62 replies to this topic

[Mr_M]

So how much for carbon fibre clams. Mmmmm!

Musssstt resssissstttt..........

[rabidh]

So how much for carbon fibre clams. Mmmmm!

Musssstt resssissstttt..........

That's the thing really... If the clams were CF and cheaper there would be huge demand - even from people with reasonable clams. If a respray to get rid of stone chips costs £500, and a new CF front clam costs £750 it'd be a no-brainer I think. As vaxhall don't sell CF clams I don't think there would be a huge problem... You're not really stealing their revenue.

Splitting the front and rear clams into 2 would make life much easier for moulding, and would give the option to remove just one or other from the car - as well as making them far easier for the maker to store and ship.

As for mount points - as I recall the only tricky ones on the front clam are the ones near the door (and the lights). They could be aluminium brackets, held to the clam with those sexy allen-key button head stainless bolts. It'd look amazing, and removing the clam would no longer require the pain of trying to undo those hidden bolts by the door hinge.

I asked the company that sells the VX/Elise crashboxes and rad cowlings on ebay about it, and they reckoned they could do it. I have heard complaints about the finish on their turbo side pods though...

[Muncher]

Right, I've had a meeting today with my fibreglass guy and also a very experienced member here who has got Exige clamshell moulds already. We've discussed the production of clams and may well divide the work up using another fibreglass company also.

We decided there was scope for a LOT of weight reduction in the bodypanels. Some of the hardtops I have taken delivery of today are seriously lightweight, to the extent that they said they would do some in carbon fibre but there wouldn't be much reduction in weight at all.

The rear clam would be made in 3 sections but it's a case of getting hold of some clams and the workshop having enough spare time to do them.

As a start they've taken two boot lids (turbo and NA), a bonnet and roll bar cover which are all seriously heavy for what they are. When they get a chance moulds will be taken of them with a view to making some lightweight ones and possibly some in carbon fibre. I imagine you'd lose about 15-20kg with the three of them alone.

Edited by Muncher, 08 February 2008 - 04:44 PM.

[A13X]

Sounds interesting

[markiii]

indeed nice one Paul

[Guy182]

re carbon fibre clams.. anyone thought that the strength of these may be a bad point?? i.e. fibreglass will just smash carbon fibre will be like a thin sheet stronger than regular car panels coming at you.. it could quite esily go through the windscreen, if in a crash wouldnt this just slice you up? just a thought

[Muncher]

re carbon fibre clams..

anyone thought that the strength of these may be a bad point??

i.e. fibreglass will just smash

carbon fibre will be like a thin sheet stronger than regular car panels coming at you.. it could quite esily go through the windscreen, if in a crash wouldnt this just slice you up?


just a thought

I think complete carbon clams are unlikely. The two reasons you would use carbon fibre are because of it's light weight and its appearance if unpainted. The trouble is the carbon fibre comes on 1m wide rolls and to lay it into a shape larger than that is very tricky as the joins would have to be 100% perfect if it was not going to be painted. Then from a weight point of view you could get pretty damn close to the weight of the carbonfibre clam using the right fibreglass but at a fraction of the cost.

The good thing is there is scope for weight loss as the standard ones are so heavy! With a few other weight saving mods there shouldn't be any reason why you can't get a NA down to S1 Elise weight...

Edited by Muncher, 08 February 2008 - 05:07 PM.

[Mr_M]

The good thing is there is scope for weight loss as the standard ones are so heavy! With a few other weight saving mods there shouldn't be any reason why you can't get a NA down to S1 Elise weight...

Be very interested to hear how you get on with this (this site's either going to bankrupt me - or be responsible for my divorce at this rate ) I've discussed this with a few people in the past (notably Stu-7 and I were having a good yak about it one evening not too long ago) an I was under the impression (please correct me if I'm wrong here) that a lot of the weight was due the sharp creases in the XV design and hence the extra strengthending required at these points? i.e. the VX is an inherently heavy shape for glassfibre?

[Pugley]

I have been reading this with great interest. I have been riding motorcycles all my life and there has grown a large after market for fibre glass replica panels (the cost of a set of original panels for the latest super bike can often exceed £3K and is also a reason why some bikes can be written off for cosmetic damage) - now where have I heard that before!!! Most racers use fibre glass copies as a cheap way of keeping the bike on the track and saving weight. The added advantage is that the original expensive super duper ABS fairing can be put back on the bike when it's time to sell. Now...............just thinking on - IF we could source cheaper replica clams it would be possible to have a set for track days and winter driving or a set used for regular commuting and town parking etc, etc, etc. I would not worry if my cheap set picked a few marks here and there because they would be expenable/replaceable. The car could be used far more under adverse conditions with no fear of it being written off after a minor bump. The world market for replica and or custom clams must be worth investigating to any business that has the facility to make them efficiently. Vauxhall charge the earth because:- 1. They can and 2. because the French manufactures have a captive market and are not looking to make any cost efficiencies on their healthy margin and are probably contracted to Vauxhall/Opel. So, thankyou Muncher for progressing with this feasibility and lets see if there is an entrepreneur out there who can turn this business opprtunity into a reality??

[Muncher]

Perhaps they were heavier due to the creases, BUT.... my fibreglass people have looked at them and not said that and also that does not explain why the roll bar, engine cover and front cover are SO heavy given they are flat. We actually scratched one panel to find out if it was really metal underneath as it even sounded like metal!

[VXTlover]

To everyone involved in getting us cheaper parts : Thank you, Superb work. I look forward to hearing about any future developments.

[Crabash]

Some info might be helpfull for anyone looking into this, I have for a while now but starting with smaller easier parts for the time being. info based on reading "Competition car composites" These figures are based on a hypothetical nose cone for a single seater and with the same resultant strength. 450gsm CSM = 2.464kg 390gsm Woven glass = 1.478kg 280gsm Carbon = 1.061kg 320gsm Aramid (kevlar) = 1.198kg Also the resin makes a big difference polyester is cheap but has a habit of deforming over time so is not reccomended for exterior body parts, but epoxy is much stronger and does not deform and also much more expensive, however it may allow for a lighter part due to it's strength. There are also plenty of core materials you can use to increase strength/stiffness by large margins for virtually no weight gain, i.e. a 2 ply laminate with a honeycomb core equvalent to 6 plys compared to the normal 2 ply with no core is 37 times as stiff and has a flex strength of 9.2 times for only 1.06 times the weight of the normal part.

[jules_s]

The good thing is there is scope for weight loss as the standard ones are so heavy! With a few other weight saving mods there shouldn't be any reason why you can't get a NA down to S1 Elise weight...

Nice work here mate

However, isn't a vx at S1 weight a pipe dream due to the weight of the vx engine and subframe?

IIRC the 'k' series lump is 78k compared to our 138kg?...and an S1 is somewhere between 725-755kg?

I think the clams will certainly be an option for us lot who are considering a circa £2k colour change re-spray

[Muncher]

Now pushing ahead with this due to having a bolloxed rear clam! If Vauxhall aren't replacing them under warranty the only safe option is a new one from Vauxhall at a ridiculous price for a lot of people. I'll be making them with the option of them being ready painted I think.

[VXJON]

Now pushing ahead with this due to having a bolloxed rear clam! If Vauxhall aren't replacing them under warranty the only safe option is a new one from Vauxhall at a ridiculous price for a lot of people. I'll be making them with the option of them being ready painted I think.

How far away are you with these clams? weeks? months? and what would be a rough price unpainted?

[Muncher]

Now pushing ahead with this due to having a bolloxed rear clam! If Vauxhall aren't replacing them under warranty the only safe option is a new one from Vauxhall at a ridiculous price for a lot of people. I'll be making them with the option of them being ready painted I think.

How far away are you with these clams? weeks? months? and what would be a rough price unpainted?

Very early stages so far, so too early to tell, unpainted maybe 1/3 of the cost of a brand new clam hopefully. I know how much the moulds for the Exige cost to make though. I have 3 options on who to make the moulds and will get in contact with them tomorrow hopefully.

[rsg]

I'll have a front and rear clam + doors in Carbon fibre please. No need to paint it just laquer it.

Edited by rsg, 26 February 2008 - 09:00 PM.

[Baron Von Scubadaddy]

I'll have a front and rear clam + doors in Carbon fibre please. No need to paint it just laquer it.

Me too

Nice one for sorting this out

[Stuey]

Well done for having a go at this! It would certainly be very reassuring to know that there's another source for clams and at far more reasonable prices! I think the idea of splitting the front clam so that the lower valance was seperate is good one though... Is that workable?

[Muncher]

I imagine that's possible.