Fiberglass vs Carbon Fiber

I am debating on the use of fiberglass or carbon fiber for the bumpers, hood and ducktail on my 73 RSR project.

Has anyone had experience with both and can tell me the advantages and disadvantages of one over the other?

Also, which company makes the best fitting panels?

Thanks,

Alvin

The PIO (Previous Idiot Owner) of my '87 Carrera installed a fiberglass C2 kit front and rear. Fiberglass was never designed to be used for bumpers - both ends of my car were lightly tapped sometime before I bought it. Looks real ugly where the 'glass broke!

Charlie '87 Faux C2 Turbo Carrera

Fiberglass or carbon? First there is a hefty price for carbon. It can make stiffer/ lighter structures particularly combined with honeycomb. But do you need this? World Sports Car teams will pay $1500 to save one pound. Needless to say they have a lot of carbon fiber. "S" glass can also be used to replace carbon for a stiffer/stronger stucture of course at a price. "E" glass is the most commonly used fiberglass and is quite adequate for the street, unless you use it for a bumper car or park by the braille method. The "E" glass will be heavier than the carbon but a lot lighter than the steel you wil replace. The best guy I know for plastic bodies is Larry Childress at Composite Technologies (678) 546-1298. He has all the molds for even the 935.
neil

I've got fiberglass C2 "Turbo Look" bumpers on my '78 SC. Carbon fiber is just too expensive for this particular application. I've never hit anything with the car, but if I do I'll simply replace the injured bumper with a new one, no sweat. I will tell you that tiny stess cracks have formed at some the bolt up points. I have seen this on other glass cars as well. Find a good source for thick glass, there's a lot of crap out there.

In my opinion, this question idepends on what you want to do with your car. If you are oging to keep it the stock look then by all means use factory bumpers. They are platic and are superior to either fiber or carbon fiber. (no cracking). If you are doing a wide body than for god's sake use steel. If cost is an isse that leave the car alone. If you are going to do something, do it right.

Thanks guys for all your replies.

Neil, thanks for your lead. Larry can lay-up just about anything you want. Too bad he does not have early RSR bumper molds, but he CAN do hoods and tails.

Still researching.

Alvin

Alvin - Contact GT Racing (see Pano or Excellence). This guy specializes in RSR and other early stuff. A mechanic I know uses his bumpers so they must be O.K. I spoke with him a few years back (same type project), real nice fella.

RarlyL8,

Thanks for your input, but I am very dissatisfied with Hank at GT Racing.

I called him and asked him about the manufacture of his body panels.

Simple questions such as: What type glass do you use, E-glass or S-glass? What weight cloth do you use? How many layers? What kind of resin? Can you do Kevlar? How about Kevlar/Carbon hybrids? What "tow" carbon weave? The only answer I got to each question was, "I don't know". Plus, he was rude to me.

Here is a guy that is real proud to be a PCA Racing sponsor, brags that he has been racing for years, and yet he doesn't even know the process of the stuff he sells. He wouldn't even let me talk to the guys that do the lay-up. He didn't even ask for my phone number so he could get the answers to my questions and call me back.

So, I won't be buying body panels from GT Racing. I don't think anybody else should either. The guy is a jerk!!

Alvin

Sorry to hear that. I guess I cought him on a good day. One of my mechanic friends has done a lot of these conversions, did a real nice one a few years back for himself - 2.7RSR motor and all. Sold the car before it was even driven. I'll find out he likes anybody else's RSR bumpers.