Carbon Fibre bonnets

[Gus 5]

anyone know how to make em? PM or email [email protected] if you can dispense advice, cheers

[318is 0]

http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=carbon%2B...:en-US:official

have a looksie around these pages.

Yeah Yeah - 3rd gear for me

Edited January 22, 2005 by 318is

[Grant 4]

anyone know how to make em? PM or email [email protected] if you can dispense advice, cheers

Cain Chapman is looking at it at the moment. We were talking about it at the last car club meeting.

I'll let you know of any further developments.

Cheers.

[Guest Spargo]

Don't bother unless you've got an autoclave.

Vaccuum bag pieces look like sh*t.

[Gus 5]

autoclave?

i imagine boats are a little harder than a wee bonnet

[bravo 35]

I have a friend who is a boat builder who makes all sorts of carbon peices for racing boats. i never thought of asking him if he could make a bonnet. I see him once every few months - next time I see him I'll ask.

[*sic 1]

i have an autoclave

woot for working in a lab.

hook me the peices you need done

[smokenbaby 0]

If you are only looking for a single skin bonnet (less the ribs under it and use bonnet pins to hold in place) then it is a fairly simple exercise. If you are after a complete bonnet with ribs then it take a bit longer to do. Basically it is the same technique as Fibreglass. You don't need a an autoclave to produce a good quality piece of work. You will need to use a Fire retardent polyester resin (brings cost up) using polyester resins give a much better finish. Plus you are able to use a roller to add extra layers of resin to the outside of the bonnet once out of the mould. This then allows you to wet and dry and then polish the sh*t out of it to give a deep gloss shine (much the same as 2k clear).

If you want to get carried away you can use pre-preg clothe when laying up but the cost become very dear.

[cainchapman 0]

I have been talking to some people about Carbon Fibre bonnets. Ex-F1 people and some specialist materials guys.

The consensus is around $1500 for a buck to be made from an existing bonnet and another $1000 to make it. Obviously ballpark figures.

So, if enough of you got together, you could amortise the buck fee down quite significantly.

Agreed, you don't need an autoclave.

[smokenbaby 0]

You can buy 2 liniar meters of 200grm twill carbon matting from High Modulus in Auckland for $200 + gst. This is enough material to make the outside skin of the bonnet (two layers of matting) and give you some off cuts to play with later. Resin costs what it costs. You can make the mould out of about 5 layers of Fibreglass and brace it with either a wood frame or a steel one to hold it square and to shape. This also can double as legs so you can lay up your carbon in the mould as if it is a table.

If you want to make flat Carbonfibre sheeting so you can make switch panels/blanker panels etc just mould release some gloss finish melteca. Use a roller to spread some resin out and lay your carbon clothe on top. Roll it down and put some more resin on and another layer of either carbon or fibreglass. Two layers total is well strong enough. This is how I did door panels for my race car and 3 other RX7 race cars. Some rear spoiler end tips (Carbon/fibreglass/carbon Sandwiched between to melteca boards) Dash panels for my Race car etc.

Edited January 24, 2005 by smokenbaby

[dave 2]

I have been talking to some people about Carbon Fibre bonnets. Ex-F1 people and some specialist materials guys.

The consensus is around $1500 for a buck to be made from an existing bonnet and another $1000 to make it. Obviously ballpark figures.

So, if enough of you got together, you could amortise the buck fee down quite significantly.

Agreed, you don't need an autoclave.

well its more of a project gus and i are looking at tackling ourselves

[cainchapman 0]

OK, one of the guys in the club does some consulting for High Modulus.

He isn't coming out to the Show and Shine, but will be at the Taupo driver day. You should talk to him.

Sorry, you are talking to someone who gets Matthew Ridge to wash all his cars. You don't think I'd make my own bonnet do you? That's why I'm an Electrical/Electronics engineer.

[Gus 5]

haha yeah we get our stuff from high modulus, and also ATL.....will prob just be looking at making a outer skin, held with bonnet pins, saving weight to the max! will be giving it a go to see how we manage. we been using epxoy resin, but fire retardent polyester resin kinda makes sense....would it still be thermoplastic? or thermoset?

[Homy.D.Clown 0]

Thermoset....

resin spoiler kits rock when the car gets burnt out (as i found out )

all the resin burns off leaving the cloth in perfect shape..untill you touch it..poof

[Sudo 0]

What's the best option for a carbon bonnet, find one already made, or get one made?

I wouldn't mind one if they wern't too expensive, like if I can find one cheap enough I would take it.

[hybrid 1044]

A guy in AK that makes em

something a came across a little while ago

http://www.frantik.co.nz/products.htm