The technique a 3D printing has made many car projects more, um, complete. Some discontinued parts can now be recreated from a computer-aided design – allowing for innovation and development. This is true for the owner of vintage wine Toyota Corolla who creates 3d parts a like it should have been at the factory but, you know, it wasn't.
Ryan owns it Fat Lip Groupa Melbourne, Australia-based 3D printer of classic car components and accessories. Mainly aimed at JDM Mazda, Nissanand Toyota models (eg, Corolla, RX-7, Silviaand Spé), the shop offers pieces for the Holden Commodoretoo. However, it is the meticulous level of detail and planning that Ryan puts into each CAD developed piece that sets him apart. Or, maybe it just makes him a normal mechanical engineer.
Consider his latest videoFor example. In the 26-minute explanation, Ryan focuses specifically on his rhyme, reason and rhythm in creating a new switch panel for his second generation KE25 Corolla. To Ryan, nothing is done without a reason, even if the reason is to fail.
“It's good to test things as you go before you run off and commit to a design, and maybe pay for a bunch of fabrication only to realize your mistakes when it's too late,” he said, as if from experience. “3D printing really is perfect. Fail fast and fail often.”
However, getting to the art of creative failure requires a lot of preparation work. Let's back up a bit. Ryan only wanted an “OEM plus” dash insert. Starting at the 2:25 Mark, he says he “wanted the switch panel to look like it could have been an option in 1974.” But with non-Toyota supercar inspiration, the thin style dash turns in Ferraris and DiTomasos in the 70s and 80s because he “likes the vibe. Other updates include indicator lights, legible text for each control, and the introduction of Omori JDM meter gauges.
One thing he is considering is making sure of 3d help a it is to OE spec and not the “arbitrarily cut” dash area which means forcing it to feed an aftermarket head unit. The Toyota dash is steel and plastic so materials come in as well. Ryan has to decide whether or not to replicate that. If the latter, he must use strong enough plastic and reconsider mounting supports. For the switches themselves, he openly talks about fuses, relays, and, importantly, what he wants to control.
And all this is happening before the pen-to-paper scene that feels like a scene from The Beautiful Mind. Add James Horner's score, and you have the montage of the thought process of a genius (before he goes mad). Fortunately, Ryan remains clear.
When he addresses why he created a separate custom piece instead of going the easier route of directly modifying the OEM dashboard, his reason is simple: it limits him. Changing the OE dash means that if it wanted to make more of the 3D printed hybrid, it would have to get more OE dashes, which Toyota doesn't do for the 50-year-old Corolla. Even with sufficient supply, the hybrid component may be difficult to reproduce. More importantly, it is to preserve the originality of non-replaceable parts.
“If I don't have to do it, I try not to,” he says.
Ryan won't show the finished product but will show off a PLA prototype print when the clock strikes 21:06. Keep in mind, even though it goes on to solder screws and connect the pieces, it's just a practice run until it gets perfect.
If you enjoy overlooking the devil in the details, check out the full make-the-dash video below, or any of Ryan's other 3D printed parts and how to restore cars.
Have you seen any other cool 3D printing car parts projects lately? Drop us a line at tips@thedrive.com.
