Premiere Plastics Dumping Cuda Grilles

[Old Moparz]

Wonder why, & what other items they might not ever get to? (Does that mean Charger grilles too?)

In the new Mopar Collectors Guide, Premiere Plastics has a small business card sized ad. The ad shows a front end on a 1971 Cuda with the words "Final Production Run" & a price of $499 plus shipping. This is actually have the first ad I've seen other than an ebay listing. I didn't buy the magazine last night when I saw it, but I may get it this week. I have no idea why such a hot item would be so quickly dropped unless Chrysler was on their backs or someone paid them to stop, like a competitor.

I'm not posting to bad mouth them or start rumors & speculation, I was content with the grille I had gotten from them. I just wanted to post this in case someone else was anticipating a future purchase of a Cuda grille, or even a Charger grille from them if they ever make one. At $499, it's a good deal because I paid $599 just over a year ago. I also just saw an "I-have-to-have-that-part-and-win-the-auction-by-paying-too-much-bidder" on ebay pay $1000 for a repro grille. 

[sixpack70]

That sucks, I was looking forwad to 70 charger grills some day... Now it looks like I will have to hunt for a crappy old one some day.

[Charger Aficionado]

  This is being done because mold is wearing somewhat, and will not be re-made...  And because L&P announced they will make it (BIG COMPETETOR)...  AND to make room for NEW CHARGER GRILLES!   He still has my NOS '69...  I'm DYING to get that thing back!  I told him to make PLEANTY of molds out of it, because he isn't getting it back!!!

[Charger_Fan]

If I were him, I wouldn't stop making them just because L&P is getting into it. I'm betting L&P will farm them out to China, where they'll just end up being screwed up & have to sell them at a discount. to get rid of them.
If the Premiere guy car make another set of molds & retain the quality control, buyers will come.   Actually, if he's still planning on making Charger grilles, that's better anyway...that way he can concentrate on cornering the market for those!

[Charger Aficionado]

  I just got the L&P Blem Console for $150, and it looks AWESOME.  Since they are making those, PPR is canceling it's plans to make consoles.  Only thing PPR would have made a "Grate" in the rear section where L&P made it as the original...

[Old Moparz]

Jude,

I have a couple of questions about the mold used. When I spoke to Steve Sexton from Premiere Plastics in October 2004 before buying mine, he told me the mold was aluminum, so why would that wear out? Is the mold made from silicon like a few others have suggested? If the mold is indeed silicon, then why say it's aluminum? I do know the tooling would be expensive for aluminum, but why say something different?

Scott Smith from Harms Automotive, who posts on Moparts, suggested that after seeing all my photos, that the mold was silicon & not aluminum. All I could say in defense of the grille at the time, was what Steve Sexton at Premiere had told me. Now it sounds like cost cutting or just no interest in finishing the process. The silicon molds are generally used for a prototype before an aluminum.

It makes no difference to me since the grille I have is adequate for what I paid, but don't tell people different things. It would be best to not say a word.

Bob

[Charger Aficionado]

  I honestly don't get into all the particulars with him.  It would be in his best interest to make a really nice mold for the '69 Grille...  I'll chat at him about all of this...  I'll let you know...

[DC_1]

, he told me the mold was aluminum, so why would that wear out?

I am assuming they are injection molding the parts in which case the process of continually injecting the plastic (in its melted state) into the mold is very abraisive. Aluminum is a soft material and is typically used for prototype molds because it can be machined quickly and will produce parts from the 100's to the low thosands......it is less expesive than hardened material like D2 or P20 which is the type of steel production tools are made out of for shooting 200,000 - 400,000 parts. As the mold wears out the part thinkness changes and the mold begins to flash (leak out through the edges) and parts become very inconsistant.