Quality Carbon Parts

[toddygates]

CAN THERE BE TOOOO MUCH CARBON
stone guards, running boards, headlight rings,wiring cover,bumpers with brackets,front kamei spoiler,firewall?, porsche fan shroud, roof spoiler??

in process of german look, light metallic blue 1303

[BulletBug]

whats the advantage of carbon fibre??

1. less weight
2. more durable
3. fire proof?
4. is it a total waste painting over the carbon fibe stuff? adding weight??

[volkdent]

Carbon fiber is fire proof, the resin that holds it all together is NOT!!!

You havn't seen the pictures of all the new Ferraris burning to a crisp?

Jason

[BulletBug]

hehe.. not yet.. so is the CF roof spoiler really works??

[lovebugrcr]

i would really be interested in getting a dash like that i was wanting to go with carbon fiber trim and other varoius items but i didn't know where to get the dash made. Was yours pricey?

[Kafer_Mike]

Originally Posted by lovebugrcr

i would really be interested in getting a dash like that i was wanting to go with carbon fiber trim and other varoius items but i didn't know where to get the dash made. Was yours pricey?

I beleive I paid $175 a few years back. He's getting $190 for them now...

[lovebugrcr]

thanks i will have to get in touch and order one

[lovebugrcr]

does anyone know where i could get the door handles, decklid, and hood handles done in carbon fiber. If not i was just going to powercoat them black.

Originally Posted by BulletBug

whats the advantage of carbon fibre??

1. less weight
2. more durable
3. fire proof?
4. is it a total waste painting over the carbon fibre stuff? adding weight??

CF really only has the advantage when it comes to weight. As pointed out, the carbon fibres are fireproof, but the plastic matrix isn't. As far as durability goes, you're better off with steel parts. CF has a nasty habit of just shattering, where metal parts bend. If you want to paint CF, then have at it. Most people leave it unpainted for bragging rights, but if we are all honest, how much does the paint really weigh once it dries?

Peace be with you

[evilC]

Originally Posted by vwdevotee

......................... but if we are all honest, how much does the paint really weigh once it dries?

Peace be with you

A lot if you listen to Mercedes. In their W196(?) GP cars of the '30s they left the aluminium bodywork unpainted to save the weight of the paint to get within the class weight regulations. Thats where the tag of 'the silver arrows' comes from that has also spawned the culture that German hi-perf cars should be silver.

evilC

hmmm... I know that NASA stopped painting the large orange external fuel tank on the space shuttle to save the weight of the paint (the first two shuttle launches it was white). From published NASA documents, they saved 1000lb (454kg) of weight by not putting a finish coat of paint on it, and since the tank is 27.6ft in diameter, and 153.8 ft long. Ideallizing it as a simple cylinder for ease of calculations, that means it had surface area of around 13330 sq ft (1238m^2). Therefore, the finish coat of paint can be estimated to weigh about 0.075 pounds per square foot (0.37 kilogram per square meter). You could probably double that weight to account for the primer layers, so call it 0.15 lb/ft^2 (0.74kg/m^2).

Anyway, I guess you might be able to save a few kilograms, which might be important for a race car, but it's really not a big difference compared to the 30+ lbs that can be saved just by switching from a steel panel to a composite one.


Peace be with you!

[evilC]

I agree. In fact the weight saving is equal to the weight of the paint in the can before its put in the gun. What it all really boils down to is aesthetics.

As an aside, I was marshalling at an National Autotest last weekend where one of the Caterham lookalikes was virtually fully clothed in CF - unpainted. It did look impressive. Much more importantly it was a real flyer taking the class win. How much of that was down to the CF, overall spec or down to the driver skill I can only imagine.

evilC

[Kafer_Mike]

Most all the NHRA TA/TF teams now "wrap" their cars vs. paint due to the reduced weight. NASCAR too...

[lovebugrcr]

i found a few places where i could get sheets of c/f and i was unsure if it would work, but i know it will form around things when heated up but a door handle i don't know if that would be possible any suggestions?

[Type 1]

Hey, by side scoops do you mean the scoops under the rear windows? Or the Empi style scoops, that are placed behind the crescent rear vent????