This thread is intended to track the progress of 3d printing applications as applied to reproducing critical parts for limited production vehicles. Especially as they get old and parts get impossible to find. As a first entry in the story of the rise of 3d printing for cars you may enjoy:

3ders.org - Legendary Ferrari 312P's race engine newly refurbished with help of 3D printing | 3D Printer News & 3D Printing News

The Ferrari 312P was a sports car prototype racing car used for racing in 1969 and 1970. After boycotting sports car racing in 1968 to protest a rule change that had caused their 4-litre 330 P4 to be banned, Ferrari built the legendary race car 312P, a 3000cc prototype in 1969...The refurbishment of such racing engines is not only time-consuming and costly, but also very challenging on a technical level. Traditionally it would take or more but now it can be done in a few weeks, thanks to German 3D printer manufacturer Voxeljet and 3D printing technology.

and:

3ders.org -Rezvani Beast super sports car comes with 3D printed parts | 3D Printer News & 3D Printing News

 

link to semi-clear plastic professional printing - see vid about 4/5ths of the way through. Printer is appx $3,300.

 

Really interesting video.

 

This might be a useful area of research for your future product development efforts!

 

Printing an entire car: From Winning design concept - Strati - from the Local Motors 3D Printed Car Design Challenge. Created by Michele Anoe from Turin, Italy. (Photo: Business Wire) - Press Release - Digital Journal

Local Motors, Inc. is excited to announce the winners of the first 3D Printed Car Design Challenge that was launched in April to uncover concepts that will inform and influence the vehicle that will be printed live at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, September 8-13, 2014. More than 200 entries, representing submissions from 30+ countries around the globe, were submitted during the six-week challenge. After a weeklong voting period and review of all entries by an independent panel of expert judges, a total of seven designs were selected as winning concepts.

The winning concept, Strati, created by Michele Anoé of Italy, will highly inspire the full-size 3D printed prototype. “It’s simple and clean, with character,” said challenge judge and MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis. “It has a nice style that really hangs together.” Lonnie Love, Group Leader, Robotics and Manufacturing Systems Research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, added, “Michele’s design offers an excellent balance between innovation, complexity and practicality. It has good 3D lines and the retractable roof is really cool.”

to see some of the designs: https://localmotors.com/iMAN/aeroblade/ and
https://localmotors.com/idesigncars/...ign-challenge/

 

Printing optically precise and clear glass is now possible (re:headlight lenses)

Monitor: Smooth operator | The Economist

 

Anyone want some Carbon Fiber parts?

The World’s First Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Is Now Available To Order | TechCrunch

 

Would be nice if they would give an overall capacity for a model.. I may need a retirement hobby!