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If you're like me, you've put off buying reproduction rear trim nuts due to the ridiculous prices that they go for. $20+ for 6 plastic clip-on nuts? In response, I spent a comical amount of time designing a direct replacement for those nuts. They're made of PETG so they won't warp in the heat and the tabs are very flexible and not likely to break during installation. Unfortunately, PETG is also notorious for small wispy strings and surface defects that do not affect functionality. Regardless, I'm not gonna lie and say that a 3DP part is as good as the original injection molded one; but these guys do the job and are unlikely the break under normal use.
Would $9.99 shipped be an acceptable price for 7 of these? I won't be able the ship any for until the beginning of February since I'm waiting on parts for the printer which should help the quality.
NOTE: the nuts currently on offer only work with the 6 plastic screws that secure the passenger side spare tire cover + rear panel and the 2 the secure the rear seatbelts covers. The driver side panel with the storage bin is secured with pushpins that are not compatible with these clips.
Last edited by Lykoloo; 11-13-2021 at 12:43 PM.
Reason: Added description of limitations
I would be interested if you are able to ship to europe / germany. NOS GM pieces are ridiculous overpriced and the repro pieces that hawks sell are junk out-of-the-box, they warp and break just from looking at them.
nice job! I might do this. next time I have the rear panels off, I will see how many I might need. I know you would sell them in a package, but I am glad to know that someone is doing this, and for a very affordable price!
At that price I'd pick up two sets, just so I have extra laying around. Especially if they're more flexible than the OEM plastic pieces. Between two cars I managed to save 3 of the original inserts. The original ones just don't last.
Wow, this is far more interest than I expected. Fair warning though, constant availability is not guaranteed. I'm just a guy with a printer, not a factory.
Started printing today; but still not accepting orders for another week or so. I want to build up some stock first. Overseas buyers may need to pay shipping, still looking into the viability of it.
Later cars need about a dozen of them. You've got the rear seat belt covers, but also there are a couple retaining the rear side panels with push in retainers.
Later cars need about a dozen of them. You've got the rear seat belt covers, but also there are a couple retaining the rear side panels with push in retainers.
Oh, so those are the same thing? Just a pin pushed into the threads? I was wondering if they were exactly the same or if they just had the same sized hole. I've tried using the ones I made, but they don't work with the push pins, unfortunately. I might try to make a revision that accepts the pins at some point.
Either way, I think that selling them in a pack of 7 will suffice, assuming you need 12 of them, just buy two if you need them. Between the design, manufacture, post processing and shipping, I think these are competitively priced.
Edit: I've also decided to release the .stl files under a CC-NC license. I'll post the link in the original post later today.
2 for the seat belt covers.
4 for the spare wheel cover
2 for the hatch motor cover near the storage compartment
2 for the push pins behind for the left big plastic thing with the sorage compartment in it.
For older cars you need just 8 because they don't have the seat belt covers behind the rear seat.
I would take about 30 of them 'cause I have 3 big mouths to feed.
got these the other day and got to put some in yesterday. fit perfect. clip in fine and screws hold tight. thanx again.
Thanks for sharing, I'm glad they're up to your standards. Just an FYI, they're intended to be installed from the back of the hole like the original. In that orientation the tabs are taking the strain of the screw's clamping force and might weaken over time.
ah ok well thanks for pointing that out. ill have to flip them. not having them i didnt know which way they go. not i just gotta find a couple more of the screws.
side note: i didnt get to look but do these work for the rear seat belt covers?
ah ok well thanks for pointing that out. ill have to flip them. not having them i didnt know which way they go. not i just gotta find a couple more of the screws.
side note: i didnt get to look but do these work for the rear seat belt covers?
I'm not able to test on my car but I'm pretty sure they do. I made up packs of 7 before I knew that later cars needed 2 extra.
I purchased two sets, he is 100% professional and has fast shipping.
They look significantly more durable than the ones available commercially.
I'm impressed.
Once it warms up around here, I'll try them out.
Thanks again.
I purchased two sets, he is 100% professional and has fast shipping.
They look significantly more durable than the ones available commercially.
I'm impressed.
Once it warms up around here, I'll try them out.
Thanks again.
I concur, they look great and I will be trying them out when it is NOT below zero Like it has been here in MN
Just received my trim nuts today, I'm very happy with them! The fit is perfect and the price is definitely right. They were also well packaged when they shipped out, which is appreciated.
I believe that Hawks motorsports has recently lowered the price of their reproduction clips down to $15 free shipping for 10 clips, so there isn't really any reason to buy mine anymore.
If anyone has any problems with their clips just message me.
I think that yours might be better quality than Hawks.
I would probably second, even though I haven't installed mine yet. The stock replacement clips are very thin and will eventually see the same fate as the originals
I believe that Hawks motorsports has recently lowered the price of their reproduction clips down to $15 free shipping for 10 clips, so there isn't really any reason to buy mine anymore.
If anyone has any problems with their clips just message me.
Yes, there is a BIG reason to buy from you. The clips from Hawks are pure garbage, like 95% of all repro parts for our cars. From A-Z, all I've ever seen is junk, except the Fairchild T-Top drip edges and the Hawks D81 aerowing for 87-90 models.
I bought 20 of the Hawks clips last year and they are so weak and cheesy that they tend to deform and brake even when you look angry at them. I bought a pack of used original GM ones from a buddy who parted about 20 cars. Still better than the repros from Hawks. And the frustration is even doubled when you live in europe like me, have to pay ridiculous shipping and customs cost and then you receive pure junk.
Well, I'm still planning on offering them; but I just wanted to make sure people knew that they didn't have to buy mine just because they're cheaper.
I'll be honest I've never had the Hawks repros, I assumed that they were better quality. I figured people bought mine because of the lower price.
Really wish better repros in general were available for our cars. Buying NOS isn't always possible for people with lower budgets.
Well, I'm still planning on offering them; but I just wanted to make sure people knew that they didn't have to buy mine just because they're cheaper.
I'll be honest I've never had the Hawks repros, I assumed that they were better quality. I figured people bought mine because of the lower price.
Really wish better repros in general were available for our cars. Buying NOS isn't always possible for people with lower budgets.
I bought them from you, even though I have some extra Hawk's ones, because I think it's important to support fellow enthusiasts who go to the trouble of creating parts for our cars. And they look good, too!
They're flat on the top so that they can be printed, but I left the unrounded part at the base of the head the same so the head could be sanded into a dome. Seems like too much work; but I digress.
It's surprisingly strong, they take a good amount of force to snap in half by hand. If over tightened the nut fails first without noticeably damaging the screw. Should handle the job alright but I'm going to print a set and drive around with them for a while to make sure they won't break from going over bumps.
The one on the left below was printed with square section threads like to original but due to how 3d printing works they didn't turn out smooth enough. The one on the right has beveled threads that match the nuts that I sell, they print better and have tighter clearances but it's very unlikely that they would work with the OEM nuts.
Does it sound worthwhile to sell these even if they only work with my trim nuts? They'd probably cost $18 shipped for 8.
I replaced all my rear trim nuts with the Hawks version two years ago and none of them survived intact today. They all broke off where the large square connects to the threaded portion of the nut.
No disrespect to Hawks, they were the only solution at the time and are still a really valuable resource. I know that they don't produce them, just sell them but you have a far superior product.
The thickness, design and material that is used with these new trim nuts make them about 100x more durable.
Here's the comparison, the white one is my last unused clip from a couple years ago, the black one is the new 3D printed version:
If you're like me, you've put off buying reproduction rear trim nuts due to the ridiculous prices that they go for. $20+ for 6 plastic clip-on nuts? In response, I spent a comical amount of time designing a direct replacement for those nuts. They're made of PETG so they won't warp in the heat and the tabs are very flexible and not likely to break during installation. Unfortunately, PETG is also notorious for small wispy strings and surface defects that do not affect functionality. Regardless, I'm not gonna lie and say that a 3DP part is as good as the original injection molded one; but these guys do the job and are unlikely the break under normal use.
Would $9.99 shipped be an acceptable price for 7 of these? I won't be able the ship any for until the beginning of February since I'm waiting on parts for the printer which should help the quality.
I would like the nuts and the screws, but the nuts at least. PM me as to where to send money. Thanks so much. finally ready to button up the interior!!!
01-17-2021, 11:59 AM
Just an FYI, they're intended to be installed from the back of the hole like the original. In that orientation the tabs are taking the strain of the screw's clamping force and might weaken over time. 
