3D Printed Fender Tags

[DAY CLONA]

This project has become part of a side business I'm putting together to bring 3D printing technology to the classic car world

Very NICE! indeed, the latest revision looks very well executed, ignore the naysayers and numbers police, looks like it could become a good niche market product, lots of people looking for unique or personalized fender tags

Mike G

[VegasCharger]

.....ignore the naysayers and numbers police.....

After all it's just a FRIGGIN' nameplate, you know a data tag. I never seen or heard a cop asking you to pop the hood so he/she can inspect the fender tag. Some cars are missing their original fender tag, is that misrepresentation of the vehicle? They are attached with phillips head screws and are easy to remove unlike a pop-riveted VIN plate hiding under the windshield (in most cases). Cops only care about the VIN tag not a fender tag or a build sheet.

[Challenger340]

Nice project  

That said,
if you are worried about someone stealing your original Fender Tag ?   Why not just leave your Hood down at car shows ?
just say'in 2 things....
1. WTF good is a Fender tag with NO car to match ? "oh lookee here Grog, I gotta data tag for a '69 dodge"
and
2. I never understood why people open their hoods at Car shows anyways ?
I don't open my hood at show-n-shines etc., and if someone wants a 'Boo they can come see me, ask, and then I'll supervise.    Lots of people do, not a problem... then closed again.

[Challenger340]

Earlier you said;

I really don't want to have any association with anyone even attempting to fraudulently represent a car

Now you say;

I'm thinking $40 for a pair of tags (one for the car & one for the wall or just a backup) and can be customized to show any combination of options, original or not. 

So pick one or the other, the second option leads to fraud. 

I would tend to agree very simply because always the slippery slope... and always someone trying to misrepresent, unfortunately it just seems to be human nature ?

[Homerr]

The problem here would probably be at a point of sale, not a car show. 

A noob being shown an engine code for a hemi could believe it.  But I still support figuring out some way to make these happen.  And getting a 3d printed tag isn't really going to stop a motivated fraudster from getting out an X-acto knife to cut off 'display only' on a plastic tag.

Maybe instead of raised letter, do it in depressed letter font.

But, of course, Comic Sans font is the only real answer.

[6pkrtse]

I think they are pretty cool. Good way to store the original and just use one of there on the street/cruise nights/shows.

[Nacho-RT74]

Venezuelan Mopars never got any kind of fender tag because all were optioned the same on every year, just being different on colors combo to each other, so at the end I built my car with all options I have been able to add or change being not "restricted" by a fender tag. Maybe I could play with that just for fun. But by now I'm not able to pay $40 for that.

[Bronzedodge]

I believe the point some were trying to make....

Say someone wants you to make a tag for their J code 69 Charger.  Then they find some snowflake fish with more money than brains and sell them a 318 Charger with one of your tags.   The buyer, while uniformed, has money for a good lawyer.  In our over-litigious society, you get named in the court proceedings.  Maybe it's a long shot, but you might need a method to protect yourself.

[DAY CLONA]

I believe the point some were trying to make....

Say someone wants you to make a tag for their J code 69 Charger.  Then they find some snowflake fish with more money than brains and sell them a 318 Charger with one of your tags.   The buyer, while uniformed, has money for a good lawyer.  In our over-litigious society, you get named in the court proceedings.  Maybe it's a long shot, but you might need a method to protect yourself.

I'd think any litigation would hover around the fabricated/attached VIN tag on that scenario, rather than a plastic/resin fender tag which has no context in legally defining the vehicle's identity

[Dano 1]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys I value everyone's opinion.

I believe the point some were trying to make....

Say someone wants you to make a tag for their J code 69 Charger.  Then they find some snowflake fish with more money than brains and sell them a 318 Charger with one of your tags.   The buyer, while uniformed, has money for a good lawyer.  In our over-litigious society, you get named in the court proceedings.  Maybe it's a long shot, but you might need a method to protect yourself.

Bronzedodge you hit on my #1 fear with this whole endeavor. My hope would be by including 'display only' or 'reproduction' language on the tag I would remove any personal liability but I may need to check with an expert on that one. Still someone could buy a tag and modify it to remove that language but my assumption would be that at that point they would own the liability since they modified the product and essentially removed the disclaimer.

Day Clona and others make valid points about the fender tag not being integral in the legal identity of the car the same way the actual VIN plate is. If someone were trying to pass off a plain Jane 318 car as a hemi 4-speed they'd have to do a lot more work than just getting a plastic fender tag.

I'm going to mock up some designs with additional language and see how they look, stay tuned!

[Kern Dog]

Thank you. I am interested.   

[70 sublime]

Your tag is made from plastic so there is no way anyone can say that is factory original and claim anything on it as being 100 % anything
If you have a crappy half rotten out original and get a plastic one made that matches and looks good that is fine
If you get a fantasy plastic tag made to match the new colour on your car ( or what ever changes ) so what
If I get a chunk of cardboard and a pen and say my car has a hemi does that make it real

I think you are good just because the tag is plastic in the first place

[Kern Dog]

I'm with you on that, Sublime....

[Mopar Nut]

Those are cool.

[Pat1973charger]

I'd consider something like this for my car. The tag was so rusty it was not legible and when I attempted to remove it it basically crumbled. I know enough from clues of the car to pretty much put together a tag that would represent it well enough. It would be nice to just have something there as I find it "completes" the
Look of the engine compartment. I actually saved one from a 69 New Yorker I just stripped I was going to slap that on there just for looks if it came down to
It.

[Charger_Dart]

I agree, it kind of finishes off the engine compartment. My Dart didn't have a tag on it when I bought it and it would be nice to have something on the inner fender where those 2 holes are!

[Dano 1]

Alright here we go, some branding to make sure no one gets confused about the intent here. The text can either be raised or cut into the surface, I think it might be marginally harder for someone to cut/grind raised letters off than to just fill de-bossed letters with bondo or similar filler. Thoughts/comments/concerns/feelings?

[CRW-FK5]

Either way.  I prefer top location over side.

[70 sublime]

I am not a fan of the extra reproduction or display only part
Could you just add one more code after the END code say NOT which stands for non original tag ?
Everyone knows that the END is factory but the NOT would make it different but not interfere too much with the original feel

Just my 2 cents worth 

[Kern Dog]

I am probably biased or unable to give an impartial view but to me, the different font and the fact that it is plastic should be enough to avoid the impression of fraud.
Maybe newbies or idiots would be fooled but not the Mopar guys that I know.

[TexasStroker]

I think a lot of people would gladly buy a set, even with "dispaly only" or some other disclaimer given the fact so many fender tags are in such rough shape.  I've seen lots of folks go for high end restos and they wind up having a big eye sore with rusted thru, gummed up fender tags.  Would also be cool for the people who legitimately don't have tags...whether they were lost in the 70s, a body shop junked them, who knows...just completing the car and filling the holes would be a perk.

Like Kern and a few others I'd personally be more interested in adding my own option codes and subtle messages.

On a different side of the equation...I think BIG versions would be really welcome for show and display.  I'm talking 4" x 6" versions that someone could overlay there, have on the dash, in a framed display etc.  That makes the font HUGE and easier to read for those interested who may not have the best eye sight.  That also keeps people from scratching fenders.

8" x 10" would be cool for a plaque size to go in the shop, or office.  I wouldn't even mind having the Charger script on it etc.  Lots of possibilities on that front, although using the nameplates and logos would definitely open the door for legal issues...unless you license them, which likely prices the tags out of most people's budget.

I'll definitely keep following along...also interested to see what else you print.  I don't have access to one, but I always wanted to try and print the center vents...seems like it could be done, tested, and then easily marketed.  Keep me in mind for that one 

[69 500]

 why would you even waste your time?? some people have to figure out for them selves what is or is not a waste of time, don't know how much money you have invested in equipment but I believe in the end you efforts will go the same way the Edsel did. 

[Homerr]

My vote is for one 'DISPLAY ONLY' at the top, and then replace the second one with 'Dano1.com' or whatever your URL is.  This would make it super obvious that this is an internet era item and in no way original.

[DAY CLONA]

why would you even waste your time?? some people have to figure out for them selves what is or is not a waste of time, don't know how much money you have invested in equipment but I believe in the end you efforts will go the same way the Edsel did. 

Maybe your "view" on the subject matter is "narrow"?....


Many possibilities here for these tags other than just mounting them on an inner fender, some (myself included) want some custom tags in plastic made for other purposes..... makes for a cool key chain/ring attachment, esp if you have a lot of cars and have no designated identity for your various key sets, and depending on what Dan is willing/able to print, would make for one really cool "business card"  for a high end repeat customer/shop... and depending on how affordable Dan can make these, I'm sure there will be plenty of Mopar guys who would spring for a plastic tag repro style or custom, esp when they find out the cost of a metal repro tag, and the hoops you need to jump thru to obtain one, even a custom metal tag starts at over $100+ depending on what you want it to say... the list of ideas for these tags are only limited to one's imagination, so pissing on his effort isn't really cool man 




Mike

[Kern Dog]

why would you even waste your time?? some people have to figure out for them selves what is or is not a waste of time, don't know how much money you have invested in equipment but I believe in the end you efforts will go the same way the Edsel did. 

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