New owner/builder what carbon parts?
Discussion
Hi all,
I thought i would just come on and introduce myself as a new Ultima CanAm owner....
So i'm finally (after a 10 year wait)the proud owner of a Can Am chassis, I got it through another (very upset) pistonheads member who decided he would never get round to finishing it off and the fact i got it slightly cheaper than the new price was enough to persuade the better half that it was time for me to start my dream.
So i'm right at the very start of the project and i'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it and putting my own personal mark on the car.
To do this i intend to make quite a few parts from carbon since that is what i do for a business, the first parts of which will be the interior panelling.
This means all the floor, side panels, rear bulkhead and luggage pods will be carbon.
But i don't intend stopping there, so i would like to ask if anyone can recommend other parts that would possibly look good in 'black bling'... One thing i thought about was the passenger footrest but i wasn't sure if it was seen in the finished car or if it was out of sight under the dash and since i will need to buy the original parts to mold from well before the cars finished, i though you guys might help point out potential parts for me to work on.
Cheers,
Pete
I thought i would just come on and introduce myself as a new Ultima CanAm owner....
So i'm finally (after a 10 year wait)the proud owner of a Can Am chassis, I got it through another (very upset) pistonheads member who decided he would never get round to finishing it off and the fact i got it slightly cheaper than the new price was enough to persuade the better half that it was time for me to start my dream.
So i'm right at the very start of the project and i'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it and putting my own personal mark on the car.
To do this i intend to make quite a few parts from carbon since that is what i do for a business, the first parts of which will be the interior panelling.
This means all the floor, side panels, rear bulkhead and luggage pods will be carbon.
But i don't intend stopping there, so i would like to ask if anyone can recommend other parts that would possibly look good in 'black bling'... One thing i thought about was the passenger footrest but i wasn't sure if it was seen in the finished car or if it was out of sight under the dash and since i will need to buy the original parts to mold from well before the cars finished, i though you guys might help point out potential parts for me to work on.
Cheers,
Pete
Hi Pete and welcome to the world of Ultima, expect a few jibes about being a CanAm onwer from GTR onwers that can't hack the weather and have to be in an enclosed car 
I'm sure that you could find a foot plate that a current builder could let you borrow if you really wanted to make one in carbon. I think the mirror's would look good in carbon with the stalks black anodised, the same for the rear wing supports (black anodised) plus side scoops in carbon. I understand wanting the side panels in carbon but I take it that you do not intend to carpet the floor if you are making that in carbon as well? Although it's a CanAm I still stuffed loads of sound deadner in the floor and side panels plus heat mat, as believe me it gets bloody warm in there.! Make sure you insulate where the radiator pipes are near the side panels and try to continue the rear bulkhead across the rear of the luggage containers to stop fumes and heat being dragged back into the cockpit.
What engine/transaxle do you intend fitting, also bodywork colour?
If you are thinking about an LS engine you might want to incorporate mouldings for the ECU and fuse box in your luggage or side panels.
Good luck with your build and if you need any help, this is the place to get it from.......
Graham
I'm sure that you could find a foot plate that a current builder could let you borrow if you really wanted to make one in carbon. I think the mirror's would look good in carbon with the stalks black anodised, the same for the rear wing supports (black anodised) plus side scoops in carbon. I understand wanting the side panels in carbon but I take it that you do not intend to carpet the floor if you are making that in carbon as well? Although it's a CanAm I still stuffed loads of sound deadner in the floor and side panels plus heat mat, as believe me it gets bloody warm in there.! Make sure you insulate where the radiator pipes are near the side panels and try to continue the rear bulkhead across the rear of the luggage containers to stop fumes and heat being dragged back into the cockpit.
What engine/transaxle do you intend fitting, also bodywork colour?
If you are thinking about an LS engine you might want to incorporate mouldings for the ECU and fuse box in your luggage or side panels.
Good luck with your build and if you need any help, this is the place to get it from.......
Graham
Edited by Graham-P on Tuesday 21st September 16:05
Thanks Graham,
Some helpful info there especially about the fumes coming in, I'll defo look for gaps etc. and modify the new carbon panels to cover any gaps.
I am thinking LS engine so will look into that before I get too far with the build. Colour.... That's turning out to be the trickiest question, either plain yellow or White with two dark metallic grey lines over her which would look good with carbon scoop covers and I plan to make carbon inserts for the recesses behind the front wheels.
I will almost certainly make carbon mirror arms and maybe leave the mirrors colour coded with the bodywork.
Making wing mounts is a possibility but I would need to look at the fixings on them to figure out if they are worth making or if there's too much involved.
Some helpful info there especially about the fumes coming in, I'll defo look for gaps etc. and modify the new carbon panels to cover any gaps.
I am thinking LS engine so will look into that before I get too far with the build. Colour.... That's turning out to be the trickiest question, either plain yellow or White with two dark metallic grey lines over her which would look good with carbon scoop covers and I plan to make carbon inserts for the recesses behind the front wheels.
I will almost certainly make carbon mirror arms and maybe leave the mirrors colour coded with the bodywork.
Making wing mounts is a possibility but I would need to look at the fixings on them to figure out if they are worth making or if there's too much involved.
Hi d3vine,
Yes I have an autoclave and it's all prepreg I work with ( I never touch wet layup it's messy, smelly and not very strong ).
Unfortunately though my autoclave isn't big enough to do bodywork, it's a 2 foot diameter 5 foot long cylinder inside so I can only make parts that will fit within those dimensions.
There are very few composite companies in this country with autoclaves big enough and the ones that have would charge I guess in the region of £50,000 + to do a full body IF they had a mold. Not only is the material expensive, the running cost of an autoclave is quite staggering and the labour cost for 'composite engineers' can be £60 to £100 per hour! :-o
Sorry to disappoint you, I will however post pictures of all the carbon work I lavish on my Can Am and if there's enough interest, I may consider approaching Ultima to see If they want to sell any of them as optional extras.
Yes I have an autoclave and it's all prepreg I work with ( I never touch wet layup it's messy, smelly and not very strong ).
Unfortunately though my autoclave isn't big enough to do bodywork, it's a 2 foot diameter 5 foot long cylinder inside so I can only make parts that will fit within those dimensions.
There are very few composite companies in this country with autoclaves big enough and the ones that have would charge I guess in the region of £50,000 + to do a full body IF they had a mold. Not only is the material expensive, the running cost of an autoclave is quite staggering and the labour cost for 'composite engineers' can be £60 to £100 per hour! :-o
Sorry to disappoint you, I will however post pictures of all the carbon work I lavish on my Can Am and if there's enough interest, I may consider approaching Ultima to see If they want to sell any of them as optional extras.
Temperatures vary depending on the resin used in the prepreg and the type used depends on the application ( some give higher strengths and some can withstand higher end use temperatures)
Typical curing temperatures are between 80 and 120 deg C. And once vacuum bagged the part is then compressed with between 90 and 120 psi.
Typical curing temperatures are between 80 and 120 deg C. And once vacuum bagged the part is then compressed with between 90 and 120 psi.
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