Hi,

Basically im wanting to build a crazy v8 mk2 mr2 with custom body kit, front and rear clam type boot/bonnet, slightly lengthened and a tad wider.. can you advice me on the type of carbon fibre would be best suited for looks and light weight? how much carbon fibre would be needed to do a pretty much an entire outer shell? also wanting to custom engine parts / inlet etc and a carbon dash... i've done alot with fibre glass but i think my project needs to be carbon as im wanting to show it on completion, advice on materials and prices would be great.

Thanks

Gary

Hi Gary,

OK, here’s a complete list of materials, equipment and supplies you would need from start to finish to modify your existing car panels, finish them (to make your pattern), take moulds from them and then make a complete set of carbon fibre panels for your car. I don’t know the exact dimensions of your car and even if I did there’s still a lot of guesswork around what size pieces of carbon fabric would be required for the different panels but I’ve done my best…

List of materials for modifying your body panels:

1.22m x 2.44m (8’ x 4’) block of low density PU foam (100mm thick) - £153.75
Maybe 10-20 tubs of polyester bodyfiller (we don’t sell this but any bodyshop supplier will)           
5L 2K filler primer paint (we don’t sell this but any car paint supplier will)   
Lots of abrasive paper (we don’t sell the coarser grits but a bodyshop supplier will)
A random orbit palm sander and sanding pads
A polishing machine with mops
Polishing compound

List of materials for making moulds for a complete set of car body panels:

300g Tin of Number 8 Mould Release Wax - £12.50
1L PVA Mould Release Agent - £6.55
100kgs Uni-Mould Tooling Resin - £735.00
25kgs Uni-Mould Coupling Coat - £159.60
10kgs Uni-Mould Tooling Gel Coat - £31.50
33kgs 450gsm Chopped Strand Mat - £105.00
10kgs 150gsm Chopped Strand Mat - £75.00
75mm Plastic Finned Roller - £5.20
Box of 100 Nitrile Gloves - £4.99
5L Acetone - £10.00
Box of 12 3” Laminating Brushes - £16.47

COMPLETE COST FOR THE MOULDS: £1062.21

List of equipment for manufacturing a complete set of car body panels:

Composites Vacuum Pump - £169.95
Professional Resin Infusion Catch-Pot - £79.95
30m Coil Clear PVC Vacuum Hose - £21.95
4x Infusion Line Clamps - £18.00
4x Infusion Silicone Connectors - £13.00
4x 10m Pack of Infusion Spiral - £14.00
5m Breather Cloth - £7.50
100m Roll Vacuum Bagging Film - £188.50
20roll box of Vacuuum Bagging Gum Tape - £59.49

COMPLETE COST FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLES: £572.34

List of materials for manufacturing a complete set of car body panels:

1L Easy-Lease Chemical Release Agent - £23.75
5m  1.5m Wide Carbon Fibre Cloth - £180.00
25m 1m Wide Carbon Fibre Cloth - £487.50
30m Lantor Soric SF 3mm - £294.90
31kgs of IN2 Epoxy Infusion Resin - £362.48

COMPLETE COST FOR THE MATERIALS TO BUILD THE BODY PANELS: £1348.63


I really hope that's pretty clear. With most of what's listed above you do need to check the quantities against your project but to my best ability, that's what you'd need to do the whole car from start to finish.

Matt Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Sales