Carbon fibre sunroof blank?

[Alex]

Anyone done this?
Want to bin mine as my helmet touches it when on track.

Only concern is the slight contour of the roof and carbon not flexing.

[Ross]

A carbon panel will flex enough to bend to the contours of the roof - it's not too severe there. How thick are you thinking of having the panel? I've worked with 2mm carbon frequently and that would for sure be ok, and I'd think thick enough for your needs. You could probably go thinner tbh too.

[MuZiZZle]

A carbon panel will flex enough to bend to the contours of the roof - it's not too severe there. How thick are you thinking of having the panel? I've worked with 2mm carbon frequently and that would for sure be ok, and I'd think thick enough for your needs. You could probably go thinner tbh too.

how does it shatter though? or does it just crack?

[Ross]

how does it shatter though? or does it just crack?

It splinters in my (limited) experience. Like fresh wood:
http://www.mtu.edu/materials/k12/experiments/images/CarbonFiber4.jpg

[MuZiZZle]

Interesting, so it's not likely to explode into bits?

it's resin over weave isn't it?

[Ross]

It would depend on how it was made - infused would be the best for this I'd guess at. You can make wet lay carbon panels but I think that'd be weaker than infused. prepreg, vacuum infused would be strongest to resist shattering I think.

A lot of this is guesswork - I've not been making carbon parts very long at all (<18 months and just for a hobby/learn).

Edit to add: All my products come from http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/

They have a range of very useful videos that are worth a watch, especially mould making and vacuum infusion.

[MuZiZZle]

I was talking about tinkering with carbon just yesterday!

[MuZiZZle]

Oh, and how tall are you alex? maybe a Benwh555 subframe will help! it did for me as I'm 6'4!

[Alex]

A carbon panel will flex enough to bend to the contours of the roof - it's not too severe there. How thick are you thinking of having the panel? I've worked with 2mm carbon frequently and that would for sure be ok, and I'd think thick enough for your needs. You could probably go thinner tbh too.

Was thinking 2mm too, Bit easier to work with.
Just need to find a sheet big enough now, if my measurements are correct I need 52cm x 82cm.

Oh, and how tall are you alex? maybe a Benwh555 subframe will help! it did for me as I'm 6'4!

I'm 6ft 4", I've got a couple Ghost Dev subframes to fit but need sidemounted buckets before I can use them.

[Ross]

Was thinking 2mm too, Bit easier to work with.
Just need to find a sheet big enough now, if my measurements are correct I need 52cm x 82cm. I'd suggest going oversize slightly and trimming it back but remember sanding cf is a nightmare for dust - itches horribly and is basically unavoidable, even with gloves, dust mask etc. real nasty stuff to work with!

[KamRacing]

carbon / kevlar would flex more, kevlar would be even better.

[Alex]

Wouldn't kevlar on it's own be a bit too flexible?

[KamRacing]

The resin makes it stiff but flexible..
I've seen doors hit on racecars and for them to be simply popped back into shape after the race. Obviously theres some damage but they carried on racing on the next event that day.

[MuZiZZle]

where can you get a sheet of kevlar large enough?

[Ross]

where can you get a sheet of kevlar large enough?

contact these guys: http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/Default.aspx

I use them for my supplies.

[piggy123]

Just ordered a load of sheets from them... Great price :) great service highly recommend :)

[Ross]

Just ordered a load of sheets from them... Great price :) great service highly recommend :)

excellent - pleased you got the same result as me. I cant rate EasyC enough :)

[Bedford126]

Bloke in Leeds company called carbon creations makes sunroof blanks for £30 pre drilled and shaped. He also makes a carbo/cevlar glass replacement panel.

[MuZiZZle]

oooooooh

[deano_123]

Bloke in Leeds company called carbon creations makes sunroof blanks for £30 pre drilled and shaped. He also makes a carbo/cevlar glass replacement panel.

details please

[MuZiZZle]

I found him on Facey

You after one?

[Bedford126]

details please

http://www.facebook.com/pages/cArbon-creations/274932219191680

all I can find.

[Jimmy-Boy]

+1 i am interested in something suitible for a sunroof blank!

[deano_123]

I found him on Facey

You after one?

yes, the plexiglass one ive put in looks shit

[MuZiZZle]

yes, the plexiglass one ive put in looks shit

When you home man, I'll race you mister

[deano_123]

ive sent him a message you want in on a blank like muz?

home in like 2 weeks but only home a week then away till xmas FML

[MuZiZZle]

probs like, if they're decent

[deano_123]

its a sheet of carbon, what could possibly go wrong (apart from you fuckin it up)

[MuZiZZle]

If its been manufactured in a dark shed with a tin opener and a toffee hammer I'll not be buying one

[deano_123]

If its been manufactured in a dark shed with a tin opener and a toffee hammer I'll not be buying one

isnt that where your car is tinkered with?

its a poxy saxo man not a bloody spaceship, stop being a fanny

[MuZiZZle]

Shush bender

[greyjasper51]

Weve got to run 2mm aluminium so if you go over its less likely to open up itll just dent and deform, theres 2 types of carbon but i cant remember what they are i think ones wet weave or wet lay... Basically for competition i wouldnt cus if you are unfortunate enough to fo over then it will break and open the roof up, possibly allowing objects to enter... Not a great idea but just for track use 2 mm will be fine easy enough to work with and will offer similar rigidity to the shell (unless youve got a full cage then the shell is pretty much pointless...) as aluminium so looks like a possibility...

[deano_123]

carbon roofs arent allowed in racing for the above racing but im not jenson button n cant drive for shit so it'll do for me

[KamRacing]

someone told me they have got round the rules of a carbon roof by keeping the metal strengthening bars. Depends on the individual rules though. Too be honest its a lot of money for little gain in any racing series especially on tin cars like a saxo. There are more critical areas to loose weight on.

[deano_123]

someone told me they have got round the rules of a carbon roof by keeping the metal strengthening bars. Depends on the individual rules though. Too be honest its a lot of money for little gain in any racing series especially on tin cars like a saxo. There are more critical areas to loose weight on.

scene points though innit

[MuZiZZle]

Anyone know how much these are yet?

I've been looking at getting a .95 *.5 m sheet of carbon and getting the edges CNC'd by a mate

[Jon_Doe]

I had some made up but sold them.

The curve of the roof continues to some extent beyond where the sunroof part is. You can make a curved mould from that or a non sunroof model.

The one I had done was a sheet (which makes the outside top curve) facing down onto the mould shape (I hope that makes sense) then a cork sheet in place only where it would end up in the sunroof hole, followed by another carbon sheet over that (forming the part which ends up inside the car). This leaves a 1mm thick outside edge, then the thicker corked section which is in the main part of the gap. It is all wet laid up in the mould and hardens with the cork trapped inside.

When i fitted mine it was a pretty good fit but still wanted to lift on one of the edges. So i think a flat sheet would be a bit of a nightmare to fix. One set of opposing edges might be ok but the others might be a problem.

I have seen an old road sign used for this.

[adam661]

ive made my own out of 2mm thick carbon cut to side and rounded the edges off seems flexible enough not fitted it as yet ill post some pics up when its done :)

[deano_123]

i contacted the FB bloke, says he doesnt do saxo's