Re: [DML] Stainless Steel Facias

["Walter" <Whalt@xxxx>]

Skipper,

Are you sure that SS fascias are practical on a car? The polymer fascias
protect the body panels by flexing first. Custom rigid stainless fascias
probably will not tolerate the slightest bump even in a parking lot. And
then the energy could be transferred to a fender & hood and cause otherwise
avoidable damage.

I considered other ways of making 'mock up' stainless panels. Here is one
idea I'll throw to the group: How about using a process similar to adding
copper clad to fiberglass printed circuit boards? If you could attach
copper cladding to an OEM DeLorean fascia, then it could be nickel plated
and textured to match the stainless panels. Anyone familiar with custom
making printed circuit boards will know how well copper sticks to
fiberglass. I have a fantasy of copper cladding a fiberglass car body and
either clear coating the copper or go to an extreme using the copper base to
gold, nickel or chrome plate the entire car.

I'm not sure how close a match textured nickel plating would be to stainless
steel, but it certainly would be a closer match than the OEM silver paint.
Food for thought.

As for making other parts out of stainless, have you considered tail light &
license plate frames? That would look cool. You could cut that out of a
flat piece of 1/4" stock, add some clear lenses and put bright LEDs behind
it.

How about custom rear stainless louvers? I have heard rumors that someone
in Germany has made some, but I've never seen pictures.

Keep this up and you will look like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz. On
that note, have you ever seen a stainless steel shirt? I have. College
students in the SCA make them out of chain link. I want to get one and wear
it to a DeLorean show. When I'm not wearing my car, I can at least wear the
shirt.

Food for thought, thought for stainless, stainless for food,
Walt Tampa, FL