I've had my van for so many years that the panels I changed 15 years ago need replacing again. So I thought CARBON FIBRE panels might be a good idea. I have no idea if they exist or if they can be made but at least in another 15 years they wont need replacing again. What do we all think?
That would be a cool idea, but serious work. Have a look at Mike Patey's videos on YouTube. He builds aircraft, but he's a dab hand with carbon fibre. If you can make a pattern, even using wood, filler and sculpted polystyrene, actually making a panel is pretty straightforward.
I would have thought GRP would be more appropriate, they aren't F1 cars! 15 years is also a good innings for cheapo steel panels surely?
15yrs is a good inning but the panels but they should of been replaced 5 years ago they are falling apart
One trouble with carbon fibre is potentially galvanic corrosion. It will eat galvanised steel. Has really got to be glued, insulated from metals, never scratched or it cracks. Its great as part of a composite structure where it adds extreme tensile strength. Not so good in compression - Nomex honeycombs get used there... But it is not necessarily as durable in panels by itself as well painted steel. Restorers often fail to paint or chemically protect the rear of body panels.. if you dont specify and pay for the extra work, you dont get it ... Carbon fibre panels require more process steps than pressing mild steel off a roll. Race cars can use carbon fibre because all the panels are disposable bolt on accesories on a space frame .. A few years back I can remember the fad for carbon fibre yacht masts. But they had a tendency to "explode" under compression and in fact aluminium alloy was better in long term use. Carbon fibres dont have a lot of elastic stretch before they snap, no plastic deformation . No dents just sudden failure..The fibre on the outside fails, all its load lands on its neighbour, which snaps and its a chain reaction.
However if it was not for the ID.3 I would love to see a space frame chassis with composite body panels, cladding it, looking exactly like a splittie but able to conform to modern safety standards. And having a 'floor' able to hide some serious powertrain like the Koenigsegg hybrids. 600HP from a 3 cylinder 2 litre turbo petrol .. with electric motors to boost it..
