How to Make a Carbon Fiber Car Bonnet/Hood - Complete Guide


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Matt (Staff)
Matt (Staff)
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Very special 3 part video guide showing every single product, process and step needed to start with an original steel vehicle panel (like a bonnet/hood, boot/trunk, wing/fender etc.) and make a top quality carbon fibre replacement.

We have created this video series because the questions we get asked the most are 'how do I make my own carbon fiber hood' or 'how do I make a carbon fibre boot' and clearly the answer is pretty long and complicated because there are lots of steps along the way between starting off with the original steel part and fitting a gorgeous, light weight, stunning looking carbon fibre replacement. In this video series (around 1hr in total) we show you all the materials, teach you the skills and explain the process from start to finish. If you use these materials and follow these steps correctly you will get the results you hope for.

For a complete list of all the products used in each video in the series, please view the project (in full HD quality) in our Online Composites Learning Centre.

Part 1 - Preparing the Pattern, Adding Barriers and Making the Inner and Outer Mould

Preparing the part with chemical release agent
Adding barriers using fluted sign-board
Taping off any holes/details
Using the Uni-Mould system - gel coat, coupling coat, main reinforcement
Demoulding, repairing, polishing and prepairing the moulds

Here's the video. Let me know what you think:



Part 2 - Making the Carbon Fibre Inner Skin and Outer Skin

Preparing the moulds with release agent
Spraying epoxy compatible polyester gel coat
Resin infusion of the outer skin using 200g carbon and Lantor Soric SF 2 core
Resin infusion of the inner skin using 200g carbon and 660g carbon
Demoulding



Part 3 - Trimming the Carbon Fibre Skins, Adding Bonding Fasteners and Assembling the Finish Part

Trimming the inner skin using a Dremmel with a Perma-Grit wheel
Glueing in the bonding fasteners for the hinge fixings
Glueing in the keep for the latch mechanism
Bonding the inner and outer skins to eachother
Trimming and finishing the outer skin to finish the part



Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales
Edited 13 Years Ago by Matt (Staff)
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FLD
FLD
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Warren (15/12/2012)
if you are rough with the carbon or a few tows spread then with one layer over the foam it is possible to see the white soric.  If you are careful then you should be fine. The bonnet skin i made was one layer each side of a core and i didnt have any problems with the soric showing. 

Black soric is now in production and im sure if the demand was sufficient, then EC would stock it.

in terms of strength, my bonnet had 1 layer of 200gsm either side of a 3mm soric core for the skin and 3 layers of 200gsm for the frame.  it was so rigid it was hard to flex at all. 

A lot of it depends on the shape. a nicely curved bonnet or a bonnet with a nicely profiled or deep frame will be perfectly rigid with much less layers of fabric than a perfectly flat bonnet with minimal frame.


Thanks for that.  I guess a lot of this comes from experience and I just need to keep at it.  I think I'll be watching a few more of your tutorials Smile
GO

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Matt (Staff) - 13 Years Ago
Hannigan - 13 Years Ago
Matt (Staff) - 13 Years Ago
fgayford - 13 Years Ago
tRebroN - 13 Years Ago
tRebroN - 13 Years Ago
brasco - 13 Years Ago
magic21 - 13 Years Ago
Matt (Staff) - 13 Years Ago
     thanks :)
magic21 - 13 Years Ago
FLD - 13 Years Ago
Matt (Staff) - 13 Years Ago
Warren - 13 Years Ago
FLD - 13 Years Ago
Warren - 13 Years Ago
Extreme - 12 Years Ago
Warren - 12 Years Ago
Extreme - 12 Years Ago
Warren - 12 Years Ago
andygtt - 12 Years Ago
Matt (Staff) - 12 Years Ago
Warren (Staff) - 12 Years Ago
Extreme - 12 Years Ago
beer401 - 12 Years Ago

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