CF side window trim progress pics
Discussion
Well I have been mucking around with CF yet again and am replacing the cracked ones I currently have with something a little more racier. I made a plug out of hard foam to replicate the same one I currently have. It would have been easier to take the existing one off, but it would have came off in broken peices, so just decided to form the same shapes and lay some CF over top of it. I haven't quite finished yet and have to sand the edges to get perfect fit, find out where the holes go as the existing one just held in there by rivots and put some coats of clear over top.
Was thinking of somehow attaching the panels using little polished button heads instead of rivots so later on I can take the rear glass panel out when refurbishing the black painted part on the glass. Makes sense. Any suggestions on fixing these panels would be appreciated as I don't know what to expect when I take the current plastic panels out.
Cheers
Kylie
Oh the lovely green surgical gloves are to stop CF dust getting into my skin.
Pic of it by itself by my shiny wheels
>>> Edited by kylie on Monday 22 March 05:48
>>> Edited by kylie on Monday 22 March 05:49
Was thinking of somehow attaching the panels using little polished button heads instead of rivots so later on I can take the rear glass panel out when refurbishing the black painted part on the glass. Makes sense. Any suggestions on fixing these panels would be appreciated as I don't know what to expect when I take the current plastic panels out.
Cheers
Kylie
Oh the lovely green surgical gloves are to stop CF dust getting into my skin.
Pic of it by itself by my shiny wheels
>>> Edited by kylie on Monday 22 March 05:48
>>> Edited by kylie on Monday 22 March 05:49
Kylie
Looks great, just my opinion but I think this might be one of the most useful parts to produce in CF. It's almost impossible to get the old ABS parts of in one piece and they are so crap its almost unbelievable!!!
I've got mine off at the moment as I'm changing the cars colour, and have some 2nd had ones ready to go back of a late V8 but these are just as bad as the others - really bad, when you see them off you don't want to put them back!
Would Mr Walters have some opinion on this?
How about something similar for the UK?
Gareth
Looks great, just my opinion but I think this might be one of the most useful parts to produce in CF. It's almost impossible to get the old ABS parts of in one piece and they are so crap its almost unbelievable!!!
I've got mine off at the moment as I'm changing the cars colour, and have some 2nd had ones ready to go back of a late V8 but these are just as bad as the others - really bad, when you see them off you don't want to put them back!
Would Mr Walters have some opinion on this?
How about something similar for the UK?
Gareth
Hi Kylie, have to say they look really cool!
Gareth, about your question, I wouldn't like to copy someone elses idea just incase they have plans to resell them theirselves.
If Kylie doesn't mind then i would be more than please to start this project.
I would need at least 6 interested parties though to start the mould process off.
Obviously we have two already, you and me.
Iam visiting my CF guy later this week to pick up another sunroof destined for Japan, could have a word if Kylie gives me the go ahead.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
Gareth, about your question, I wouldn't like to copy someone elses idea just incase they have plans to resell them theirselves.
If Kylie doesn't mind then i would be more than please to start this project.
I would need at least 6 interested parties though to start the mould process off.
Obviously we have two already, you and me.
Iam visiting my CF guy later this week to pick up another sunroof destined for Japan, could have a word if Kylie gives me the go ahead.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
My experience removing the old panels is that you will have trouble getting them off, especially on older cars when the ABS may be more brittle. They are also stuck on with three blobs of Bettaseal – making it just that little harder! Once you get them off you will see small spacers made of ABS glued on the back, they look like something from a Airfix (??) model kit! 
soooo bad!
I would suggest that these would be worth considering by ANYONE who needs to have their rear Windows re-sealed because of the flaking glass trim.
As for fixings, don't know of you can get into the back of the pillar to the other side of the rivets? If you can, then you could use some nice small stainless dome head bolts (maybe Alan heads) with captured nuts behind them, I wouldn't want to put any larger holes in there as the pillar is not so big. I'm sure you can come up with a better solution to this!
soooo bad! I would suggest that these would be worth considering by ANYONE who needs to have their rear Windows re-sealed because of the flaking glass trim.
As for fixings, don't know of you can get into the back of the pillar to the other side of the rivets? If you can, then you could use some nice small stainless dome head bolts (maybe Alan heads) with captured nuts behind them, I wouldn't want to put any larger holes in there as the pillar is not so big. I'm sure you can come up with a better solution to this!
superdave said:
Hi Kylie, have to say they look really cool!
Gareth, about your question, I wouldn't like to copy someone elses idea just incase they have plans to resell them theirselves.
If Kylie doesn't mind then i would be more than please to start this project.
I would need at least 6 interested parties though to start the mould process off.
Obviously we have two already, you and me.
Iam visiting my CF guy later this week to pick up another sunroof destined for Japan, could have a word if Kylie gives me the go ahead.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
I would be interested to be #3 Dave ...
AL
superdave said:
Hi Kylie, have to say they look really cool!
Gareth, about your question, I wouldn't like to copy someone elses idea just incase they have plans to resell them theirselves.
If Kylie doesn't mind then i would be more than please to start this project.
I would need at least 6 interested parties though to start the mould process off.
Obviously we have two already, you and me.
Iam visiting my CF guy later this week to pick up another sunroof destined for Japan, could have a word if Kylie gives me the go ahead.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
Hey no worries Dave, you go for it
, I have already got enough people locally who want these and don't plan on making any money from it, am just doing it for a hobby. I really do think this is one of the more simple projects I have done with the most impact. I can't wait to make the other and fit them.
PS Dave are you still making the CF rear plinth as you described earlier, I am still considering the idea of getting one off ya
Thanks Kylie, I will go for it if I get enough interest. Have 4 people already.
Haven't made any moulds yet for the rear licence plinth because:
a. only 4-5 people confirmed,
b. they want different styles i.e plain, plain with recess for Lotus emblem, ribbed (Kylie).
I have my old licence plate I could send you if you fancy having a go?
Will probably go for a plain smooth one without the recess as it's another piece to bond in.
As I already have two Lotus GRP smooth plinths, Iam not in any hurry to make it for myself.
Your window trim however is a different story.
cheers,
Dave Walters
Haven't made any moulds yet for the rear licence plinth because:
a. only 4-5 people confirmed,
b. they want different styles i.e plain, plain with recess for Lotus emblem, ribbed (Kylie).
I have my old licence plate I could send you if you fancy having a go?
Will probably go for a plain smooth one without the recess as it's another piece to bond in.
As I already have two Lotus GRP smooth plinths, Iam not in any hurry to make it for myself.
Your window trim however is a different story.
cheers,
Dave Walters
superdave said:
I have my old licence plate I could send you if you fancy having a go?
Will probably go for a plain smooth one without the recess as it's another piece to bond in.
As I already have two Lotus GRP smooth plinths, Iam not in any hurry to make it for myself.
Dave Walters
Thanks for your offer Dave, if I do make a new style one I will just use mine to have a play.
Um decisions decisions, so the plinth with the lotus recess is a pain to make? I thought about just buying a new style plinth and using as a mould, how much are they?
V8TT said:
Am I able to purchase one of the Carbon Fiber plinths ?? If you cant tell ... im a BIG fan of Carbon Fiber. LOL
AL
The US CF Plinths where done on a group buy about a year ago. I ordered 2 and, when I didn't like the way it looked against the Azure, gave it to my friend Dan (along with the rest of the CF stuff - Binnacle, shift plate, instrument cluster cover) that I had...
...I have 1 CF plinth left, but it is already spoken for via an email I received earlier this month. Now if I can just make enough time to ship it out, we will have another happy Lotus owner on our hands
ErnestM
Have you seen my Cf roofs on www.lotusespritworld.com ?
I have received an enquiry from Carolina, US only last week. Shipping is about £55 = $103. It a shame the US is weak at the moment. i have an order going to Japan next week. It's really only this spring that the CF roof will take off. I made it in Autumn last year which wasn't good timing being located in the UK.
BTW, ernest is right about the US style. If I were to make any it would be the UK style. There is a guy who has made a batch of the US style already.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
I have received an enquiry from Carolina, US only last week. Shipping is about £55 = $103. It a shame the US is weak at the moment. i have an order going to Japan next week. It's really only this spring that the CF roof will take off. I made it in Autumn last year which wasn't good timing being located in the UK.
BTW, ernest is right about the US style. If I were to make any it would be the UK style. There is a guy who has made a batch of the US style already.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
V8TT said:
Am I able to purchase one of the Carbon Fiber plinths ?? If you cant tell ... im a BIG fan of Carbon Fiber. LOL
AL
Hi Dave,
Some guy in Illinois did the same CF B-Pillars last year and offered to make them for others but never followed through. Besides myself I know of at least one (definite) and maybe more that would also like a set. So I guess you have the 6 people you need to get this project started. The sooner the better as I have to replace the one on my driver side.
Kylie's idea of using a different fixing method would be great. It would be a shame to break the new CF ones if they ever had to be removed again.
Along with Ernie's suggestion, a CF airbox for the 4-cyl cars would also be great. In fact, I think a replacement S4-style engine cover in CF would look fantastic as well. Put me on the list for any of these if you decide to make them.
Some guy in Illinois did the same CF B-Pillars last year and offered to make them for others but never followed through. Besides myself I know of at least one (definite) and maybe more that would also like a set. So I guess you have the 6 people you need to get this project started. The sooner the better as I have to replace the one on my driver side.
Kylie's idea of using a different fixing method would be great. It would be a shame to break the new CF ones if they ever had to be removed again.
Along with Ernie's suggestion, a CF airbox for the 4-cyl cars would also be great. In fact, I think a replacement S4-style engine cover in CF would look fantastic as well. Put me on the list for any of these if you decide to make them.
Tastier than a Claudia Schiffer-shaped lolllipop! Er, the CF, that is... not Kylie... although she may be, I dunno... er.... is that the time? I must be getting my coat... 
karlfranz said:
Hi Dave,
Some guy in Illinois did the same CF B-Pillars last year and offered to make them for others but never followed through. Besides myself I know of at least one (definite) and maybe more that would also like a set. So I guess you have the 6 people you need to get this project started. The sooner the better as I have to replace the one on my driver side.
Make that 7
Jim
kylie said:
Pick of me with some lippy on in my website
There's a pic of me somewhere on:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=87521&f=23&h=0&p=8
Ian
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