CF Modification Wishlist?

[MarkChai]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum, but I've been drooling over the VX since it came out, and I poke around the site every now and then to stay current. I'm just waiting for the finances to fall into the right place before I can buy my own.

However, I am an industrial designer that is working with composites, particularly carbon fiber (CF), and myself and another designer are looking for areas of need/want in the tuner and off-road markets that our services might be able to benefit.

So, is there anything in/on your VX that you wish were CF? Any CF parts you already have that suck? Any ideas or gripes you have will be useful!


Thanks for your help. I'll be around!

Mark

P.S.--Also, if any of you live near Tempe, AZ and would be willing to let me take a look at your vehicle, take some photos, and get more familiar with it, that would be fantastic.

[Joe_Black]

How are you planning to manufacture the CF items? Pre-preg autoclave or wet layup?

[MachineVX]

Interior pieces, such as center console.

[MarkChai]

Joe,

We are using wet lay-up with vacuum-assist molding, and also vacuum-assist resin-transfer molding. An auotclave is in the works; Pre-preg is in the future as well; we are just working out some prototyping kinks with the wet stuff. We also use the Aerospace-quality clear/bluish resins and hardeners, not the yellow-ish cheap stuff.

We have two 300-series custom motorcylce fender prototypes on eBay:
http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZloverocketcheese

BTW-- I don't mean to step on your toes here, Joe. It looks like your shop has some pretty good capacity, and I admire your passion for the VX and for quality through testing! Any tips and suggestions for a month-old composites shop will be gladly appreciated.

[Joe_Black]

Mark, glad to hear the direction y'all are taking and you're definitely not stepping on any toes as my shop's not even built yet. Plus, the more that get into doing this kind of thing the better it is for all of us! ;) Unfortunately I can't offer any insights, other than use the info that's out there and find if you've got any nearby aviation or marine composite outfits you can visit. I found some great pre-preg technical documentation on Amazon as well, although a bit pricey at around $150 a copy.

[Maugan_VX]

uhg

not all this again.

I need a dolphin-strikerless front crossbeam for my Inter20. 8'6" long, needs to withstand 3 tons of pressure and weight ~20 lbs. Less preferably.

I would make it, but the woman got pissed last time I whipped out the vacuum bagging gear in the living room.

[Joe_Black]

I would make it, but the woman got pissed last time I whipped out the vacuum bagging gear in the living room.
LOL! :laugho: Get some attachments for her and maybe you'll get encouragement. :naughty:

[Triathlete]

You've got quite a few VX's in the Phoenix area. They are all members here. If none of them step up your more than welcome to come check mine out if your ever down in the Tucson area.

[MarkChai]

Thanks for the support, everyone!

Maugan- I talked to the boss, and we think that we can help you-- We just need more spec's. We'll even send some vacuum bag attacments for the missus free of charge...

Billy-I may take you up on a visit-- no Phx folks have popped up yet.

[Maugan_VX]

Mark,

I was halfway joking honestly. You see, I have a fundamental problem with carbon fiber. While I agree that its a wonderful material to build with, a lot of people that produce structural parts don't understand how to implement it properly, leading to many disasterous failures. It is particularly fitting in the sailing industry where my experience has shown that carbon is used to fabricate under-built components that fail slowly over time.

But if you want to take a stab at it:
http://www.tybee500.com/ShotByRoxy/images/DSC_3337.jpg
Theres the front crossbeam.

Notice the deflection of the mast. It is carbon fiber and weights about 30 lbs all rigged. It should NOT be bending like that :)

[MarkChai]

Gotcha. I agree- CF is misused and improperly applied half the time. Not to mention the other times when people don't know what they are doing.

Does the mast mount to that front crossbeam? Or do both front and back beams bear the load? We can do some load analysis calculations in the computer...

Whether VX, Inter 20 or otherwise, we will not put out a part that is unsafe. Any major sturctural pieces would mean we work with an engineer. :homer:

[MarkChai]

ok, now that we have performance dinghys covered, are there any other VX ideas? :)

[Maugan_VX]

Not carbon fiber,

but fiberglass replacements for the cladding. I've wanted to do it for a while :)

[MarkChai]

What's your motivation? A smoother finish?

[Maugan_VX]

Yes. Something that can be easily painted to match the rest of the body. Plus, if you read some of the threads here, its getting more and more difficult to get replacement cladding pieces.

Fiberglass doesn't scratch if you look at it to long either :)

[MachineVX]

I'd like CF cladding . . .

[kpaske]

You know what would be bad-a**? A redesigned rear door minus the spare tire area with a slightly larger rear window. You could even build in a sub box or cargo area. Also it might be nice to have a way to mount my oversized spare on the back of the rear door instead of on the roof (which affects my aerodynamics as well as my ability to park in garages). A CF rear door and hood (with scoop of course) could save us a few hundred pounds, which might have a positive affect on gas mileage over time.

And hell, if you consider cladding (more weight savings?), you might want to think about opening up the wheel wells a bit for taller/wider tires.

Just kicking around ideas... ;Db;

[Ldub]

I think a C/F rear spoiler w/ a somewhat modified profile ("whale tail", without being overdone) would be something I would lust after...it would have to incorporate the 3rd brake light though.
Ldub

[MarkChai]

OK,

So I spoke with the boss, and we have the capacity and ability to do replacement cladding, in either fiberglass or CF. The latter, of course would be more expensive.

In order to give an accurate quote, I need more specific dimensions (remember- I don't have a VX yet...)

So there are 9 pieces of cladding, right? (3 on each side, front & back bumpers, back door panel)

I am looking for the length, height, and width of each cladding part, as well as the diameter of the wheel wells and the diameter of the wheel hump on the back door.

Thanks for your help-- I appreciate it!