? FIXING CARBON FIBER FRONT END

1443 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by kickin_astro, Sep 11, 2008

PAINTBUCKET

Discussion Starter · Aug 17, 2008

WE PUT OUR TOP SPORTSMAN CAR IN THE SAND TRAP!!!
We messed the front end up pretty bad but it has not lost it's shape just knocked a few holes in the lower valence. best and strongest way to repare?? it's an ex pro stock cavalier. all front end damage.

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mrdragster1970

· #2 · Aug 17, 2008

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I had my car fall in a hole when the black top collapsed at a shit hole track I was at. My body guy said no biggie.
He just had to order special matting & resin. I watched him fix the nose. He worked it the same as fiberglass.
Unless I missed something, you should have no problem doing it. Call your local supply house. Good luck.

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PAINTBUCKET

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 17, 2008

sounds good thanks

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kickin_astro

· #4 · Aug 27, 2008

Probably need to use an epoxy resin not regular fiberglass resin.
I use stuff from a company called West Systems.
http://www.westsystem.com/
They are from BayCity, Mi.
You can get it at most marine supply stores.
You can use it on fiberglass and with regular fiberglass cloth.

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7817

· #5 · Aug 27, 2008

You need to determine if what you have is epoxy or polyester before you try to fix it.

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kickin_astro

· #6 · Aug 27, 2008

One thing about it is you can use the epoxy on polyester, not the other way though.

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barszcz

· #7 · Aug 28, 2008

kickin astro is correct. also, i would assume if it is an ex pro stock cavalier, that it would be an epoxy built body. the WEST SYSTEM is a very simple to use deal. i always keep some in the shop just in case and for our actual new pieces we build we use a different product all together. the WEST SYSTEM is a two part deal that uses pre portioned pumpers. so, one pump to one pump is all it takes. if you get the slow curing stuff, you should have about a 20 minute pot life. depending on how proficient you are and equipment you have, i would suggest using a large table and laying a sheet of plastic down, lay your carbon fabric on top, next place your mixed up resin on the carbon and now put another sheet of plastic on top so you sandwich the carbon and resin in between. next use cheap squeegeez from your auto parts store to spread the resin throughout the carbon. if you apply a lil pressure the carbon will only soak up as much as it needs. typically we weigh the material and mix the same amount of resin for a decent 50/50 ratio. that is most common in composite shops for wet layup. after it is wet, use a good razor blade like one of those slideable deals from lowes for cutting carpet to trim out whatever shapes you need. if you need anything else, give me a call or shoot me an email.

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seanss454

· #8 · Sep 2, 2008

I am going to make some tubs would the west system work best? I will need to make the inners and attach to the top part of the tub should I use fiberglass or carbon material?

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barszcz

· #9 · Sep 2, 2008

well, the west system is good to use for doing repairs and small jobs here and there. i would not suggest using it for a wheel tub as it actually designed for boat hulls. they do make an additive to make it temperature heat resistant, but it is VERY expensive. and the cost per use of the WEST SYSTEM isnt very efficient when compared to other resin systems. it will cost you twice as much to use the WEST SYSTEM just because the way you would probably purchase it isnt cost effecitve for doing large projects such as a wheel tub. depending on where you are in the country i can suggest some supply houses to go to and what you may want to use.

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mrdragster1970

· #10 · Sep 2, 2008

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Are you building a weird size tub. They have carbon tubs at a few places now.
I have McAmis carbon tubs in one of my cars.

.

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seanss454

· #11 · Sep 2, 2008

I am in Houston. I talked to my ppg guy and he was alos gonna check. Kind of fun messing arounf with making differant typed of stuff.

Thanks!

Sean

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kickin_astro

· #12 · Sep 11, 2008

It may be expensive, but it is used for more than Boat Hulls.
At the time I went to the school in Bay City, it was used by most Indy car style teams to make their Carbon Fiber body panels. A cabon fiber/foam composite.
We made sample with their vacuum bagging system and they made them into clip boards for us when it was cured. I still have mine and I'm pretty sure it would be bullit proof. I have hit against corners a bunch of times to show people the strength.
Here is the link to their web sit which gives you all the info you'll want.
http://www.westsystem.com/
We made our panels on a bench cover in formica and waxed with release agent. then made whatever size panels we wanted and applied their vaccum bagging. It squeezes out the resin to give the correct ratio of resin to composite for the best strength.
If you are going to go this route with vaccum bagging, the only thing you would save money on is the resin.
Just my .02. Just like everyone favors Ford/Chevy/ Mopar, If I were doing it, this is what I would use.

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