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k.alan.bates	k k.alan.bates posted 6 Years Ago Topic Details
k Group: Forum Members Posts: 36, Visits: 664	Hi. I'm restoring a 1967 Mustang fastback and I'm not very particular about 100% faithful accuracy. Some of the parts I'm needing to buy/rebuild/restore are expensive enough that I thought I might investigate what it will take to do them in carbon fiber. Specifically, I'm wanting to change the exterior quarter window louvers to a custom design, I'm looking to make a center console, and I'm looking to make the overhead console. ...that's the current plan anyway. The ultimate goal is that the car I drive will be built by me and I think handmaking some composites for my build from carbon fiber will be a way to really plant my flag and say "I built this."
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drippy	drippy posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 32, Visits: 388	+x k.alan.bates - 8/8/2018 4:36:50 PM Hi. I'm restoring a 1967 Mustang fastback and I'm not very particular about 100% faithful accuracy. Some of the parts I'm needing to buy/rebuild/restore are expensive enough that I thought I might investigate what it will take to do them in carbon fiber. Specifically, I'm wanting to change the exterior quarter window louvers to a custom design, I'm looking to make a center console, and I'm looking to make the overhead console. ...that's the current plan anyway. The ultimate goal is that the car I drive will be built by me and I think handmaking some composites for my build from carbon fiber will be a way to really plant my flag and say "I built this." When I first got here I went through pretty much every question that was answered and tried to retain it. You will find a ton of info and a some great people to help you along the way. Your project sounds fun. . Welcome!
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Steve Broad	Steve Broad posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 408, Visits: 4.1K	+x k.alan.bates - 8/8/2018 4:36:50 PM Hi. I'm restoring a 1967 Mustang fastback and I'm not very particular about 100% faithful accuracy. Some of the parts I'm needing to buy/rebuild/restore are expensive enough that I thought I might investigate what it will take to do them in carbon fiber. Specifically, I'm wanting to change the exterior quarter window louvers to a custom design, I'm looking to make a center console, and I'm looking to make the overhead console. ...that's the current plan anyway. The ultimate goal is that the car I drive will be built by me and I think handmaking some composites for my build from carbon fiber will be a way to really plant my flag and say "I built this." My car is the same year, but a Lotus Elan, so a tad smaller :-) Once you get the carbon bug there is no known cure :-) The only parts of my car that aren't carbon (the original car's body,(including doors, boot etc),and floor pan are fibreglass) are the rear wings, door sills and front screen pillars. Also, all interior panels (including dash and centre console) are carbon. You are in for a lot of fun and frustration :-) Steve
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k.alan.bates	k k.alan.bates posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
k Group: Forum Members Posts: 36, Visits: 664	...I'm figuring I'll take it a bit slow for now. I'm going to make a mock of the louvers out of 22 gauge steel because I know I can get the design banged out into a metal part. But that's mostly so that I can get a part physically represented so that I can work out the curves and the kinks quickly and cheaply to use as a template for reference. If anyone is familiar with the vintage Mustang, I'm going to craft louvers for my 67 that blend the styles of the '67 275 GTB/4 and the '66 Mustang. The '67 Mustang's louvers stand off from the body line and there are 10 tiny louvers. I like them fine, but they just look 'meh' compared to the 65 and 66 panels. The '66 louvers are set into the body line so that their crowns are flush with the curvature of the sail panel with 5 louvers, and the GTB/4 has 3 short louvers. Some fabrication problems come into play projecting the '66 louvers onto the '67's body line because the '66 panel is much flatter. The '67's sail panel twists in, rolls in, yaws up and pinches down in a way that makes the space for the panel to fit appear to be pretty darn challenging. I've eyeballed some cardboard mocks and fitting that shape is not going to be fun, but I think it will totally be worth it. Edited 6 Years Ago by k.alan.bates
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Steve Broad	Steve Broad posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 408, Visits: 4.1K	+x k.alan.bates - 8/9/2018 12:18:05 AM ...I'm figuring I'll take it a bit slow for now. I'm going to make a mock of the louvers out of 22 gauge steel because I know I can get the design banged out into a metal part. But that's mostly so that I can get a part physically represented so that I can work out the curves and the kinks quickly and cheaply to use as a template for reference. If anyone is familiar with the vintage Mustang, I'm going to craft louvers for my 67 that blend the styles of the '67 275 GTB/4 and the '66 Mustang. The '67 Mustang's louvers stand off from the body line and there are 10 tiny louvers. I like them fine, but they just look 'meh' compared to the 65 and 66 panels. The '66 louvers are set into the body line so that their crowns are flush with the curvature of the sail panel with 5 louvers, and the GTB/4 has 3 short louvers. Some fabrication problems come into play projecting the '66 louvers onto the '67's body line because the '66 panel is much flatter. The '67's sail panel twists in, rolls in, yaws up and pinches down in a way that makes the space for the panel to fit appear to be pretty darn challenging. I've eyeballed some cardboard mocks and fitting that shape is not going to be fun, but I think it will totally be worth it. Are you talking about this panel (but modified)?
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k.alan.bates	k k.alan.bates posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
k Group: Forum Members Posts: 36, Visits: 664	+x Steve Broad - 8/9/2018 7:05:38 AM +x k.alan.bates - 8/9/2018 12:18:05 AM ...I'm figuring I'll take it a bit slow for now. I'm going to make a mock of the louvers out of 22 gauge steel because I know I can get the design banged out into a metal part. But that's mostly so that I can get a part physically represented so that I can work out the curves and the kinks quickly and cheaply to use as a template for reference. If anyone is familiar with the vintage Mustang, I'm going to craft louvers for my 67 that blend the styles of the '67 275 GTB/4 and the '66 Mustang. The '67 Mustang's louvers stand off from the body line and there are 10 tiny louvers. I like them fine, but they just look 'meh' compared to the 65 and 66 panels. The '66 louvers are set into the body line so that their crowns are flush with the curvature of the sail panel with 5 louvers, and the GTB/4 has 3 short louvers. Some fabrication problems come into play projecting the '66 louvers onto the '67's body line because the '66 panel is much flatter. The '67's sail panel twists in, rolls in, yaws up and pinches down in a way that makes the space for the panel to fit appear to be pretty darn challenging. I've eyeballed some cardboard mocks and fitting that shape is not going to be fun, but I think it will totally be worth it. Are you talking about this panel (but modified)? Yep. That's it.
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k.alan.bates	k k.alan.bates posted 6 Years Ago Post Details
k Group: Forum Members Posts: 36, Visits: 664	So (using the photo included above for reference)...how would anybody start to make a mold for that to be able to do it as one piece? The original was a single piece pot metal casting. As a side question...how would you start to make a mold for that to cast it? lol. I just don't see how you cast that as a single piece while simultaneously getting the metal to flow where you need it to flow and keep it from flowing where you don't. It just looks like it would have to be cast vertically oriented with the vent openings filled and then post-processed to create the openings for the vent inserts. I've searched for information on the original casting techniques that Ford used, but the information is spotty as to whether or not they die cast them. I'm trying to think of it and understand it as a casting first because it just "feels" like I can transfer that understanding to making a CF composite. At any rate, I will probably convert this into a question in mold making, but thought I would put it here first since someone already linked a photo for ref and I'm wanting to get this out there fairly quickly. Thanks in advance. Edited 6 Years Ago by k.alan.bates
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