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Mirage |
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The Man behind Mirage. |
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I had spoken to Martin several times on the phone to ask about featuring his products on our web site.
The voice over the phone suggested an easy going, mild mannered man, perhaps a little hesitant at first.
On first meeting him at his workshop, I quickly became aware that he was a no-nonsense and no compromise
individual. He'd just come back from pitching his wares at MondeoMania in Kettering on the Sunday at Wicksteed Park.
It seems that everybody is crying out for Mirage Products and within ten minutes I found out why.
Martin's passion is perfection. Quality is paramount. He only uses the best materials to fashion the merchandise,
which has become so well known.
Whether it is a simple stainless bracket or a complex rocker cover, he will discuss with the customer every detail of the project. |
I believe that there are at least two types of customers for the 'under-bonnet bling' that is provided in part by Martin. There is the customer who goes to a car show and sees something he/she likes and thinks; 'I want one of those'. The more discerning type may think, 'I want something similar, but better. I want something that I have had input in the design of. I want something personal'. This is exactly where Martin's expertise, skill and craftsmanship will come in. He will guide and advise, without being 'pushy'. He will explain the difficulties in manufacture of curved articles from a flat sheet and spell out the risks associated with shrinkage and warping, during the construction of your project. Alternative shapes and patterns, that would be more sturdy and resilient may be an option. |
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Martin showed me some templates that he was preparing to make from a sheet of Stainless Steel, using a Plasma Cutter. He went into great detail how the Cutter worked and the precautions he took during the manufacturing stages. He then proceeded to explain the stages of bending; curving and shaping to minimise heat build up within the article before its final stages of construction and eventual polishing to the well-known mirror finish. Detailed after-care techniques, for cleaning and polishing were discussed. These are often misinterpreted. Abrasives are not an option. |
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During the morning, I asked Martin how long he had been in this business and what had got him started. 'It started when a colleague asked me to do him a favour' he went on, his colleague had been manufacturing some special Stainless items for the Series 2 Escort RS Turbo, which had become so popular, that he couldn't keep up with the demand. Martin helped him out and produced quality material from the outset. This was over 11 years ago after 18 years in the sheet metal industry. |
Now it's not just Escorts that are adorned with the Mirage logo, but all manners of Fords, (Orion, Fiesta, Sierra, Mondeo, Puma, Cougar and Ka). Classic Fords, such as the Capri, are personalised with the Mirage touch. For the prestige customers, who own a BMW, Mirage is the first port of call for that 'extra' in styling character. The choice is yours from a couple of quid for a bonnet badge, up to several hundred for a header tank or ceramic insulated turbo heat shield, Martin can make it |
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