Carbon fiber targa top
08-17-2006, 12:37 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
In the pictures the cf roof looks sweet and very unique. I don't think too many other vettes would have this, definitely a show piece if the cf quality is good. I saw the roof on ebay. Search corvette carbon fiber roof and it should come up. Good Luck and if you get it pleeease post some good pics.
08-17-2006, 03:14 PM
#5
Team Owner
I saw a couple on ebay last month. None today though.
08-17-2006, 05:16 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Look again on ebay. These tops are normally there. Again I just searched Corvette carbon fiber topin ebay and found the two tops that are normally posted.
08-21-2006, 09:29 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
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St. Jude Donor '08
Autocross & Roadrace Forum Sponsor
I saw those up on ebay today. Interesting thing is that they use GM hardware and frame. Probably just a layer of carbon bonded over the SMC. No real benefit in weight or rigidity. Just aesthetics.
We are exploring making a structural carbon roof panel at about 1/2 the weight that you bolt in. Think there is a market out there for something like that? The process would be reversable in case you ever wanted to put the stock or glass roof in.
Thoughts anyone? You guys are our target market.
thanks,
Aaron
We are exploring making a structural carbon roof panel at about 1/2 the weight that you bolt in. Think there is a market out there for something like that? The process would be reversable in case you ever wanted to put the stock or glass roof in.
Thoughts anyone? You guys are our target market.
thanks,
Aaron
08-21-2006, 10:18 PM
#11
Team Owner
Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt
I saw those up on ebay today. Interesting thing is that they use GM hardware and frame. Probably just a layer of carbon bonded over the SMC. No real benefit in weight or rigidity. Just aesthetics.
We are exploring making a structural carbon roof panel at about 1/2 the weight that you bolt in. Think there is a market out there for something like that? The process would be reversable in case you ever wanted to put the stock or glass roof in.
Thoughts anyone? You guys are our target market.
thanks,
Aaron
We are exploring making a structural carbon roof panel at about 1/2 the weight that you bolt in. Think there is a market out there for something like that? The process would be reversable in case you ever wanted to put the stock or glass roof in.
Thoughts anyone? You guys are our target market.
thanks,
Aaron
I would be more interested in some nice CF interior and/or underhood pieces.
08-23-2006, 01:01 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
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St. Jude Donor '08
Autocross & Roadrace Forum Sponsor
Thanks for the feedback. It alsways helps to know what you guys are thinking about and looking to get for your car.
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
08-23-2006, 09:46 PM
#13
Night Owl for life
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Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
-Aaron
-Aaron
the black glasstop looks good on most all colored vettes so a dark CF top shouldn't look too out of place on a colored car.
08-23-2006, 11:47 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt
Thanks for the feedback. It alsways helps to know what you guys are thinking about and looking to get for your car.
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
08-24-2006, 09:29 AM
#16
Instructor
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Carbon fiber roof
AutoCross or DE...you're playing to a small audience in this Corvette
community. Cosmetic mods like engine compartment and interior panels generate far more interest than pure performance items.
Am I correct thinking your panel would be a bolt in unit something like
a C4 roof. That would make the most of the rigidity factor of the panel. Hope it works out.
M
community. Cosmetic mods like engine compartment and interior panels generate far more interest than pure performance items.
Am I correct thinking your panel would be a bolt in unit something like
a C4 roof. That would make the most of the rigidity factor of the panel. Hope it works out.
M
08-24-2006, 12:41 PM
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt
Thanks for the feedback. It alsways helps to know what you guys are thinking about and looking to get for your car.
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
The look of a CF roof might be a little odd on a car that isn't black or dark to begin with. Hard to know.
Our plan is to build something that provides additional rigidity to the chassis for Autocross or DE and is significantly lighter. I am calculating that we can cut the weight in half over the stock piece.
-Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Your idea peaked my interest. I have an electron blue coupe with a dark lexan top and I love the look, a carbon fiber top would look very similar to what my vette looks like now.
I was wondering though, you mentioned that you are exploring making a structural carbon roof panel at about 1/2 the weight that you bolt in. I wonder if its possible to still keep a lexan skin on the top. I take the top off at most 5 or 6 times a year so a bolt on top would not be a problem since I hardly take the top off as it is, but I have gotten used to being able to look up at the sky from the driver's seat and to enjoy the sunlight coming in. I would definitely buy a lexan top with a carbon fiber frame, even if you have to bolt it on and off. As long as its well built, has a noticeable weight difference from stock and isn't insanely priced ( it reasonable that it'll be more expensive that a standard top bought from GM), I would definitely buy one.
08-25-2006, 12:24 AM
#19
Burning Brakes
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St. Jude Donor '08
Autocross & Roadrace Forum Sponsor
Thanks for the feedback. I agree that dress-up pieces appeal to a broader audience, but that is not what we build. The DE/autocross/race market is actually getting pretty big and a lot of people seem interested in actual preformance. The sales of our sways and coil overs has been brisk. We hope to reach that market with more well engineered functional parts that make a performance difference.
The lexan cover over a cf frame is an idea we hadn't consdered. Should be do-able. We'll give it some thought.
Cost is an issue any time that real carbon fiber is in play. Most of the available supply is being used by the commercial airline industry. The cost is going up as you would expect. I'm getting target pricing and production times right now. I'll be sure to get some pictures up as we get prototypes.
later,
Aaron
The lexan cover over a cf frame is an idea we hadn't consdered. Should be do-able. We'll give it some thought.
Cost is an issue any time that real carbon fiber is in play. Most of the available supply is being used by the commercial airline industry. The cost is going up as you would expect. I'm getting target pricing and production times right now. I'll be sure to get some pictures up as we get prototypes.
later,
Aaron
08-26-2006, 12:34 AM
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Originally Posted by Aaron Pfadt
Thanks for the feedback. I agree that dress-up pieces appeal to a broader audience, but that is not what we build. The DE/autocross/race market is actually getting pretty big and a lot of people seem interested in actual preformance. The sales of our sways and coil overs has been brisk. We hope to reach that market with more well engineered functional parts that make a performance difference.
The lexan cover over a cf frame is an idea we hadn't consdered. Should be do-able. We'll give it some thought.
Cost is an issue any time that real carbon fiber is in play. Most of the available supply is being used by the commercial airline industry. The cost is going up as you would expect. I'm getting target pricing and production times right now. I'll be sure to get some pictures up as we get prototypes.
later,
Aaron
The lexan cover over a cf frame is an idea we hadn't consdered. Should be do-able. We'll give it some thought.
Cost is an issue any time that real carbon fiber is in play. Most of the available supply is being used by the commercial airline industry. The cost is going up as you would expect. I'm getting target pricing and production times right now. I'll be sure to get some pictures up as we get prototypes.
later,
Aaron
Seriously though, keep us posted on the progress. I would definitely be interested in one with a lexan top over a CF frame and I'm sure alot of other people would as well. Good luck with the project.
