#04: Croatia - Carbon and Design

Shortly after my Serbia trip, Ted and his wife rendezvoused with me in Croatia, poised with a twofold mission: to scout for carbon fiber fabrication experts and to track down an astute interior designer to collaborate on our automotive project.

Our initial stop was a facility nestled within a stone's throw of Zagreb's international airport. MAC, a family-operated establishment, has carved out its niche over several decades and boasts a dedicated team of some 30 specialists. Armed with two autoclave ovens, MAC has etched its mark primarily in the motorcycle industry, with an impressive clientele that spans to the United States. However, their portfolio isn't limited to two-wheelers; they've handled the intricate frameworks of vehicles as classic as the Porsche 356. A serendipitous encounter with an identical component for a yacht underscored the regional trend of manufacturers hedging bets by distributing projects among various vendors. The head of MAC, a paragon of enthusiasm and expertise, engaged with us earnestly as we presented our project's CAD designs, originally conceived by our Matteo Gentile.

Porsche 356 Monochoch

Discussing the project it became abundantly clear in our follow-up meeting that MAC's proprietor shines when refining finish specifications for existing molds. Yet, the territory of initiating a component from scratch presented uncharted waters for him. Two methodologies were proposed: the traditional, albeit arduous, craft of sculpting a clay prototype to birth organic designs and subsequent molds, versus the newer approach of 3D scanning and digital integration with CAD to ensure precise dimensions and chassis attachment points, followed by nylon 3D printing for pre-production parts.

Initially inclined towards the sculpting route, the MAC team later pivoted, citing the discovery of a 3D printing resource. However, our dialogue dwindled into silence thereafter. It's also worth a footnote that our search led us to a workshop in Sisak, boasting an arsenal of equipment underpinned by EU funding – a promising setup belied by its one-man operation with nascent experience.

In the course of our discussions, Goran distinguished himself not only as a consummate gentleman but also as a kindred entrepreneurial spirit. His openness in sharing the trials and triumphs of his design journey was a testament to the collaborative heart that beats within the car restoration community.

Parallel to these explorations were our dialogues with potential interior designers. Despite encountering talents boasting of associations with renowned marques like Tedson and Rimac, their proposals were nebulous, encapsulated only in broad estimates, devoid of the meticulous detail we craved. This, unfortunately, culminated in a palpable air of frustration in our quest for collaborative precision.