Heavy Metal! Part Deux - The Carbon Copy

[scootermcrad]

Originally Posted by Jonny042

I'm just getting started! I have to be careful not to get too busy though, it will ruin the fun, for one thing, but also thwart forward progress in creating new parts or finishing projects.

As always, thanks for the kind words!

I hear ya', man! Someone once told me, "Don't make your hobbies your business." I feel like there may be some gray areas with that statement, since our hobbies are often our passions, and it's not a bad thing to make a career over things we're passionate about. Certainly it's more fun when you can do it for yourself or when you CHOOSE to do the work and not HAVE to do the work so you can put food on the table. I'm still looking for a reason to test that theory, though. HAHA! Designing and building parts for the cars we love sounds more fun than the "soulless" consumer products I'm current designing. LOL

Keep going. We're watching...

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by Showdown

I think for many of us, the appearance of carbon fiber on an early 911 is out of place whereas the amber fiberglass appears period correct and to a degree, inline with the ethos that was driving Porsche in the 60s.

I'm considering ordering some plain Kevlar and building one pure kevlar version of the protection plate. I know that I may end up regretting this decision at this stuff is pure hell to cut and trim and finish:



It will, however, be a good chance to see what the Kevlar looks like all by itself. I suspect it might be a very attractive option for things like cooling shrouds and engine tins. Certainly the amber hue of it has potential!

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by colingreene

The coolest carbon parts are when you can see the weave through the paint in the right light.

Not to say it can't be cool, but if you can see the weave through the paint, it's a defect caused by incorrect or insufficient paint prep, or a part that was not properly post-cured in an oven.

If a partially cured part resumes the curing process once it's in use at high temperatures, the surface of the carbon/epoxy matrix will continue to change and show up in the paint surface until it's done its cure.

I've gone to great pains to ensure this doesn't happen! As the parts come out of the oven they do have a very slight weave texture in the surface of the epoxy. This is easily filled by primer or clearcoat with sanding between coats.

[AG81]

Jon,

I quick interruption to your parts and build saga to say thank you.
The fit is fantastic with zero modifications needed and no gasket required.

[Jonny042]

WOW!!!

You can interrupt any time with an update like that!

You must have had to enlarge or ovalize the mounting holes a bit?

Originally Posted by AG81

Jon,

I quick interruption to your parts and build saga to say thank you.
The fit is fantastic with zero modifications needed and no gasket required.

[AG81]

Yes sir....guess how many? ONE !!!

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by AG81

Yes sir....guess how many? ONE !!!

Bottom right? For some reason that was a huge pain on the Rot Rod.

[AG81]

Yes Sir..... Bottom Right. About 1/2 the hole width.

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by AG81

Yes Sir..... Bottom Right. About 1/2 the hole width.

That's valuable feedback. Any chance you can remember the direction you had to clearance that hole? I can make an adjustment to the hole markings for future parts.

Thanks! Jon

[AG81]

Jon,

I had to come towards center (to the left).

[KRLocke]

Originally Posted by Showdown

I think for many of us, the appearance of carbon fiber on an early 911 is out of place whereas the amber fiberglass appears period correct and to a degree, inline with the ethos that was driving Porsche in the 60s.

agree. if I had an early outlaw car, amber would be very cool, and a little on the rough side with "patina" if that could be baked in.

[KRLocke]

Originally Posted by AG81

Jon,

I quick interruption to your parts and build saga to say thank you.
The fit is fantastic with zero modifications needed and no gasket required.

Love that against your signal (?) orange!

[oliver07r]

Originally Posted by KRLocke

agree. if I had an early outlaw car, amber would be very cool, and a little on the rough side with "patina" if that could be baked in.

Agree
We custom made Amber (917 honey style ) FG air scoops for our water cooled Sépia Brown 930 RSR and we love the look
Can't be seen unless you're under the car but we know it's there

[KRLocke]

Great stuff, well done!

[AG81]

Originally Posted by KRLocke

Love that against your signal (?) orange!

^
Close.... Signal Yellow. But it definitely looks orangeish !!!

[KRLocke]

I guess a rose by another name still looks great

[skinnerd]

Might not be 100% germane to the discussion, but has anyone seen Porsche's "natural" fiber they've been using on some of their race cars?

This would go great with many of the colors of our cars.

I'm thinking many of the oranges, yellow, white, etc would look killer with a ducktail made of this stuff.

[AG81]

^
This is cool stuff. Agree with certain colors it would be fantastic.

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by skinnerd

Might not be 100% germane to the discussion, but has anyone seen Porsche's "natural" fiber they've been using on some of their race cars?

This would go great with many of the colors of our cars.

I'm thinking many of the oranges, yellow, white, etc would look killer with a ducktail made of this stuff.

I thinks it's a great point of discussion. Like Porsche's efforts, Tuthill's 911K (a big inspiration for the Carbon Copy) does incorporate quite a bit of flax fiber reinforced composite ("FFRP" I suppose?) in various areas:



The grain of the woven flax looks almost like wood. I believe it's somewhat strong but better for parts subject to lower stress.

I do recall that an article I read mentioned Porsche using balsa wood reinforcements in those modern race cars as well!

[Showdown]

Mercx bicycles in Belgium has long used flax as a green replacement for carbon fiber (they forget the use of highly toxic resins but I digress) and has had phenomenal results.