Weight Reduction- Carbon Fiber
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 191
Likes: 121
Weight Reduction- Carbon Fiber
Does anyone have the list of Anderson composite carbon fiber parts vs factory part weight?
It would be interesting how much weight you can shed by replacing fenders, hood, hatch with carbon fiber.
It would be interesting how much weight you can shed by replacing fenders, hood, hatch with carbon fiber.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 2,784
Likes: 3,566
Minimal at best. Corvettes are made out of plastic/fiberglass/FRP/whatever. It is not heavy. You could spend $30,000 trying to drop almost the same amount of weight you could shed by just getting a $1000 lithium battery, for example. The low-hanging fruit for weight loss is the battery, wheels and tires and the stock exhaust system. After that, it gets expensive and you are looking at diminishing returns. Anderson Composites list the weights for a lot of the components on their site. I question some of the figures and wonder if the weights they list are without any of the latches and seals you have to transfer over from, say, the stock roof panel as an example. That, and all that 'dry carbon' is going to have to be clear coated or painted which is going to add back in some weight.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 302
Likes: 148
From: Seattle, WA
I added it up a few months back and I think it was only around 7X lbs loss for everything from Anderson, given their numbers. Cat delete, lightest titanium exhaust, and seats would easily beat that.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,888
Likes: 230
From: Livingston County, Michigan
The “easy way” to approximate weight savings would be to compare the density of the two materials. C8 body components such as the doors, hood, deck lid outer, etc uses a SMC formulation developed by the supplier, Continental Structural Plastics (now owned by Teijin) tradenamed TCA Ultra Light, with a density of 1.2. This material was introduced during the C7’s production run and use raw materials such as glass microspheres to achieve this value. Carbon fiber (depending upon resin chemistry) is not much lower in density.
Granted, this approximation assumes equal panel thicknesses, but as a first shot, it’ll get one into the ballpark.
Granted, this approximation assumes equal panel thicknesses, but as a first shot, it’ll get one into the ballpark.
Last edited by acrace; Jan 4, 2023 at 07:42 AM.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,982
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
^^^^
First thought the density of later C7 panels was down to 1.1 with addition of micro hollow glass beads. Know Moldered Fiberglass (who made the 1st '53 Vettes) and makes a few parts for the C8, supplies a few composite parts for the C8 that floats i. e. <1.
Carbon fiber can be as low as 1.5 (70% cloth/30% resin) to 1.9 BUT is very strong and panels can be much thinner. It's panel thickness not density that makes it lighter. But agree would look elsewhere for weight redaction, including removing interior insulation, racing seats, replacing the rear inner coupe window that is twice the thickness of the windshield to reduce noise etc. Thin Lexan is light and strong.
As others have said, wheels, titanium exhaust would be the first to consider.
PS: Found this re C8 Materials: The low-density but structural SMC panels feature new formulations (in this case, 40% FVF chopped fiberglass/unsaturated polyester (UP) resin) developed by MFG. The material is called “float” SMC because each panel’s density is less than 1.0 (average SG=0.97) and thus can float in water.
The new Corvette features not one but two trunks that, combined, hold 12.6 cubic-feet/0.36 cubic meters of cargo. Both trunks are produced in 42 wt-% chopped fiberglass/vinyl ester-unsaturated polyester (VE-UP) resin, but use different processes driven by geometry and mechanical requirements. The front trunk (frunk) is compression molded 0.95-specific gravity (SG) “float” sheet molding compound (SMC), while the rear trunk is formed via the proprietary PRiME (Prepositioned Reinforcement ensuring Manufacturing Excellence) process, a liquid compression molding (LCM) variant. The float SMC and the PRiME process were developed by processor Molded Fiber Glass Co. (MFG, Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S.). MFG produced all structural SMC and LCM’d parts on the car.
First thought the density of later C7 panels was down to 1.1 with addition of micro hollow glass beads. Know Moldered Fiberglass (who made the 1st '53 Vettes) and makes a few parts for the C8, supplies a few composite parts for the C8 that floats i. e. <1.
Carbon fiber can be as low as 1.5 (70% cloth/30% resin) to 1.9 BUT is very strong and panels can be much thinner. It's panel thickness not density that makes it lighter. But agree would look elsewhere for weight redaction, including removing interior insulation, racing seats, replacing the rear inner coupe window that is twice the thickness of the windshield to reduce noise etc. Thin Lexan is light and strong.
As others have said, wheels, titanium exhaust would be the first to consider.
PS: Found this re C8 Materials: The low-density but structural SMC panels feature new formulations (in this case, 40% FVF chopped fiberglass/unsaturated polyester (UP) resin) developed by MFG. The material is called “float” SMC because each panel’s density is less than 1.0 (average SG=0.97) and thus can float in water.
The new Corvette features not one but two trunks that, combined, hold 12.6 cubic-feet/0.36 cubic meters of cargo. Both trunks are produced in 42 wt-% chopped fiberglass/vinyl ester-unsaturated polyester (VE-UP) resin, but use different processes driven by geometry and mechanical requirements. The front trunk (frunk) is compression molded 0.95-specific gravity (SG) “float” sheet molding compound (SMC), while the rear trunk is formed via the proprietary PRiME (Prepositioned Reinforcement ensuring Manufacturing Excellence) process, a liquid compression molding (LCM) variant. The float SMC and the PRiME process were developed by processor Molded Fiber Glass Co. (MFG, Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S.). MFG produced all structural SMC and LCM’d parts on the car.
Last edited by JerryU; Jan 7, 2023 at 09:12 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 2,784
Likes: 3,566
My real skepticism about these savings came the other day when I removed the carbon roof panel on my bro's Z06. It felt indistinguishable from the normal SMC panel on my Stingray. so I did a little Googling and came up with pretty consistent results that the carbon roof panel saves about 1.5 pounds over the SMC. Here's what the Anderson website says:
*Dry carbon - matte finish
*Autoclave process with 3K, 2x2 twill carbon fiber cloth, matte finish
*Our DRY carbon does not have UV protection, it is recommended to have it coated with an automotive grade clear coat with UV inhibitors if you do not plan to paint or wrap the part
*This is a carbon fiber roof replacement
*Bolt on, mounts with OE hardware
*Does not include weather stripping or related hardware, must transfer from OEM roof
*Professional installation highly recommended
*Hand crafted; approximate weight 7.6 lbs. (OE weight is 15.7 lbs.
I'm keying in on that part where it says that their dry carbon roof does not include any weather stripping or related hardware. I'm guessing that is how they arrive at an 8 pound weight savings whereas the OEM on get 1.5. That, and there is no clear coat on it. I also assume it is probably just a wafer-thin piece of carbon not even finished on the underside like the OEM roof is. All this goes to say that, given my brief research, this seems like an inane way to attempt to reduce the weight of your C8.
Not bashing Anderson Composites in any way, they definitely have a niche product they are bringing to market that looks to be high quality. On the upside, at about $2,800, the dry carbon roof panel is probably a couple of hundred cheaper than the OEM carbon roof at your local parts counter.
*Dry carbon - matte finish
*Autoclave process with 3K, 2x2 twill carbon fiber cloth, matte finish
*Our DRY carbon does not have UV protection, it is recommended to have it coated with an automotive grade clear coat with UV inhibitors if you do not plan to paint or wrap the part
*This is a carbon fiber roof replacement
*Bolt on, mounts with OE hardware
*Does not include weather stripping or related hardware, must transfer from OEM roof
*Professional installation highly recommended
*Hand crafted; approximate weight 7.6 lbs. (OE weight is 15.7 lbs.
I'm keying in on that part where it says that their dry carbon roof does not include any weather stripping or related hardware. I'm guessing that is how they arrive at an 8 pound weight savings whereas the OEM on get 1.5. That, and there is no clear coat on it. I also assume it is probably just a wafer-thin piece of carbon not even finished on the underside like the OEM roof is. All this goes to say that, given my brief research, this seems like an inane way to attempt to reduce the weight of your C8.
Not bashing Anderson Composites in any way, they definitely have a niche product they are bringing to market that looks to be high quality. On the upside, at about $2,800, the dry carbon roof panel is probably a couple of hundred cheaper than the OEM carbon roof at your local parts counter.
Last edited by combatninja; Jan 8, 2023 at 08:23 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
What’s Next
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 834
From: Reality
Interested.
I’ve owned a good bit of Seibon. All great quality. But have heard other stories of slight misalignments of panels.
Anderson seems to make great parts from what I’ve seen on a few Mustangs. I’m sure the weight saving claims are a little biased. For example: The C8 dry CF hatch has a claim of approximately 23.7lbs in savings. So when there’s no clear description and the pictures show no glass or even Lexan. I then assume the claims with their hatch is a dry weight without transferring glass and other materials. Take it there is still savings in weight and on the top end of the car but it’s a high price to pay.
I’ve owned a good bit of Seibon. All great quality. But have heard other stories of slight misalignments of panels.
Anderson seems to make great parts from what I’ve seen on a few Mustangs. I’m sure the weight saving claims are a little biased. For example: The C8 dry CF hatch has a claim of approximately 23.7lbs in savings. So when there’s no clear description and the pictures show no glass or even Lexan. I then assume the claims with their hatch is a dry weight without transferring glass and other materials. Take it there is still savings in weight and on the top end of the car but it’s a high price to pay.