Prop Maker Skills to the Rescue! Restoring Old Car Parts

Bill used his prop making skills to restore window handles for his dad's 1968 Volvo P1800. The small windows on the car have old school handles to pivot the windows open and they were both broken. To restore the handles Bill uses some Bondo body shopping techniques along with molding and casting to create a shiny new set of handles.

FliteFest

Volvo P1800

Molding and Casting Video Series

Materials
Evercoat Body Filler

3M Acryl Green Spot Putty - Amazon

Mold Star 20T

Onyx Fast

Fancy Pants Drill Bits - Amazon

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Music from Artlist

[NAPalm]

Those original ones were probably bakelite. Very hard plastic, but it gets brittle over time. These turned out really great!

[RaxManlar]

Are you KIDDING ME!?

I've followed this channel for years, how did I miss this video!? MY DAD has loved this car his whole life and owned two of them!!

[AaronFlaming]

Volvo P1800 and 122s are some of the most beautiful cars ever made. I have had a couple 122s's over the years.

[mikepettengill]

it was great hanging out with you while you worked!

[michaelhannah]

This was fun and interesting. As someone who is into old cars and motorcycles, reproducing impossible to get parts is a skill we all need.

[jpalarchio]

I have absolutely zero use for this but it was an amazing hour of awe in watching your skills and learning the process. Super interesting, really loved it and incredible final product. Very cool that you were able to do this for your dad.

[everett]

Punished Props and car nerdery in the same video?!

🎶 These are a few of my favorite things 🎵

[grant]

Have loved that car since my childhood

[misterskippyu]

Vent Windows (what those little windows are called) are awesome. Air movement without being too loud. Even useful in rainy conditions.

[jeffreyknutson]

Those little triangular windows served a couple of purposes. The first one was mentioned previously (vent windows, for circulating air in the car without a lot of noise), and the second one is just a feature that many people don't even need as a feature in their cars anymore - It was used to draw smoke out of the car from smoking. It was also used to "flick" the ashes off of your cigarettes too. But all of the old cars have many features that the new ones do not, and they are all related to smoking. There are no more ashtrays, lighters, or cigarette pack holders in the visors, in the dash, or under the dash anymore either.

But, now we have the very important Cup Holders in every car made, as well as having side door pockets for putting water/juice bottles, or sodas in. As well as pockets for holding snacks as well, in the door and side panels. And some cars also have small refrigerators in them, so that we have a place for keeping chilled drinks or medications stored in them that we may need or desire.

[matthewpicciotto]

Lots of fun. We make replica 6-volt battery cases for 1940's vehicles using Specialty Resin & Chemical Model Pro Black for fine detail backed by 65D Black in a slush casting mold (learned from your videos) and the tops in a dump mold. The Model Pro Black is a rigid resin that can be jet black (shake well) but maybe too brittle in your cross section.

[i.am.adrian]

Nice work! I have had to fix a number of things around the house using my maker skills I've acquired over years of cosplay. Comes in handy!

[kristianmorris]

You have excellent taste in motorcars..

[meganvonackermann]

That was a fun project. I always enjoy seeing the variety of skills (and materials... and tools...) that go into a build, but I also enjoy seeing the dead ends and hiccoughs! And knowing that you also have the ability to draft a 3d model for your mould master, it's really fun seeing you choose another approach using stuff you learned when you were tiny and first starting out working on the car you're helping to restore (again). Lovely!

[inventorj]

My first car was also a Saab! Great video, nice to be able to leverage all your skills for super practical projects. Although that Noisy Cricket video was amazing!

[forby_]

Awesome use of prop skills, man. Great work! Those things fit perfectly.

[chrismanning]

Could watch you navigate your way through any project. Something so satisfying about the problem-solving and that final result. Great work!

[MaggieKeizai]

Bill, I'm a Volvo enthusiast and fixer-upper. There's a market for these. P1800s are just becoming more and more desirable and people are trying to rescue as many as possible. You really ought to consider making these available for order.

[LeoAzzakaGoile]

Cracking idea. I hadn't thought about making replacement parts in the same way i make props. Nicely done.

[LinaScott]

Oh those handles..❤ look like bought ones 😁 so great job