ryan22

Can someone please explain why there is such a drastic difference in the price of hand laid vs press molded body panels ?

Looking at the cost of a C1 hood- press molded is nearly double the cost of hand layup. Differences I've found from doing a search- hand layup is thicker/heavier and smooth on only 1 side vs press molded being smooth on both sides as originals were. I wouldn't think there would be such a huge difference in fitment between the 2 methods but I have no idea so please clue me in.

Thanks-

Frankie the Fink

Here is a reason: press molded fits...

Read some of the posts by folks that replaced a C1 surround with a hand laid version...they have to grind out the cowl area to get the windshield wiper transmissions and washer nozzles to mount, have transition issues at the upper front door edges and on and on.

You can go cheap and spend hours straightening stuff out because of the lack of uniform material or make your life easier by spending a few more bucks...

Not that you can't make hand laid fit but it's sorta like the guy hitting himself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when he stops...

Nowhere Man

Also if and when you sell the car most people don't want hand laid and will expect a discount on price.

gbvette62

Simply put, press molded is more costly to produce. The molds are more expensive and the process of producing it, is more involved.

Like hand laid fiberglass, some repro press molded fiberglass out there, is also much thicker than OEM fiberglass. The press molded fiberglass made by Sermersheim's/Lee Bumb Composites and Corvette Image, are the closet to original that's available.

Lotsacubes

Twice as many tools (molds), outer tool, gives what you see and the inner tool provides the uniform thickness. WAY harder to lay up because excess thickness in one place of two piece tooling could prevent the tools from closing. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a far simpler process where resin is sucked into closed tools and dry fabric. But to set the fabric and have the molds still close and not Kill parts would be hard. We lay up all
our aircraft parts in open molds. I would guess the loss rate from closed molds to
be double vs open tool layups. So closed mold parts far harder and you have to factor in part loss rate. Again the only time we've done this is to use RTM. Also we can train open mold layup technicians in days. Not so with this more difficult process. Just from a production cost standpoint absolutely justified. I'm right now waiting for my front end parts from Bubb You decide if worth it to
you. My cars worth it. Hate doing this from
my phone.

ryan22

Guys, thanks for the replies...Frankie I especially like the analogy of the guy hitting himself with a hammer !