Who owns the Attex Molds

[George]

Andy, I had a long talk with Matt O. last winter about doing what it is you want to do.

He figured anywhere from 60 to 80 thousand dollars to do a production run of close to 100 complete bodies. Making any fewer would not be much cheaper as you have to buy the HDPE by the ton.

He also said that you'd probably get about a dozen bad bodies before you "got it right."

He figured a mold maker could make new molds for about $15-$20 thousand. The nature of the forming process and the molds are such that they can only be used for a handful of production runs before they begin to fall apart.

He also told me that HDPE shrinks upon cooling. If you use an existing body as a mold, you actually have to cut into quarters so that the mold will be slightly larger (by inches) than the original dimensions.

I'd buy one if you have more luck than I did.

[Joe M]

Richard had the molds and was planning on producing bodies, if he could get enough interest. He was taking $100.00 deposits from individuals who wanted bodies. I believe he said he needed twenty people, but he never got that many and scrapped the plans. I talked to him about a year later and he said that he sold the molds, but never said to whom.

[AndyL]

jeff by flanges you talking about for the axle bearings? i think a skid plate is a better idea then making the bottom part to cut and replace...either an entire new lower tub or a skid plate that fits over the old one...that would be easy to make one of those, and that can help raise funds to make the reverse molds for the attex upper and lower bodies. anyone else?

[jeffery9076]

skid plate

would love to see the skid plate come up and actually have cut outs for the flanges/ my next abs body i plan to fix is tortured in the flange area and every corner would love to see (molded to fit skidplates)GOOD IDEA even a possible bottom replacement cut out weld in and of course it would have to be above the flanges

[AndyL]

this could also turn into a big project too...it would be good to find a way to fund this project...i know there's been talk about attex skid plates to protect current abs bodies...

is there enough interest if late-model attex skid plates were made? they would wrap around all the sides of the bottom.

[AndyL]

i think a reverse mold will be the way to go here...you are correct jeff about the bodies. everything i know about attex is from reading the board and my own research. in 1976 they switched to HDPE from ABS. i'm looking for a 1976-newer attex body in any condition.

it can be in any condition as i am going to cut it up a little and do some patching...i'm pretty handy at stuff like that. The upgrades i would seriously consider so far are:

1. Making the body accept rectangular headlights and the round part for the headlight would be smooth with the top.

2. possibly filling in the nose piece as part of the body, although i personally think it's nice to remove it of one wants to mount a winch..then again you can make a brush guard...this one is open

3. more clearance for larger tires. (this will also give better legroom.

4. a little something different on the back end so it can use real tail-lights like the max or argo or mudd-ox, etc.

5. maybe a different engine cover eventually, that could give a little more room to store items in.

other suggestions are more then welcomed. if i ever get my hands on a body that i can work with, i want this project to have input from the board and make it our own!

[jeffery9076]

reverse molds good idea

finding the nicest attex to do the reverse mold and making changes /finding the best lower tub to use and wich attex model. I think they are not exactly the same at least i think so from other post i have seen. I just have 2 1972 st /400. I have made alot of simple reverse molds but have never set any up for vacum forming process. I think a little more complicated. Good luck and i hope you can do it. keep them alive and running ps / put a hood scoop in the engine cover

[Amphiman1]

Attex mold

I'm thinking there should be atleast 6 molds for tops and bottoms......

[AndyL]

I know Richard did have them...but he said he sold them. Hopefully he can return my email and disclose the name of the collector he sold them to...I'm really feeling the person who bought these molds is not wanting anyone to know for some unknown reason. But I am also in the process of looking for a late-model body that I can change a few little things on an make my own reverse mold...so if the "mold collector" (haha) is reading this, know that there is more than one way of reproducing the Attex bodies!!

[George]

I know from talking to Don and Gus that they tried to hunt them down a few years ago. No luck.

There were rumors that Dave C. of AttexATVs had them but I always doubted that rumor.

[AndyL]

Lol that's true George. I'm not helping it at all...

Whipper, he told me he sold them to a collector. I wonder if anyone here on 6x6 world is the owner or knows who he is...

[George]

This idea has more lives than a litter of kittens.

[whipper-ag]

[AndyL]

That site is down, and the owner claimed to have owned the molds, but I was told that he doesn't really own them...There is a lot of confusion as to who really has them...

[birddog1148]

There was a site that had a lot of info on the history and sales of Attex but I cant find it now.