Carbon fiber DIY -- PICS
 

So I'm not sure if this is legal but here is a link to my DIY carbon fiber headlight project on another forum.

http://www.talkcomposites.com/516/C6...eadlight#bm551

Ugh....that's an ugly process. :D I'll have to read that tomorrow when I get time. :)

Yup it is a pain but fun (and expensive) so far.

Im in the process of redoing my splitter in cf,Its a pain but coming along nice!!!

carbon = FAIL ..... pics
I knew this would happen but it still sucks wasting time and money
http://www.talkcomposites.com/516/C6...ht?PageIndex=2

Ill post pics on here too when I de-mold either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Its gonna be UGLY

That is why I stopped doing this after 4 sets. Lost my butt... A lot of effort for nebulous results.

http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/IMG_4245.jpg
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/IMG_4246.jpg
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/IMG_3595.jpg
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/IMG_3597.jpg

WOW those look real good! especially since I know how hard they are to make. Did you vacuum bagged those?

Bagged Using a 9oz bi-directional prepreg fabric with sunres resin. I had used open and wet layup with bad results. Had I continued I would have went with closed molding and resin infusion.

As you know it's a b!tch with the compound radii. Then to top it all off nobody would pay the same as what a new plain light would cost.

Yea the idea is to make a repeatable process to get a "shell" in carbon and possibly sell the shells as a "diy" kind of thing.

The cool part is that it fits over the bezel perfectly
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...212_013525.jpg
but it looks like crap...

Carbon Fiber- Not Carob fiber
 

Meguiars just came out with a new product for interior trim pieces- Meguiar's Wraptivo.

Not likely appropriate for the kinds of projects in this thread, but when people talk of carbon fiber it usually comes around to the interior trim. And all generations of Corvette could benefit from some creativity in that area.

I'm sorry (RLSebring) that there wasn't much interest in your product- those headlights look great. Someone else on the forum is producing a non-pop up replacement for us C4 owners. I think that may meet with some success due to the fact that it really upgrades the look of the C4 and solves the problme of the butt-ugly headlights we C4 owners suffer with. Of course, price is always an issue with C4s. I don't have $50K invested in my Vette, like a typical C6 owner, so price is going to be a sensitive issue.

My hat's off to those brave souls that experiment with these materials so that we can get a little smarter and perhaps follow in their footsteps.

Would vaccum molding help?

Probly Im gonna give it 1 more go before I change gears to a vacuum bag. Just 1 time under my belt and ive learned so much.

Good luck, promising results for sure

Ill be buying a pump and bags and trying to figure out how to modd the mold I have for vacuum before I try again. No sense in wasting carbon/money right now, I need a blower!!

You'll need more flange. You can use a shop vac if you are careful...

Thanks for the advice! Ill be adding a flange to the mold soon. This project is on hold temporally so I can supercharge my car before spring.

OK so I couldn't wait...
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...219_170844.jpg

http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...219_170852.jpg
I used 3 cuts by the openings and some scrap carbon "band aids" over the top of the cuts and some of the pin holes.
I figure this one CANT come out worse than the last one, right?
we'll see

Wow...love it! Love the Carbon Fiber, but even more that you are doing it yourself! Way to go!:rock:

Would love to see a DYI kit when you done that includes all the info and materal to do it...

Tnxs,
John