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I wonder to myself sometimes, I think, oh sure, a carbon fiber hood, yeah its great if its true carbon fiber, or even a carbon fiber trunk...but what about a replacement body? I mean how much could it cost if it was a DIY project? I guess what I'm getting at is I personally think a carbon fiber camry body would be sweet, and no where near impossible. I got the idea from that porsche body that weighs only 66 lbs. So what do you guys think? I don't care about cost, but I do wonder how much it would be.
Another thing I would have to know is would it make my car unstreetable?
that would be just a deathtrap....the carbon fiber would just shatter and leave you expose, not enough protection...but it'll be one expensive ass mofo to do too...but if it was done, i bet it'll be just for display....a diy project...ummm I dont think it would be one...lol
i think though if it was done and run, wouldnt the car like fly literally since its so light, lol
I thought carbon fiber was strong? Maybe that's fiberglass? Not sure. Any place I've ever mentioned this people have always said "that will be expensive". Well, that doesn't help me at all, I understand that some of the Wraith's experience in custom carbon fiber hoods were $1800 for a first time hood with one buyer? If that's the hood, and those trunks are $600 with several buyers, what would the body be? The price of a engine swap with a custom turbo setup?
Surely there are people out there that would be interested in looking into this. I figured there would be someone who is that dedicated to the camry. I gotta tell you, I'm fascinated at the potential that weight reduction offers.
All I want is some help with this, does anyone know who to get into contact for this sort of thing? Anybody interested in looking into this? I've seen a couple posts about making you're own carbon fiber parts, so why wouldn't a body be feasible?
And by the way Razo-E thank you! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for. Now I need to find someone who would be willing to do this.
Last edited by Ryanscamry; 01-08-2004 at 12:16 AM.
but, yeah, it's feasable, if you're on your own, it'll be like, SEVERAL thousand, if it's groupbuys all the way the price can be drastically cut...
if you want CF info, search for CF group buy threads, and read where the seller went to for the cf parts (as in which company was contacted for the parts)...
and, good luck if you're serious..
edit:just saw your edit..
you're welcome..
__________________ 1986.5 5-speed '91 7MGE 1989 5-speed TURBO Targa (NA->7MGTE) BPU and lots of rare/JDM/Euro stuff 1992 5-speed hardtop - 2JZ-GE 2005 Scion xB - no longer stock
those estimates are a bit too low (cf hood $150? come on.. wasn't that running for like $500-600 and that was a group buy also..) if ur looking for a manufacturer to just make 1 or 2 of them. it really isnt in their interest to produce just a few. they have designs that sell and are steady selling. Even if they will, its very $$, and imagine the wait time??
heck if u have limitless funds anything's possible, no doubt.. i would imagine the doors and body to be more expensive than the hood.
Originally posted by grapefury those estimates are a bit too low (cf hood $150? come on.. wasn't that running for like $500-600 and that was a group buy also..)
Quote:
originally posted by Razo-e these arent definite prices, just prices i felt seemed "reasonable" in my mind...
__________________ 1986.5 5-speed '91 7MGE 1989 5-speed TURBO Targa (NA->7MGTE) BPU and lots of rare/JDM/Euro stuff 1992 5-speed hardtop - 2JZ-GE 2005 Scion xB - no longer stock
Yeah man, CF body would require you make a mold of the entire car. To make that mold you'd need to visit a ship builder or somthing with a CNC maching big enough to make a plug and a few CAD drawings of the car, for that alone, figure about 50G. I don't want to start listing off all of the steps and costs, it'll take 20 mins. For an example, a dude named Dhalback make an 800whp Golf and spent around a half million dolllars, he said he spent 100G on the body alone, even then he used the stock floorpan and part of the stock roof. Think about it.
Hmm...interesting...100G eh? Well that kicked me in the groin with a boot labeled "reality". I still think think I'd like to at least try the doors, the trunk, the hood...something that is going to significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle before I get into gutting the thing. Still though, if only there was a way to keep it cheaper...I mean do you really need to get CAD drawings and all that, couldn't someone custom fabricate the body? How do people make custom carbon fiber parts for their cars? Wouldn't it just be the same process just on a bigger scale dimension wise?
you need to make a mold to make the piece in carbon fiber. the trunk and hood are easy because of their shape. the doors get worse because of the complexity, and the structure inside the door is used for attaching things and for strength.
a door skin can be made easily, as in just the outside part, but that would leave little or no protection in an accident, nor would it support the car as it should.
anything which is removeable from the car can be done, but forget about the roof, pillars, and quarters. our cars use the body as part of the support structure, not just as decoration and aerodynamics. several "sports cars" use a frame, which the drivetrain and suspension are connected to, which is then covered by the body. if this is the case, the panels are removeable, and the project is much more realistic. making the entire camry body of carbon fiber would be like going back to the drawing board.
damn u people eventually take all my ideas.....lol
I know a guy that will take full car molds(for drag bodies)and then then take it to a carbon fiber place and make the entire mold carbon fibre. Its real nice to I really want it done! My plans are actually to get the entire front of the car one solid mold and then have the whole thing removable. Because if you did get in a accident and had an entire car of CF you would be one sorry mo fo!
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