How To Make A Carbon Body Panel - Tutorial Video

[kyepan 291]

It's been interesting noting the difference in between the price of carbon fiber material, and the price of carbon composite body panels. Just what exactly is involved, and how hard is it to do. By the looks of it, not all that hard. Time consuming though, very time consuming.

 

I understood roughly how to make a mould, and do wet layup, but not vacuum bagging. With all the chatter on the other carbon parts, and the know how / DIY attitude on here..i don't think it's beyond quite a few of you to do this yourselves.

 

Granted these videos are promoting this company and their products, but.. they are still extremely informative.

 

Part 1 - making the mould

 

Part 2 - making the skins

 

Part 3 - how to do fixings and bond the two together.

 

But then with a bit more investigation i found guys who have built their own autoclaves to do prepreg, using old kitchen hobs and insulated boxes, then low temp pre-preg carbon (circa 80-110 deg)

 

All very interesting, cameron i'm thinking of you here... or perhaps rippthrough.

Edited January 21, 2013 by kyepan

[Batfink 201]

The materials are not expensive really, but its labour intensive to make the moulds and even make the final product.

I dont think they were the cheapest place for materials but they offer a lot.

[kyepan 291]

yep, this is why i thought that the home brew approach could net some good results, especially for one off components. I dunno, i could just see people on here quite happily making their own moulds and smashing out some carbon panels to a reasonable degree of quality.

 

Even doors don't seem that unrealistic considering the simplicity with which they showed the two piece composite bonnet, attaching the fixing points, bonnet catch. I think a book on composite might help, as they were not specific with the levels of reinforcement required around the hinges to achieve at least OEM strength. This is something that you would want to pay close attention to if putting any of this on a road car without a roll cage.

 

My ultimate musing relating to this topic would be how much weight would you shave off if you replaced the doors, outer wings, rear quarters, bonnet, tailgate, and bumpers with carbon but OEM strength or better equivalents. And how much would that cost in time and materials.

 

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/physical_sciences_directorate/mst/PMC/carbon_fiber09/pdfs/Jim_deVries_Ford.pdf

Edited January 21, 2013 by kyepan

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

I've often thought it wouldnt be to hard to start with something like a wing or a valance, to see how hard it is, but then there'd be very little benefit in having carbon wings or valances other than looking snazzy

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

I've recently trimmed, mounted and bonded together the skins for 4 carbon doors on an rx8. I went in absolutely blind and it mithered me to death, now I've done it though, looking back it's reasonably easy. I know it's only half the story because I didn't make the moulds or owt but it's definitely within the grasp of mere mortals such as myself

[Batfink 201]

I've got virtually every panel to replicate. Just got to get some front wings. There's not any real weight to be lost from the rear quarter panels I don't think. Given the faff of fitting I doubt it's worthwhile. With regards to strength. A lot of that is simply going to be trial and error to find the ultimate balance between strength and weight. I do fancy some carbon door handles though!

[kyepan 291]

I've been going through the rear quarters in my head and they would be a faff, they would be bonded on for the most part, and doing the seam to the top of the c pillar.. would require filler..

 

I fancy carbon everything... but home made.

[DRTDVL 4 1 Cars]

wouldn't you want carbon/kevlar for wings or any area's that will potentially see stones...

[kyepan 291]

why? I glass fiber cars like tvr use them?