Stripping roof panel?
02-08-2016, 04:52 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Stripping roof panel?
Has anybody stripped the roof to get to the carbon fiber? I want to strip the paint off my roof panel to expose the carbon fiber and then having the shop clear coat it but wasn't sure if anyone has done it or has some insight on it. I did read somewhere that it's not "visible grade" cf. I'm not sure what that means but could I just have the paint stripped, polished and cleared or something?
02-08-2016, 05:39 PM
#2
Team Owner
We've heard many times that the visible CF tops have to be, and are, only the top quality CF lay-ups while the standard painted CF tops don't have to be perfect looking under the paint. I'm not aware that anyone has done what you suggest but sounds like a risk. Plus the clear is some special, super expensive UV proof formula, not just standard clear. They used it on the C6 ZR1 tops originally.
02-08-2016, 06:45 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
The quality of the carbon fiber weave is not good on a painted roof compared to a clear coated carbon fiber roof. Also the very special coating that is put on the bare carbon fiber roof panels from chevrolet is stupid expensive . Leave it body colored.
02-08-2016, 07:21 PM
#4
Race Director
go for it...post pics 
02-08-2016, 07:32 PM
#5
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Been riding a CF bike for many years. To this day I'm not aware of anyone stripping a CF bike to repaint while that happens on steel and aluminum all the time. Just sayin, before you try this, read up on it to make sure the process you use doesn't destroy the weave and you wind up with a melted mess instead of a roof panel.
02-08-2016, 07:58 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
There's a reason that the 'exposed' carbon fiber tops have been on restraint since the introduction. I was told that fewer than one in 100 are candidates for the special 'clear coat' finish.
If you don't care what it looks like, go for it. Worse case .... you will just have to repaint it or 'wrap' it..... Then again, by the time you go through all that, you could have had a REAL exposed CF top from the factory. But, hey, that's just my 2 cents worth.
If you don't care what it looks like, go for it. Worse case .... you will just have to repaint it or 'wrap' it..... Then again, by the time you go through all that, you could have had a REAL exposed CF top from the factory. But, hey, that's just my 2 cents worth.
02-08-2016, 09:28 PM
#7
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Don't try it...could be the worst nightmare you ever had. Carbon fiber at it's best is scary to work with, with out the proper knowledge.
My family business used carbon fiber and it's cousin, graphite, to make gaskets. Raw carbon fiber sheets are far from perfect, unless you are buying high grade for a specific purpose, as some high end auto manufactures do.
The sealers and paints for this material are not cheap and if there is a boo boo it is not "that's OK, we can just sand it out".
Want a carbon fiber roof, buy one or have a wrap that looks like carbon fiber.
My family business used carbon fiber and it's cousin, graphite, to make gaskets. Raw carbon fiber sheets are far from perfect, unless you are buying high grade for a specific purpose, as some high end auto manufactures do.
The sealers and paints for this material are not cheap and if there is a boo boo it is not "that's OK, we can just sand it out".
Want a carbon fiber roof, buy one or have a wrap that looks like carbon fiber.
02-08-2016, 11:37 PM
#8
Drifting
Don't do it because what's under the paint is NOT CF weave.
I wrote about the exposed CF on the C7 in the context of the new B92 hood option when someone else had the idea to strip the paint... The exposed CF roof and hood are with an added weave layer ONLY for those options.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590196100
I was at an engineering meeting at Plasan very recently and had the opportunity to speak with one of their product development guys. For those who don't know, Plasan supplies the C7 carbon fiber roof and hood (among other things). They also made the CF body panels for the previous Z06 and ZR1.
On the C7, ALL hoods and painted roof panels are made from Toray carbon fiber structural uni tape and are IDENTICAL in basic construction. The base panels themselves come out of the tools looking like dull black plastic - no visible weave.
However...the exposed CF roof (C2Z) and B92 hood get an extra layer of appearance-grade CF weave on top of the base carbon fiber panel. In the case of the C2Z roof, it covers the entire panel. The B92 hood (as has been noted previously) is just an insert in the center. The exposed CF weave is not intended to add any additional structural integrity and in purely cosmetic.
From there they go through their respective paint/clear processes. The paint is applied after the clear for the CF weave, hence the slight lip of paint at the edge of the CF weave on the C2Z and B92.
I did not ask any QC or production volume questions. That info is not "out there", but the construction of the panels is easily known from the production parts. I was just confirming essentially what I already knew from reading other sources.
They don't "clear the good ones and paint the bad ones". So before any of you go sanding off the paint on your roof/hood to expose the weave...think again.
http://plasancarbon.com/projects/corvette-stingray
I wrote about the exposed CF on the C7 in the context of the new B92 hood option when someone else had the idea to strip the paint... The exposed CF roof and hood are with an added weave layer ONLY for those options.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590196100
I was at an engineering meeting at Plasan very recently and had the opportunity to speak with one of their product development guys. For those who don't know, Plasan supplies the C7 carbon fiber roof and hood (among other things). They also made the CF body panels for the previous Z06 and ZR1.
On the C7, ALL hoods and painted roof panels are made from Toray carbon fiber structural uni tape and are IDENTICAL in basic construction. The base panels themselves come out of the tools looking like dull black plastic - no visible weave.
However...the exposed CF roof (C2Z) and B92 hood get an extra layer of appearance-grade CF weave on top of the base carbon fiber panel. In the case of the C2Z roof, it covers the entire panel. The B92 hood (as has been noted previously) is just an insert in the center. The exposed CF weave is not intended to add any additional structural integrity and in purely cosmetic.
From there they go through their respective paint/clear processes. The paint is applied after the clear for the CF weave, hence the slight lip of paint at the edge of the CF weave on the C2Z and B92.
I did not ask any QC or production volume questions. That info is not "out there", but the construction of the panels is easily known from the production parts. I was just confirming essentially what I already knew from reading other sources.
They don't "clear the good ones and paint the bad ones". So before any of you go sanding off the paint on your roof/hood to expose the weave...think again.
http://plasancarbon.com/projects/corvette-stingray
02-09-2016, 02:56 AM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
Thanks guys!
Thank you all for the input. I am close to pulling the trigger on a real cf top but a friend of mine brought this up and thought it was a good idea. I would never ever think of doing it myself. I was going to have a professional shop doing it but I rather not.
02-09-2016, 06:47 AM
#11
Racer
Install the 3M carbon weave vinyl. Done correctly you can hardly tell the difference. Go to ebay and there's a lot to look at at different sizes. Make sure it's 3M though.
02-09-2016, 08:16 AM
#12
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Don't do it because what's under the paint is NOT CF weave.
I wrote about the exposed CF on the C7 in the context of the new B92 hood option when someone else had the idea to strip the paint... The exposed CF roof and hood are with an added weave layer ONLY for those options.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590196100
I wrote about the exposed CF on the C7 in the context of the new B92 hood option when someone else had the idea to strip the paint... The exposed CF roof and hood are with an added weave layer ONLY for those options.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590196100
02-09-2016, 08:52 AM
#13
Melting Slicks
Stop and think about it, body colored roof cars look better IMO. If you must have the carbon fiber look, have it wrapped. When you had enough of that look, remove it and your back to body color. Down the road when you sell the car, I would think your biggest market would be body color roofs.
02-09-2016, 11:04 AM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
Stop and think about it, body colored roof cars look better IMO. If you must have the carbon fiber look, have it wrapped. When you had enough of that look, remove it and your back to body color. Down the road when you sell the car, I would think your biggest market would be body color roofs.
02-09-2016, 12:13 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
