Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Can stock parts be used in place of molds? (Spark plug covers etc)

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic25866.aspx

By Orlandodc2 - 4/26/2018 8:16:31 AM

Hello.  I have a question.  Can I use stock car parts as the mold itself for creating carbon fiber parts? Some of the parts I want to currently make are:
Spark plug cover
Air box lid
Car emblem
Interior trim body pannels
Stock mud flaps
I currently have those parts but I'm not sure if I need to create a mold off of the original part and then create the carbon fiber part off of the mold, or If I can just use the original part as my mold.  I will be doing  the resin infusion method to create the carbon fiber parts.
Thank you in advance.
By Steve Broad - 4/26/2018 7:03:21 PM

 
oekmont - 4/26/2018 11:14:04 AM
An elan has very British tolerances anyways. The original bodywork had tolerances within an inch...

If it was made on a good day :-)

However, even cars built to closer tolerances can cope with carbon panels that are less than 1mm thick :-)