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Carbon Fibre Engine Bay Dress Up


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#1 craggem2006

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Posted 28 September 2009 - 05:56 PM

Hi guys and girls,

I made this carbon fibre coil cover at work last week and was wondering if i could get some feedback please?

if i had enough interest i would be very tempted to manufacture more, the only issue is that the material isnt that cheap as we use genuine pre-preg epoxy resin autoclave cured f-1 grade carbon

price would be in the region of 20 quid

im also looking into making more carbon fibre engine bay goodies

this is the cover compared to a stainless one

Posted Image

and this is the cover fitted to my dads spi with a stainless bracket

Posted Image


I would very much appreciate everyones verdict and whether they might be interested in buying one if i eventually get round to mass manufacture.

I am also making relay covers and tandem master cylinder fluid reservoir covers (pics to follow) :shifty:

I will also be making fuse box covers, carb dash pot covers and door cappings amongst more items i have lined up.

thanks, Craig

#2 kgb

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Posted 28 September 2009 - 06:07 PM

id have one, look spot on :shifty:

#3 tomsbluemini

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Posted 28 September 2009 - 06:44 PM

Looks nice, really good...

I'm far from an expert on carbon fibre, but how would other engine parts stand up to the heat? and how would they look over time once oil's leaked on them or if the car overheats to be immersed in that much steam etc?

Don't take that as a criticism as I think your coil cover looks brill, but just a thought...

Cheers

#4 Calman

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Posted 28 September 2009 - 06:47 PM

i think you would be suceesessful but if i were you i would make a list of products with a pic and price next to each in a seperate topic and have people add to it from there. Always seems like in this sot of post you get a good 100 pages of people asking for the same thing or similar. :shifty:

Edited by C93, 28 September 2009 - 06:47 PM.


#5 craggem2006

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Posted 29 September 2009 - 05:39 PM

Looks nice, really good...

I'm far from an expert on carbon fibre, but how would other engine parts stand up to the heat? and how would they look over time once oil's leaked on them or if the car overheats to be immersed in that much steam etc?



Hi Tom,

The epoxy resin system we use in our carbon fibre is oil, water and fuel resistant, we also make oil tanks for high spec race cars out of it :)

It would also easily take the temperature of an engine bay without a problem :)

I will post more pics of the other components with expected prices when i have trimmed them and got them fitted :o

Many thanks

Craig de la Hoyde.

#6 techno-steve

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Posted 29 September 2009 - 11:41 PM

ill defo have one get in touch if you get this off the ground :)

#7 mike.

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 12:11 AM

A few other idea for you if you have skills and resources:

Rocker covers
Top radiator brackets
Maybe even radiator cowlings...

#8 Pooky

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 10:57 AM

Just a thought but the price might put some people off. Would it be cheaper if it was simply a square of CF that people wrapped round their own coil?

Are all coils the same diameter?

#9 carboy001

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 12:16 PM

Like Mike said rocker covers, I would definetely be interested in one of them dependant on price.

Parcel Shelves
Rad Cowling
Rad Fan
Centre Binnacle Housing
Tank Straps (They would be ace! Specially if you could do them for 5.5 gallon tanks :thumbsup: )

Just a few to ponder :(

#10 craggem2006

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 12:28 PM

Just a thought but the price might put some people off. Would it be cheaper if it was simply a square of CF that people wrapped round their own coil?

Are all coils the same diameter?



Hi pooky,

a flat sheet of carbon simply wouldnt flex sufficiently to wrap the coil, it is too stiff, the coil covers i make are split, like the stainless versions, so can over lap themselves if the coils are slightly smaller or larger. i have tried the cover on various coils and they all fit lovely, the only difference is that some coils are shorter in length so the cover could be cut down or left slightly long (about 10mm)

#11 george91

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 03:23 PM

Ooooh i love carbon fibre, i would buy one without question it looks great, other parts like carboy001 mentioned would be great as well as somthing like a brake fluid resovior cover, they look sweet in stainless and would be even better in carbon, wow i am a *woman of ill repute* for carbon fibre lol. :(

Edited by george91, 30 September 2009 - 03:23 PM.


#12 monster_mini

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 03:45 PM

i would have done if u i hadnt just spent so much on shiny stainless bits:P

might still buy it tho if u r making them:P

and they look amazing dude:)

nick

#13 craggem2006

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 05:27 PM

other parts like carboy001 mentioned would be great as well as somthing like a brake fluid resovior cover


Hi george91,

I have already started making the necessary mould tooling for relay covers and the brake fluid reservoir, i think next on the cards after those 2 is fuse box covers (four fuse) and splash guard upper mounting brackets :(


Carbon fibre rocker covers would be very expensive made from this material, price would be around £200, which i think would instantly price itself off the market, the reason for the high cost is that the lay up would have to be very thick to take the pressure of the t-bars squishing the cork seal without the cover splaying outwards and deforming. i might play around and make one for myself and see how that goes but as formentioned i think the price would be unbelievable and the cover wouldn't be able to have a finned top, which in my opinion is one of the best looking features in a tidy engine bay.

Craig

#14 Calman

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 05:32 PM

ive seen them before as a carbon fibre 'external layer'. i dont know how it handled to the heat etc but any were it would be easily damaged (like around the plug) it had a few mm gap so it was out of harms way. still looked really good.

Edited by C93, 30 September 2009 - 05:32 PM.


#15 craggem2006

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 05:53 PM

I could indeed make a cover that goes over the standard rocker cover, and smooth out the lumps. the resin system I use would easily handle the temperature of the rocker cover :(

That would be much cheaper, I'll look into it, cheers c93.

Craig




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