Custom Car Part Fabrication Tools - Part 2

In our first installment on fabrication we discussed some of the reasons that a part might be fabricated. Some parts may no longer exist due to the rarity of the vehicle. In this instance a new part would need to be built or a similar part would have to be modified to work. In some circumstances, such as in the case of racing classic cars, the original parts might not bear up under the stresses that occur within the vehicle. The solution for this is to build a new part that is designed to be strong enough to survive when the going gets rough.

Time Vs. Money
While it may seem like a great difficulty to produce one-off parts for old and rare vehicles, it is possible for some parts to be constructed in a relatively short period of time. Rapid fabrication is due in part to advances in technology. However, a complicated item such as a brake or engine part will require time and expensive machinery to produce.


One of the first things that anyone might want to know about a custom-fabricated part is how much it is going to cost. The expense is directly proportional to the amount of time and machinery that is required to make the part.


Obviously the Porsche 914 door panels mentioned in the first article would be fairly inexpensive. In contrast, an engine part will require more time and machinery.

Types of Machines
What kinds of machines and equipment are we talking about? Most of this equipment is found in, oddly enough, a machine shop. This is a generic term for a shop that specializes in the cutting of raw metals and plastics into completed parts. Most successful custom automotive and restoration shops will have a machine shop, or are closely affiliated with one.