Carbon Fiber Wheel well moldings?

[scot w.]

There has been many threads on Carbon Fiber but nothing really happened but I have been working with a great company who can do these for us but before both of us begin making molds and spending money we want to hear your thoughts on a set of Full carbon fiber wheel well moldings..

Since I am yet to see anyone reproduce these I thought it would be nice to have these done in carbon, people can either leave them clear or paint them....

Being done in Carbon Fiber you wouldn't have to worry about dents!


Let us know your thoughts.....



Scot W,

 

[turbo nasty]

Nice....how about hood and decklids?

 

[818GN]

Nice....how about hood and decklids?

x2 on the hood and decklid

 

[JayC]

While I applaud your ingenuity, I wouldnt bother. After seeing how the carbon fiber wheel tubs held up on our race car, I wouldnt want anything like that for a daily driver.

 

[scot w.]

Keep the suggestions coming they are very helpful.....


SW.

 

[mat231v6]

Nice....how about hood and decklids?

x2
how much would the carbon fiber wheel well moldings cost?

 

[scot w.]

While I applaud your ingenuity, I wouldnt bother. After seeing how the carbon fiber wheel tubs held up on our race car, I wouldnt want anything like that for a daily driver.

Thanks for your input Jay but what your speaking about is a double edge sword so to speak. NOTHING "Light" is going to hold up under a good crash! Period! I don't care if it's OEM metals, Aluminum, Fiberglass, Etc....That is the risk Everyone takes when going racing or wanting to go "Light"... In the end it's a properly built Cage that keeps the driver safe NOT THE METALS or Materials on the outside of the car!


Scot W.

 

[JayC]

Thanks for your input Jay but what your speaking about is a double edge sword so to speak. NOTHING "Light" is going to hold up under a good crash! Period! I don't care if it's OEM metals, Aluminum, Fiberglass, Etc....That is the risk Everyone takes when going racing or wanting to go "Light"... In the end it's a properly built Cage that keeps the driver safe NOT THE METALS or Materials on the outside of the car!


Scot W.

I didnt say anything about a crash.

We had cracks in the wheel tubs from rocks getting spun up into the tubs. I dont see why daily driving wouldnt do the same thing and this happened after only a couple of times out. Perhaps if you coat the bottom with something to absorb some impact.

 

[scot w.]

x2
how much would the carbon fiber wheel well moldings cost?

Haven't gotten that far yet.....Tooling is what factors that in the end but my guy said it can ALL be done... I have seen USED sets going for $200+ and I think we can get the carbon fiber ones hopefully around $300 retail...

 

[scot w.]

I didnt say anything about a crash.

We had cracks in the wheel tubs from rocks getting spun up into the tubs. I dont see why daily driving wouldnt do the same thing and this happened after only a couple of times out. Perhaps if you coat the bottom with something to absorb some impact.

Ohhhh sorry, Good idea on the coating!! Wheel wells are going to get rock chipped, aluminum will get rock dented, painted will get rock chips....What's the lesser of those evil's? one has to decide at one point....lol

Note: Carbon fiber can be made thicker so it won't crack, it can also be made with a different resin/epoxy. There are many things to try and prevent that from happening. My guy makes tubs so I will ask him what he does and if he runs into this with his customers...

 

[turbo nasty]

Bumpers, fenders. The console bottom...few ideas

 

[JayC]

Ohhhh sorry, Good idea on the coating!! Wheel wells are going to get rock chipped, aluminum will get rock dented, painted will get rock chips....What's the lesser of those evil's? one has to decide at one point....lol

Note: Carbon fiber can be made thicker so it won't crack, it can also be made with a different resin/epoxy. There are many things to try and prevent that from happening. My guy makes tubs so I will ask him what he does and if he runs into this with his customers...

The tubs Ive seen are covered in something different underneath.... fiberglass I seem to recall. It helps but not a lot. If you could put plastic on the bottom, I think that would help quite a bit.

Chips are one thing but I dont think anyone would want a big rock dimple sticking up out of their wheel wheels.

 

[scot w.]

I didnt say anything about a crash.

We had cracks in the wheel tubs from rocks getting spun up into the tubs. I dont see why daily driving wouldnt do the same thing and this happened after only a couple of times out. Perhaps if you coat the bottom with something to absorb some impact.

Just got off the phone with my guy and he said he put's a 2mm core material over his tubs and they Will Not do that and he said "if you layed a piece of his tub on a table you couldn't send a screwdriver through it!" So if you want carbon fiber tubs in the future for your race car we can set you up with ones that won't chip or crack... He has been doing composite work for 20+ years and tubs for over 10 so he knows what he's doing... He also said he can do the same to the wheel well moldings!

Good point Jay i'm glad you brought that up....

 

[MG8T7GN]

How about a set of front and rear bumper fillers that actually look and fit correctly?

 

[salvageV6]

If you need a set tested 365 days 4 season weather let me know, I can probably provide an accident test too.

They should be a good alternative to NOS $$$ or used stockers also $$$.

Have one in a good finish bolt on, one in primered ready to accept paint.

 

[Gary Wells]

Sorry, Scott, I don't like the carbon fiber look on anything that I own. Don't have any on the Cad either.
To me, it's sort of expected and socially acceptable on "off shore" cars.
Additionally, at least half of the carbon fiber you see on cars is nothing more that a thin carbon fiber skin on some other material.

 

[Mike E]

How about a set of front inner fenders.

 

[DailyDrifter]

You could always paint the moldings black and nobody would know the differance. Might want to do it in a vinyl-ester resin too. I tried to make the B pillar molds but that didnt go too well.......

 

[turbotony1]

How about a set of front inner fenders.

I agree. The stock one's look like crap. They would be especially nice for guys who have a stripped down engine compartment. It seems like the more you remove and clean-up, the worse the stock inner fender wells look.

 

[STGMAN]

Looking for a carbon fiber body. Anyone interested in making one?