Anyone had experience making carbon fiber body panels, hell making carbon fiber anything?

Thinking bout building carbon fiber body and using current body to form it off of. Looks to be pretty simple on videos, but can't aways get full story that way either.

I've been to Burnett's and Spitzers...not something for a diy'er. Don't forget you'll have to make a plug if every panel first then make them stiff enough to pull a straight part out of. Good luck. Pre-preg is what most high end shops use and it's very expensive. Let alone the vacuum bagging and autoclave equipment they use. McKinney just uses a carbon bonnet and mag everywhere else.

Lol, Good luck with it. not as easy as it looks to get it right. Try something simple like glove box or something on your car. Then figure out time and cost of materials before you think about something big and something everyone will see.

These are all flat panels except cowl . . The panels them selves can act as a plug from what I have seen.Maybe not.I have a call into composite speciality in INdiana, Just so happens I work on A/fuel car that my brother drives for a friend of ours who just bought it from owner. Maybe Anthony can give me some insight into it. Probably slammed with getting ready for Nationals.

Its not going to happen real soon but its going to happen. After picking up the panels on the a/fuel deal cpl times Its going to happen.LOL

Not saying you fella's are not right and biting off big bullet but hey I like big guns.LOL

What are you trying to build a body for

Epoxy resin will make panels much stiffer where as polyester resin will be much more flexible

quote:

Originally posted by Top355x:
What are you trying to build a body for

Remaking panels that are on FED. I Can remake them in aluminum if need to be since they are set to do wrap in 3 weeks, Would hate to f--- up the wrap. I would be pulling carbon fiber panel off backs,but figure it will still screw up wrap.

quote:

Originally posted by Top355x:
Epoxy resin will make panels much stiffer where as polyester resin will be much more flexible

Yea I have found few things on web about it. Epoxy seems way to go.

I think I can fasten paneks to a plywood backing to stiffen and ensure flat panel.

I know not going to be cheap.Figure might take a while.Also figure will just add cost to have carbon fiber panels wrapped after spending cpl grand to have aluminum wrapped. Heck I might try it and decide too much trouble,doubtful.

If you use the existing panels and use inside new panels will be smaller so keep that in mind if panels wrap over tubes at all and for when you make cowl panel you really want to make the panels oversized some so can trim to fit and that way edges are all equal thickness. Also if aluminum panels have any dents or defects those will transfer over if going after the glossy finished carbon fiber look you’re going to want to polish the insides of the aluminum panels I did a floor and dash and some other flat panels first using piece of clean new aluminum next on old glass sliding door glass gave much nicer finished product

Is vacuum bagging /heat not required?

Thanks Top355.

Bucky it looks like you can do both,but the vaccum does better job and also require more tooling and materials.
Heat part I think depends on epoxy used, besides it is hot as hell outside now so heat would be free.

As for size the flat panels like sides it should not be problem.The cowl is acually little bigger than wanted except at motor plate,which can be trimmed some.

Understand piece will just be result of how good mold is and in this case it would be the aluminum panels. While finish may not be the perfect glossy carbon fiber look it will be wrapped when all done anyway.

Already ordered some cloth and resin to give it a shot.Hell if goes bad its not first 250 bucks I threw away. Got to get some of the other materials that make the vaccum part work since thats where you get the really lite part by pulling all the excess resin out and into the drying cloth for lack of correct wording.

I made a hood out of carbon fiber, I had the mold that my fiberglass hood was made from. You need a good vacuum pump and a good seal on the bag. I got a few imperfections along the center rib of the hood. It is about 13lbs before body work and paint, I also put stiffening ribs in because I didn't build an inner for it. The fiberglass hood is 34lbs painted with no inner and no stiffening ribs. It was allot of work and requires allot of work to get the finished product.

Well Wildman sounds like you got paid back for your work.21 lbs normally cost you about 2100 bucks.

The short body section of few in aluminum weighs 42 lbs. I can cut 42% of that from what I have found. That's about 18 to 19 lbs. Again about 1899 to loose other wise and thats the cheaper stuff. Plus hell I need another hobby to spend money on LMFAO.

How much weight overall do you figure you could shed compared to the aluminum body?

I don't think this would save much weight. But accent pieces that are flat like dash, floor panels, and other flat pieces could be nice accent pieces. I have seen some altereds and front engine cars with a lot of flat panels. Even RED's for that matter. Maybe the flat panels would be a decent place for premade carbon boards? Finishing touches like dzeus holes and tapers, and bottom flange for the body panels would be tricky parts to consider. We are going to remake a dash for my son's car. Have considered ordering carbon board. Really just for looks I suppose.

quote:

Originally posted by Bucky:
I don't think this would save much weight. But accent pieces that are flat like dash, floor panels, and other flat pieces could be nice accent pieces. I have seen some altereds and front engine cars with a lot of flat panels. Even RED's for that matter. Maybe the flat panels would be a decent place for premade carbon boards? Finishing touches like dzeus holes and tapers, and bottom flange for the body panels would be tricky parts to consider. We are going to remake a dash for my son's car. Have considered ordering carbon board. Really just for looks I suppose.

After lot of searching I found cpl that sau carbon fiber weigh 52% of aluminum for this type application. I figure its about it is worth about 18 pounds after weighing all that I intend to replace. While not a lot at the cost it looks like about 55 bucks apound which can actually be cheaper than lots of items. We figured 100 per pound on funny car abd that was 20 years ago.

Plus there is the fun of doing it yourself facfor.

Okay.

I was going to keep my mouth shut about this, but just couldn't after reading this. Nothing bad to say just some info.
This is going to be a long one.

Like you Wide I want to make carbon panels and unlike you (lol) I do have a small amount of experience. I worked with Aaron Sipple when he had his composite shop and he taught me what little I know.

I'll start by saying nothing about this is cheap or easy, it is labor intensive.

I want to make molds of my stuff so that adds expense. But it also gives me the option to make a new panel if one gets damaged. I considered using the inside of mine but as Top 355 said using the inside will make the panel come out smaller.
So I'm going to make molds off of mine.
For the side panels I went to a shop that builds dragsters and had them bent me a 4x6 foot long panel with the bottom radius bend. This will allow me to make any of the side panels I need.(I could not find anyone local that could bend a radius.)
I will use the upper panels as a plug to make molds off of for the rest of the body.
So far I have a mold that I can make any size panel for the sides and one for the nose.
You can use polyester resin for your molds which is cheaper, then use vinyl Ester or Epoxy resin for your part, follow recommendation for the MEKP hardener.

I will use vacuum infusion (added expense)as it makes the strongest/lightest parts.

You can watch video's to see how, but I would only watch those put out by people like Easy Composites or Rock West Composites. Some I have watched on youtube are a joke. I buy my resins from Amazon or fiberglass supply. Resins are sort of hard to get right now as supply is low. I get my reinforcements mainly through ebay as it seems to be the cheapest. But the more you buy the cheaper it is.lol

Dave

Dave remember if you want a step on the side panels for upper panels to fit into you will need to factor that into that panel also if you want counter sunk dzuz you have to create those also unless you drill larger holes and use a doubler I had planned on building my own body and after a hand full of small panels I bought a Riggeals body

quote:

Originally posted by Top355x:
Dave remember if you want a step on the side panels for upper panels to fit into you will need to factor that into that panel also if you want counter sunk dzuz you have to create those also unless you drill larger holes and use a doubler I had planned on building my own body and after a hand full of small panels I bought a Riggeals body

Top,
Yeah, I know about the step but that shouldn't be an issue as I can lay a strip of aluminum in the mold to form the step where ever I need it.
As to the dzus holes I don't plan to use a tapered dzus.

Main reason to do my own is expense I already have the equipment, and replacement on demand..

I thought about a one piece but as I get older strength is becoming a factor and I race alone and don't like to bother others.

I have installed one piece bodies where they are set into a bracket like a funny car and are raised to get under them. Still a tight fit though.

Always willing to learn and appreciate all insights to keep me from screwing up..

Dave