MMM carbon

[240Cup]

So upgradeitis is beginning to bite, I'm thinking about carbon nose and carbon rear wings for my R300K..

I see the caterham stuff is, err pricey ... as one might expect. I can also see some from 'carbon mods' which is still pricey but slightly less so.

Anyone any experience of either, or any other suppliers?

Cheers,

240

[Flatfloor]

I do not believe Carbon Mods produce their stuff anymore even though it remains on their website.

[James.S]

There is plenty of average stuff out there, the CC stuff is very nice.

[chris_speed]

Sell the R300 and buy this?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...

[EFA]

I have to ask that if its made of carbon, why does the bodywork need Armourfend protection?

The carbon on my car is 11 years old and still looks new.

[ForzaGilles]

I thought carbon nose and rear wings were standard on an R300? My Superlight had them

[mickrick]

Carbon dash and cycle wings where standard on the R300K, the nose cone and rear wings where a £1,200 option IIRC.

OP, if you decide to leave it naked, get it clearcoated by a bodyshop, as it doesn't like UV's.

ETA, not sure about the dash now I think about it...
I know when I picked my brand new car up in 2005, the CC salesman had the face to point out a flaw in the carbon weave on the dash, and tell me it was different.
I'd just dropped a bankers draft for 32k on thier desk, and I wasn't impressed. At the time the carbon from CC was Chinese crap!
I don't know where they buy it nowadays.

Edited by mickrick on Wednesday 20th March 08:55

[DaveK-S1]

Mick

I think tillet make all there composites now

[mickrick]

Then it should be nice!
I want some more of their Kevlar seats.

[EFA]

mickrick said:

OP, if you decide to leave it naked, get it clearcoated by a bodyshop, as it doesn't like UV's.

NOOOOOO! Don't lacquer it - it will chip like paint, which makes the whole exercise pointless.

Only nasty stuff degrades in UV (turns brown). Decent carbon retains its original hue for years. I can show you stuff that is 15+ years old which is still fine. UV damage can sometimes be recovered with a 600 then 1200 wet and dry.

Decent carbon tends not to stonechip unless hit so hard it cracks right through.

[mickrick]

Epoxy resin has no UV resistence. If you don't clear coat it, it will break down and go milky/dull.

[EFA]

Straight epoxy resin is only used for wet layup carbon. Prepreg uses far more advanced resin systems.

This is what I used to manufacture all the wings etc I made http://www.advanced-composites.co.uk/data_catalogu...

It was developed as the most UV resisitive carbon for the McLaren F1 road car. McLaren demanded 20 years.

[mickrick]

That's very interesting EFA, thanks for posting it, but where does it give reference to UV resistence?

The Guys down here spend 10's of thousands painting million dollar sailboat rigs, to stop the UV destroying them.
They are now using carbon standing rigging, but it has a sleeve over it for the same reason. It actualy looks like a polyamide rope untill you take a closer look.

I found it nigh on impossible to find proper pre-preg autoclaved carbon for my SV.
Most of the stuff out there is wet lay up, or full of glassfigre filler, with a bit of carbon on the top. (read Mog.)Hence I went all retro

When you where making the dogs dangles carbon bits where you using an autoclave? Do you still have it?

Maybe someone out there has developed a UV resistent epoxy by now, but I doubt CC will be selling it, especially now the bean counter is CEO.
All their resources seem to have gone into ttter and Mugbook

How are you getting on with your English wheel by the way?

Cheers,
Mick.

[ForzaGilles]

I had mine re lacquered then armourfended. They were fine

[EFA]

Mick,

I once owned this.



and in it was this:



Unfortunately (and after I sold it on) it ended up being part of this disaster (outlined in red)




We didn't make bits for sailboats though. They have very different materials requirements

[mickrick]

Bloody hell! what a shame
I didn't realise you had such a serious operation going. A few quids worth of gear there!
I'd love to get hold of a small autoclave, to have a play, but a bit pricey and the only used ones I've seen for sale have been the small dentist ones for orthadontics.

[EFA]

Yes my one cost about the same as a house in Spain.....:-)

[No14]

I can vouch for the quality from Arnies production - I bought a pair of headlights about 9 years ago and they're still as good now as the day I put them on the car. I'm of the same oppinion as Arnie - get some descent quality carbon and there's no need for protective coatings - my original 97 superlight has bare carbon and it looks great - occasionally polished or sprayed with WD 40 - depending on my mood.

[mickrick]

EFA said:

Yes my one cost about the same as a house in Spain.....:-)

They're giving them away then ?

[BBL-Sean]

EFA said:

Yes my one cost about the same as a house in Spain.....:-)

...and is about the size of an apartment in Tokyo!