MNlotus Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I want to add some parts to my 7 since i haven't in a while and i thought about making my car all carbon fiber since i wanted to paint it anyway. First, is it possible? If so where do i find all the parts? I know these sights have most of the parts but not all of them. http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Departments/Kit-Car/Caterham-Specific.aspx https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/ -front and rear fenders, nosecone, indicator lights front and rear, dash sill protectors, wing protectors i can all find in carbon, no problem there. I remember seeing a site that sold the front hood in carbon but don't remember the site. So i just need the hood, and the side panels and back panel. Anyone know where i can find these, or know if its even possible to have an all carbon 7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Yes it was temporarily possible. A UK Blatchat member (RichardinFrance) who ran a carbon parts business was developing his own all carbon car with one of the RST V6 turbos installed. Unfortunately he passed on and his car project was only part complete. His business was bought out however it has since gone under (was called RIF and was bought out by Carbon Bits but both are gone). Your other retailers for carbon to explore are 1) MOG Racing/Fluke Motorsport. 2) Reverie 3) As a wild card try MadHatter at Seven Speed UK. He also sells the MOG and Fluke stuff but may have other sources. The Westfield guys use someone called "Mickmade" - not sure if he also makes Caterham bits? Also search Blatchat - there will be some reference that you can follow a lead on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I know of one car that was completed with RiF's cf panels and bonnet (and wings, and mirrors, and aeroscreen, and...), and that is Norman's car. Norman bought Richard's place in France when RiF was moving back to the U.K. Not sure what happened to Norman or his car. http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/BBL-Sean/smileys/Norman7.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayseven Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) RIF is now RIP, unfortunately. I will try to find some links, but there are quite a few who will gladly take your money for your CF habit. http://www.sevenspeed.co.uk/carbon-fibre.html http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Departments/Kit-Car/Caterham-Specific.aspx http://www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk/carbonfibre-c-1.html http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/bodywork-exterior/caterham-carbon-fibre-aero-whiskers http://www.westermann-motorsport.com/shop/product_info.php?language=en&info=p16_Composite-Halbt-ren.html http://www.tillett.co.uk/car-racing-seat.asp http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/product_list.php?group=A%20BESP&subgroup=A%20BESP%20FIR And if you are way too cheap for the real thing, unless you make it yourself (which never turns out as well as the bought stuff, no matter what people say), there is the old standby, vinyl... And yes, you can tell the difference; I have a lot of this stuff on my car, and it just saves painting, doesn't look a bit like the real thing. It actually looks terrible if done wrong. I know this first hand, unfortunately. Edited March 14, 2012 by ayseven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Norman bought Richard's place in France when RiF was moving back to the U.K. Not sure what happened to Norman or his car. Thanks for reminding me Sean - I had forgotten that. Norman is still posting on Westfield UK forum after unfortunately falling foul of some Blatchat politics. From what I read he is still living in the same place and still has the Caterham. He had a rebuild blog at French Blatting Company which is a great read. Here is the link: http://www.lotus7news.co.uk/101.html Look for the sub pages for the carbon details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNlotus Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 thanks for the response, it seems they make everything i need but i still can't find the side panels anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayseven Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I've been scrounging parts for years for my car, and have never seen a supplier of side panels for a Caterham, that are specifically made for it. There is no reason you can't get them custom made by someone who knows their CF, however, and have them bonded onto the chassis sides with Sikaflex. They don't have to be specially shaped, since they will be flexible, as they are not structural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 thanks for the response, it seems they make everything i need but i still can't find the side panels anywhere No, they no longer make them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNlotus Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 No, they no longer make them. dang!! does anyone know anyone that would be able to make these!? if not i may have to go with what ayseven said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlumba81 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Can't you just buy a large carbon fiber sheet and cut to size? Did a quick google search and got this site. They also sell Trusses, all carbon 7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNlotus Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Can't you just buy a large carbon fiber sheet and cut to size? Did a quick google search and got this site. They also sell Trusses, all carbon 7? yeah i thought about that, but I'm no carbon expert so i don't know if you could do it. the front of the side panel would be easy since its flat but the rear of the side panel is curved at the top so idk how easy it would be to make. (the part above the rear wing where it curves up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I am a little confused. You could buy the rear body section which includes the curves you are concerned about (i.e. it wraps around). You could then buy the flat panel for the sides (matching for weave) using the links Jude provided. Worst case is you ask Fluke or Mog if they would do a custom set of side panels for you. I am sure they would since it is a relatively easy exercise compared to forming bonnets, rear panels, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Given how much it cost me to pay a pro to put 3M shield on my car's most exposed parts, I can't imagine what it wld cost to have all those parts, and more, duplicated in CF. Aside from aesthetics, wld there be any reason to do this-appreciable weight savings, for instance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian7 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 dang!! does anyone know anyone that would be able to make these!? if not i may have to go with what ayseven said send me a PM, I have a partner in Ohio that does CF work for ALMS and GrandAm racers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetgo Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I was talking about this (all carbon 7) with a buddy, and was wondering? Has anyone ever seen carbon fiber clamshells? I think a all carbon car but with clamshells would be an interesting juxtaposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 There is at least one car in the UK with carbon fiber clamshells and there was an effort last year to produce another custom set based on some Blatchat posting I read. I am not aware of any commercial manufacturer selling them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Croc, I am the person who was interested in carbon clamshells (and who solicited interest on BlatChat) about a year ago. Before Richard in France passed away, I had corresponded with him in 2006 through 2008 about making carbon clams, and he was interested. He told me that he had made up molds for wide-track carbon clams, but didn't have time to make the clams yet, due to other items he was making. Then he passed away quite suddenly. About a year ago, I contacted the RiF's remnant company and Carbon-Bits, to see if RiF's clamshell molds could be resurrected, and used to turn out some c/f clams. They told me that they would need to have firm orders for 6 or 8 sets (at, as I recall, about £400 a set) before they could do that. I asked for any expressions of interest on BlatChat, and I got ZERO favorable response. Now both Rif's company and Carbon-Bits are no more. I don't know what has has happened to RiF's clamshell molds. I had hear a rumor that c/f clams were being made by a company in Japan; I had the link to a c/f supplier of Seven bodyparts in Japan, but cannot locate it now; and a Google search hasn't turned up anything. I do know one thing, though -- my Caterham would look the dog's bollocks with a set of wide-track carbon clams! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianashdown Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Hi, I have a pair of Clamshells that would be suitable for pulling a mold. I'm not sure if they are wide track or what they are. We would be able to make a few sets of carbon parts if there was some real interest. Check out our website. http://www.pacific-composites.net If there is interest we could start making the molds quite soon and parts would follow. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Ian, Verry, verry interesting.... I have been told that the normal Caterham clams do cover a wide-track to some extent, but never had a chance to test this proposition. i can check the Caterham catalog, and another source, to see if we can learn what the story is. Also, I rode in a fellow's Seven once, from Washington, DC, and he had extended his clams outward with a piece of approx. 1-inch square aluminum tube between the wing and the body, cut and crimped where necessary to follow the inside flange of the clamshell. That would be a solution, if needed. About the c/f weave -- I would want a weave pattern and direction thats matches my rear c/f wings from Caterham. Don't know how that could be coordinated, but assume it could be. Anyway, what you propose sounds promising..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianashdown Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Hi, I would think we would use 2x2 Twill which gives the weave pattern that you're looking for. If we lay it up at 0/90 degrees which gives the twill pattern at 45 degrees. It can be pointing away from the center or towards the center, your preference. It might be possible to make the mold with a spacer so that it could make both narrow and wide track. The other question is whether to make them from 100% carbon (light, strong but more expensive) or use carbon on the visable surfaces and glass fiber for the center plies (not as light, or strong and only moderately expensive!). Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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