42 replies to this topic

[FLD]

Thought I'd have a go at making a lightweight hardtop.  My aim wasn't ultimate lightness but the lightest I could go without compromising OEM type operation.  This required standard fittings and format.  Having a JB one to refer to was useful.  Having looked closely at it I figured a cored carbon lay-up was best.  I also thought some weight could be shed by cutting the inner part down quite a bit.  Anyways, here's a few pics of the adventure....

 

Mould for the outer cleaned and polished:

 

Outer skin of the outer going in.  This is two layers of 200g carbon layed at 45 degrees to each other.  This gives a laminate under 0.5mm thick.

 

Bagging stack on top; peel ply for a good bonding surface, release film and breather fabric.

 

Bag on:

 

Under vacuum:

 

Excess resin is pulled through the release film into the breather.  Just starting to spot up here:

 

[Wolfstone]

Bet Cath loves you doing this in what looks like the kitchen.  

 

Good work though buddy!

[FLD]

Once cured the stack comes out and the peel ply leaves a good surface for bonding in the foam core.  I used a 3mm pvc foam with vacuum to help conform it to the shape.

 

Once that was cured the inner skin of the outer was layed up.  Again this was 2x200g carbon at 45 degrees. Clearly I was a little more liberal with the resin!

 

This gave an outer (once trimmed) that weighed something like 1.8kg.  It was surprisingly rigid and would suit bonding on for a track car 'as is'.  This wasn't may aim though.  (If I were racing a little hatch where weight was important I'd make bonnet / boot / doors etc like this.  JT).

 

 

With the outer done it was time for an inner.  JB was kind enough to make me one of his inners with fittings (top chap!).  Once it arrived it got dremmeled!  The outer was put back in its mould, it was vinyl covered and the modified inner was layed in.

 

 

This was moulded and an inner was made to the same lay-up as the outer.  Where the fittings are I layed in some additional carbon and some aluminium load spreader plates.  Where the plates were, these replaced the foam core.

[FLD]

Bet Cath loves you doing this in what looks like the kitchen.  

 

Good work though buddy!

 

She's surprisingly tolerant of it.  Post cure in front of the fire didn't go down too well though!

[FLD]

I didn't take many pics of the inner being made . I bonded the halves together with high strength methacrylate.  It weighed in at 3.4kg with fittings but without seals or lacquer.  I'll take a few more pics when I'm done lacquering it.  Needless to say it has the nice pagani style vee weave pattern

Edited by FLD, 21 December 2013 - 03:56 PM.

[FLD]

Given my 'spray booth' is a little wet and windy I've started lacquering it in the shed.  I'll brush a couple of coats on then flat that off and spray the final coat.  Couple of mid-way pics.

 

 

 

[techieboy]

Just need a nice colour coat on top of that and it'll be perfick.

 

Great job though. I'm hoping Santa might arrange a vacuum pump for me in the next few days.

[VXT Tim]

Wow. Can you make me a turbo spoiler PLEEEEEEEASE.

[techieboy]

What's the seat in the background?

[FLD]

What's the seat in the background?

 

One of those cheapie ones that came up a while back.  I cannibalised it to make it fit VX subframes with a view to moulding it.  The original was a little deformed so I've not done much with it.  Level of arsedness has been too low!

[JohnTurbo]

This gave an outer (once trimmed) that weighed something like 1.8kg.  It was surprisingly rigid and would suit bonding on for a track car 'as is'.  This wasn't may aim though.  (For JT who will be racing a little hatch where weight is important I'll make bonnet / boot / doors etc like this. ).

Thanks man!! Just send over your paypal details! ;-) I just bought lovely formed pc windows (5pc kit), and have a grp bonnet but doors and rear hatch are not so easy.

[jonnyboy]

Looks great love the cheeky herringbone join. Weight for the outer skin is same as the autoclave one we do for the Elise so can't complain there!

[Darcini]

I have seen and handled this in the flesh, and it is indeed lighter than a light thing. A lot of work gone into it too, and at the price he's going to sell them for they're an absolute bargain.

[smiley]

A lot of work gone into it too, and at the price he's going to sell them for they're an absolute bargain.

 

1. Smiley

2.

[siztenboots]

A lot of work gone into it too, and at the price he's going to sell them for they're an absolute bargain.

  1. Smiley 2. Siztenboots

[Acidpopstar]

Come on then how much?

[Darcini]

Not for me to say, best to pester him with pm's. He'll no doubt pretend he's too busy, there's too much time/effort involved blah blah blah, but persevere, the more people that send him messages/texts the more he likes it tbh.

[Goosenka]

Not for me to say, best to pester him with pm's. He'll no doubt pretend he's too busy, there's too much time/effort involved blah blah blah, but persevere, the more people that send him messages/texts the more he likes it tbh.

Closet chutney me thinks

[FLD]

Not for me to say, best to pester him with pm's. He'll no doubt pretend he's too busy, there's too much time/effort involved blah blah blah, but persevere, the more people that send him messages/texts the more he likes it tbh.

 

Trouble maker!  My damn inbox is heaving. 

[VXT Tim]

I would sell my oem hardtop for one of these