carbon fiber floor pans

[NCbug]

this may sound like a stupid idea i donno , but i figure they r light ,they wont rust or rot . would anyone be willign to make something like this?

[zen]

bring your wallet. i am sure they can be done for the right price. plan on upwards of $150-300 each side.

[Chris Percival]

Attaching them to the chassis would be too difficult..

[NCbug]

couldnt you just bolt it on to the chassis?

[Chris Percival]

I am sure it wouldn't be strong enough...

[vujade]

if they can make fiber glass floor pans i am sure that carbon fiber obes can be done too,

[Superman]

They could probably be molded in like the fiberglass ones, but...

crash-bang-slam > the seat track frame just cracks and people are going to fly

[NCbug]

damn i didnt thinka the seat tracks :eek:

[Shad Laws]

Hello-

Make it like a late Type 3 - weld the inner seat tracks to the center tunnel and the outer ones to the heater channels. On a late Type 3, the floor pans are nothing more than just floors (and, of course, chassis stiffening members)...

Take care,

[Carbon Joe]

It can be done, but the tools would be the big cost. Two tools that big would cost around $2000.00 each.

[Michael Ghia]

I have been working on a car which has a Carbon fibre floor in it, it was bonded in and no, nothing is mounted to it. the seat runners etc all have their own supports which stem from the inside of the sills. The tunnel is also Carbon Fibre, bonded onto the floor.
One thing though, it's not a Beetle!

Mike Ghia

[SuperRSi]

These hints about floor pans and engine pictures are killing me. So when will you show us what you are working on?

Hurry,

Randy

[CLKWRK]

Hey guys
there is no steel in my floors, my seats are bolted to the tunnel and the heater channel. It works well
Bry

[ashe]

ok guy's, hate to be the one that sounds like an ***, but making carbon floor boards is not a diffucult process(notice i said diffucult, cost is another issue). the correct way to do this is the same manner as formula one cars. what you need is aluminum honeycomb. what it is aluminum about as thich as foil. this is arranged on end in the shape of a honeycomb. this honeycomb is then sandwiched between two sheets of aluminum. the process starts by laying down several layers of prepreg carbon cloth, then the aluminum honeycomb, followed by several more layers prepreg. carbon sheet by it self it torsionally rigid enough to take that kind of load, plus, if youve ever hit a piece of carbon you would know that it cracks. thus the seat problem. by using the honeycomb you gain the shock stength and added rigitity. plus attachment to the frame would be easy, you could bolt or bond, or even weld it in by leaving some aluminum sticking out. this cures all of the mounting problems, including seat. but theres alot to consider, especialy weave dirrection. formula 1 builders orient the direction of the weave in each piece made to in order to have maximum rigity.

[Michael Ghia]

Sounds interesting... I think the Panoz LMP900 runs a honeycomb chassis but will have to look at the car again in detail if I get a chance.
The car which the carbon floor is in is a 911. It's bonded in but looks metal until you tap it! then it's easy to tell. The same car has a carbon roof, wings (fenders) and lots of trick stuff.

MG

[ashe]

the panoz does, as do most cars that have a carbon monocoque chassis. making pans for a beetle would be that difficult, as there no real compound curves. the main cost would come from purchasing the honeycomb its self. the stuff is not cheap in the proper grade for this kind of use. you can also get it in a microcell design where each comb(or section) has micro perferations to allow equel air pressure within the whole peice. this kind is used mainly in air craft where the pressure change from ground level to in the air needs to be equalized or the peice would simply explode.

[balloo]

Wish i'd thought about carbon floorpans!!!

I cut out both floorpans and replaced them with alloy checker plate, what a hassel.

[scottystraub]

ashe? can you weld aluminum to steel?

[balloo]

I didnt weld it, i made box section to bolt to the heater channels then bolted and sealed the checker plate to them.

I'll try and post some pics of my car soon

or see my webshots

http://community.webshots.com/user/balloo70

[scottystraub]

i read in one of the posts that you could weld the aluminum honeycomb to the floor pan ? i didnt know you could weld aluminum to steel? or am i wrong? please help, i dont understand!!

[balloo]

A mate of mine is a professinol welder/fabricator.
I'll ask him the question and get back to you

[COXBOW]

What is the point of having a carbon floor pans?

I would say it’s a very expensive job for what? Win a couple of pounds? They’ll never rust ok, but a well prepared and Epoxy painted one, such as mine, will last at least 10 year in humid climate and probably 3 times more in Cal !!

[Racelook]

Ha Balloo

What are these 2 pins on the rear of your bug ?Pic of your rear (http://community.webshots.com/s/image4/1/17/36/72911736VRkGaj_ph.jpg)

WHat kind of rollcage are you running? Or have you welded it by your own?

Sorry for beeing off-topic..

But I have to ask ya

Greetings Wiebrand

[balloo]

They're pit pins, the whole boot lid is detachable.

You pull the loop and it unlocks the pin.

The bonnet was done the same so you can take them right off.

The roll cage was frabricated by me in CDS tubing and welded into the car, it had a rear diagional (where the rear seats were) which was removable.

got a few pics of the install if you want a look, let me know.

[Racelook]

They're pit pins, the whole boot lid is detachable.

You pull the loop and it unlocks the pin.

The bonnet was done the same so you can take them right off.

I didn't mean that pins.. I mean the two small pins that are a bit higher than your lid next to your rear window..

Greetings Wiebrand :D

[balloo]

Sorry, they are for a removable rear spoiler, Didnt want it on all the time so they are the mounting brackets. http://community.webshots.com/s/image4/1/18/98/72911898LayfyT_ph.jpg