| in no particular order ... 1. Kickplates ... either polished or brushed aluminum (or stainless). I also don't mean just a square plate that bolts on to the OEM plastic piece - I mean an actual fitted piece to replace the OEM unit. There's a company that makes them, but they have unecessary, cheapo indiglo stuff and cost about $500 (ouch) per pair. For $150 or so per set, I think they would fly off the shelves. 2. Stainless Steel Replica Keys ... replica of the titanium keys. Sure, a new titanium one would be nice, but stainless would be almost as good and a lot cheaper. Even the repro keys I've seen were $100 a pop or more ... so a stainless reproduction for $40 would be a steal (and probably very profitable). 3. An aluminum MAS adapter for the Z that incorporates the venturi curved part for smooth airflow. This of course would be designed so that a Z enthusiast could run out to the nearest auto zone and buy a K&N filter to slap on for a cheap, effective "POP Charger" set-up. Their are companies that make these, but they are either far away (Canada) or overcharge (ie $30 for a $15 piece). 4. Strut braces that fit without rubbing ... and look good (and don't cost an arm and a leg). 5. Short Shifter Kit. Stillen's is nice ... but very expensive. The cheapest one out there is RVM (~$110), and I'm sure they're able to turn a profit on that. While there are alternatives out there (Woody's or others on TT.net), the action of a purpose-built sherical bearing shifter is unbeatable. 5. Suspension components ... specifically camber kits, adjustable tension rods etc. These are parts that every Z owner with 100,000+ miles probably needs, but doesn't want to pay $500 for (especially when about $20.00 of metal is actually used). 6. Polished aluminum or stainless (or chromed) plenum covers (or whatever the plstic engine cover panel is called). I have seen people paint them, remove them etc in attempts to improve the engine bay looks. If he could come up with a stylish chromed or polished replacement, I think people would be interested in it (I would). 7. A polished or brushed bezel to go around the base of the shift boot. This would be easy to make (and cheap) and would spruce up the interior of any Z. 8. Inexpensive divoraced downpipes. No offense to anyone else selling them already (because there are a couple TT.net members that do), but a decent cheap set of these would be great. I find it difficult to brandish $400-600 for a couple of foot-long pipes that carry engine waste - you know? I understand their importance from the performance standpoint though which is why they are desirable. Anyway, if your uncle could come up with a set priced at $250 or less, I'm sure he'd be able to sell plenty. Other exhaust components would likely sell too. Surprisingly, it's somewhat difficult to find a well designed X-pipe for the Z. I was personally tempted to buy one of the X-connections for a C-5 Corvette and adapt it to work on a Z. Most Z X-pipes are just 2 bent pipes that are welded together ... and there's more to it than that. If he could offer a well designed X-pipe that wasn't $300, I think he could sell a bunch. (see below) Poorly designed (common): well-designed (the top one in particular): Etc ... I think the key to the products is to make quality stuff, and then charge a reasonable price. Stillen's stuff is good, but they rape their customers on price. If there alternative sources of quality products at better prices, you would definitely be able to sell stuff. I also think that people are typically willing to invest a bit more in a functional part (ie a shifter) than in a decorative part (ie a chromed engine cover), so prices must be set accordingly. The other key to selling (in my opinion) is that he would have to stand behind his product. While Stillen's stuff is overpriced, they do provide the necessary backing when products fail ... which is one reason why people are willing to invest in their parts in the first place. Also, if he's selling online, a good website with clear descriptions and high-res photo links makes all the difference in purchasing (which is why Courtesy Nissan's site does well). Delivery time is also very important (as we have witnessed from the past Ztoys delivery delays). That's my personal recommendations ...
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22:09:29 12/31/02
Here's what I would make if I had the skills ... - 
