested in replicating old electronic control panels, etc. I'll have to check and see if the electrical engineering or electronics students might be interested in repairing them, as well. The college would like to make this a student run venture that enables the students to generate an income to cover the cost of operating the 'business'. So is anyone out there interested in having obsolete parts fabricated? I am hoping that Airstream will not think it a conflict of interest or something along that line.I am also hoping that Andy might be interested as well. Who knows? Maybe the students can reproduce the parts and Andy can sell them! This would be a great way to have those otherwise non-existant parts reproduced for the vintage trailers and motorhomes. The students should be able to reproduce just about anything with their state of the art machine shop. Let me know what you think. Thanks, Tom

flyfshr · 05-04-2005, 08:43 AM

Tom -
This is a great idea! I don't see how Airstream would have an issue with it if the parts are no longer manufactured. There is a demand for the parts and they no longer make them.

The students will learn invaluable insight to running a business and creating products in a low run operation. Tough to teach that from a textbook.

FF

markdoane · 05-04-2005, 09:07 AM

The first lesson they should learn is not to get to closely locked up with a single distributor. You should include Vintage RV Enterprises (airstreamdreams.com) and maybe a few other distributors like Oasis.

overlander63 · 05-04-2005, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdoane

The first lesson they should learn is not to get to closely locked up with a single distributor. You should include Vintage RV Enterprises (airstreamdreams.com) and maybe a few other distributors like Oasis.

I hope not, but I fear the first lesson they learn may be that any company does not look kindly upon someone producing items they hold patents on, even if the items haven't been produced in decades. The second lesson they may learn is the amount of $$$ that licensing those items may cost...
I hope that is not the case, and I am just being cynical, time will tell.

scf31 · 05-04-2005, 10:09 AM

I hope it goes better than the decal thingy went,"trademark infringment"Good luck to them,

dscluchfc · 05-04-2005, 10:20 AM

Notice that since the decal thread was nonceremoniously scrubbed and exterminated from the forum, that NOT ONE WORD has been forthcoming about the decal debacle?

Condoluminum · 05-04-2005, 11:22 AM

Just to respond to Argosy20's point, patents only have a life of 17 to 19 years, and when they expire anyone can use the design and make the product or part...

There is reluctance by manufacturers in a number of industries to permit newcomers to make new parts using the designers old drawings, but more for fear of designer being held liable for design or manufacturing defects... This can be cured if new manufacturer clearly distinguishes their product from brand and original manufacturer sourcing.

THis is theory Piper is using to try (unsuccessfully) to keep small companies from building new clones of Piper Cub airplanes, designed in 1936. It is also an issue with "Counterfeit parts", where unauthorized supplierrrs sell fake parts of low quality and represent them as originals...

John McG

Tin Hut · 05-04-2005, 03:32 PM

I agree with the previous poster. I'd certainly contact Airstreamdreams. They have duplicated at least one or more parts already and they have a good reputation for quality & customer service.

Creampuff · 05-04-2005, 08:59 PM

TMiller:
Great idea. One item I'd like to see reproduced are the original style 'stinkpipe' and plumbing vent covers- the round plasticy ones that appear to be vacuum formed for the pre-70's trailers.

plowboy · 05-04-2005, 09:12 PM

How about producing 1959 door handles. There aren't any aftermarket one's available. Maybe interior light fixtures. Just the metal part.
I'm sure if they contacted any of the vintage parts places, the "expert's"

could tell them which parts are needed the most.

Paul

eubank · 05-04-2005, 09:18 PM

Actually, it shoudn't be that difficult! In the car market, aftermarket parts are very commonplace, after all.

Lynn

Anon · 05-04-2005, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin Hut

I agree with the previous poster. I'd certainly contact Airstreamdreams. They have duplicated at least one or more parts already and they have a good reputation for quality & customer service.

Airstreamdreams ROCKS!
My brother has ordered from them and they will find ANY answer for you whether you buy from them or not!
REALLY nice people!

overlander63 · 05-05-2005, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eubank

Actually, it shoudn't be that difficult! In the car market, aftermarket parts are very commonplace, after all.

Lynn

Lynn, auto parts are only made available by the aftermarket after a particular part has been produced by an auto manufacturer for 10 years, unless the auto manufacturer releases the patent before then. If the aftermarket people think there is enough market for an item, they may develop a similar part on their own, with the dimensions very, very close, but not dead on. This difference keeps them out of court for patent infringement. The down side to this is, the parts are slightly different, and the installer may have to get creative to put them on your car.
When you produce the exact same item, with all the dimensions exactly the same, is when you get into trouble with the legal eagles.

VintageRV · 05-05-2005, 08:15 AM

Murray,

I think I read your mind. We'll have the plastic plumbing stack covers ready to go in a couple weeks.

Steve Hingtgen
AirstreamDreams.com

TMiller · 10-09-2005, 11:14 AM

I just received some great news from the college prof., whose students are replicating my 'Land Yacht' emblem for a student project. He stated that the 'half-size' mold for the robotic machinery is "awsome" and is "virtually identical" to the one that I gave him to work from. He also spoke with an Airstream official, who gave thier blessings for him to reproduce and make them available to others! The prof. stated that they should have the first one 'cut' by next week or so. He, also, is quite excited because he is hoping that the sales of these plaques (and any other parts that restorers might need replicated by his students) will generate money for their program so as to enable his students to attend and compete in national competitions. I will post side by side pictures of my 'old' emblem and the newly replicated emblem as soon as I get it. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing a plaque and/or need any other parts replicated. Once the first plaque is 'cut', he should be able to determine the fair market cost for the plaques. We should also be able to provide them either unpainted or painted, depending on how you would like it. Please let me know if anyone is interested. I will try to check this site periodically, but either way, feel free to email me with any questions.
By the way....The plaque they are reproducing for me is approximately 11.5 inches by 3.5 inches (approximately 3/8 inches thick) and has the word 'Land Yacht' ingraved in a fancy script. The word 'Land Yacht' is painted in a light blue and the border, also ingraved into the plaque, is painted in red. Tom

TMiller · 10-09-2005, 11:37 AM

Regarding the 'stinky pipes', door handles and other needed parts. If you can, we need detailed photos with measurements and /or line drawings, or even better---the actual part to make a mold or robotic program for, in order to have the students replicate the parts. I just posted an update under General Repair forums. Let me know if you are interested. Tom

72 tradewind · 10-09-2005, 02:12 PM

I need one of those! I'll buy one!

flyfshr · 10-09-2005, 02:24 PM

How about a vertical reefer style door handle from the '59 to appr. '61 models? These are in pretty high demand. Here's a picture of the whole unit. The handle is what breaks usually just below the lock.

FF