Now metal is going to be a tough one. I've talked to several machine shops and custom metal fab. shops and nobody wants to take a crack at it. Even if they could they say the pieces would easily be over 200 a set.

 

talk to a sandcasting shop instead. They should be able to make a mold from an original piece and poor in aluminum and make a set for $20 or so. All that will need to be done is some polishing afterwards.

 

If you could make a set for 40 bucks, tap the proper holes and fit the right bolt and shine them up, you'd have a hot item - make a fortune on eBay selling them at $120 a set... but I bet Mazda has a design patent on their shape.

 

Ok, for painting them there are a couple of colors of "anodizing" I have seen You start with a silver base, then paint the color over it and lastly put a clear coat on. The two colors that I have seen are blue and red. I've used the blue on computer cases but not the red. Of course, I have the Velocity Red so if these plastic strakes ever come to fruition, I may just have to invest in a set.

Has anyone ever thought about puting on more than 2 per side?

It's off to Photo Shop I go!

 

Here is a photo shopper of a Red with anodized strakes. Not only that but also I added a third strake, just to see what that would look like too.

 

And thanks to another posting from a forum member here is his original gray with three strakes.

 

Mazda suggests that each OEM strake is unique (at least they are labelled uniquely), so you may find that getting three to fit well is exceptionally difficult. I think it possible you'd have to shape each one individually and could not use the OEM strakes as templates because the angles to fit to the body of the car would be wrong. Perhaps it wouldn't be much of a problem, but I think it's something one would need to consider carefully. Then again, they may all be the same and just labelled differently for convenience.

Another point is that you'd have to make sure that the posts would work in the locations you select... as I recall the fender grill, it is not possible to put posts through any hole... some are covered over with supporting plastic on the back side (I think, but am not sure). That middle strake particularly concerns me as I think there may be a supporting plastic strip dead center on the back of the fender grill.

 

You can see the supporting plastic in this photo... which shows that the support plastic is not dead center but in two strips about 1/3 up and 2/3 up...

 

Yeah, I see the support plastic strips. However, we are talking custom made strakes in the earlier part of this thread.

I did look at the drawings, even copied one of the lower strakes onto the upper strake and they were identical.

However, that is an illustration. In an actual photo of the strakes laid out, one of them is longer than the other but it may be due to angle of the photo.

Also, if one were to mount a custom strake through an area other than the obvious strips, all you would need is a backing material similar in composition or even a simple washer. On some other post, I thought they were also affixed with some adhesive other than the tape that the photo I am posting shows.

 

I love the third strake!!!! I want 3 strakes....... can this be done?

 

Where there is a will, there is a way but not at the present moment.

 

When I first saw the stakes at the dealers I was not impressed - but looking at the colour matched / triple stakes - sign me up !!! - John

 

Yep, I really like the tripple strake look too.

 

3 looks like too much to me

kinda like the crossfire

 

the strakes DO NOT mount to the 2 plastic strips in the grill. They use a bolt on the back of the strake that slides through the honeycomb openings and then used a nut/washer on the backside.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the upper and lower strake is different. Adding a 3rd would need some more redesigning to match the body curve.

 

Most likely all three would have to be redesigned if one were to want three.

I'm still thinking about what an "average" person can do to make them instead of depending on casting and milling a metal as described above.

I'm trying to think of a material that would be easy to sand into shape without all of the extreme measures. I'm guessing some sort of plastic. I remember in shop class way back in the latest of the 60's how we used to use an acrylic sheeting that could be glued together with a solvent to get any thickness you would want. We made screwdriver handles out of them after shaping with bench sanders and belt sanders to get the rough shape then water sandpaper to make them as smooth as glass. If one is good at doing such shaping, then mounting to the grille could be done by cutting the head off a bolt, heating it up to red hot then melting it into the acrylic strike and affixing it to the grille through the openings by way of the nut and washer. These acrylics came in many colors, however any color desired could be painted this acrylic if you could not find the color of your desire after they are manufactured.

Sure casting one would be much easier if this process would be accessible but I know no one who has this ability.

This is just one method. I also bought something a long time ago and just kept it around. It's a chrome material with an adhesive backing. Not sure how flexible with a curve surface it would be but, it could be cut into a pattern that would have seams that would be almost undetectable.

Ah, the wonders of the mind, mine is always thinking.

Yea, though any process that would take to do this is time consuming, however, my time with something like this is my own.

I don't know, maybe I'm just dreaming and cheap.

 

Um... did you not read... I'm the one producing plastic cast versions of these. I'm sending out two sets to the lucky folks a few threads behind. After I get feedback I'll put them on the board for sale in the parts section. You'll be able to paint them any colour as they'll arrive primer gray. Yes, they'll be cheaper than the metal ones.

 

Yes, I did read and I would be interested in your final product depending on cost. I think it a great idea.

Um...if you read the above posts you would see that I was just looking at a DIY method and not as a mass product as you are attempting.

Also, I asked about interest in a three strake/side set up and if you read above, there were a few who are. A third strake would make neccessary a redesign since we would be talking about different placement than the original. The cast plastic strakes you are producing would only be substitutes for the aluminum ones which are way over priced and would only work in a two strake set up.

I'm not trying to undermine your venture here. I applaud it!

 

Well guys i am designing some strakes, my boss is a enginer and he is helping me, we will start with aluminum and go from there, maybe anodize some but still in the built work...so keep me inform in some adition you guys will like.. thinking on going 100 for the set...keep you guys posted and some pics pretty soon,

 

3 strakes wouldn't require a re-design. Just put one in the middle. They're already pretty well centered, why complicate things? :D

--Landon

 

Yes- three strakes if posible- that would be great for $100

 

Sign me up also!!!

 

The cut angles of the middle (3rd strake) are different. Those two of you who are still waiting the free sets please be patient. I've trashed many sets already making sure the quality is going to be acceptable (and above hopefully!).

 

No problem... I'd rather you get them right than get them quick.

 

why do you guys want three strakes like the crossfire?