Carbon Fiber body Panels

foggarty · #1 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 10:13 AM

OK.. This might be a stupid question but here it goes anyway!... I really want to pick up a Carbon Fiber Hood, Trunk and side panels and was wondering? Can Carbon Fiber be painted? My car is Laguna Seca Blue and I don't want to be driving down the streets in a big bruise

Any help here would be appreciated!

Thanks

Scorp965 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 10:22 AM

Yes, they can be painted.

Stealth · #3 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 10:35 AM

if you plan on painting the pieces, save some money and get fiberglass

BMW2ner · #4 (**permalink**) 05-23-2005, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealth

if you plan on painting the pieces, save some money and get fiberglass

A big reason to use carbon fiber is looks alone, If you going for weight savings go fiberglass. Now there is a way to spray the paint upin the air and let it fall on the carbon. This would give it that blue tint, but you could up close still see the weave of the carbon fiber

foggarty · #5 (**permalink**) 05-27-2005, 01:21 PM

I appreciate all the feedback... I'm hoping to mod my car and make it a complete sleeper... I'm not a big fan of Fiberglass given the issues I have in the past with Vette's so I'm looking at the Carbon pieces... Stock look but fierce sound and performance! I'd rather get the carbon and be able to sell the car for more later...

MP3Guy · #6 (**permalink**) 05-27-2005, 03:32 PM

No one is going to give you more money just because you have some CF panels on your car... if anything they are much harder to repair then if it was a OEM panel.

cpain49176 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-27-2005, 06:07 PM

I would save the money for some performance upgrades, carbon fiber is a waste of money IMO.

streamx · #8 (**permalink**) 06-02-2005, 07:52 PM

Well not quite in my opinion.

If carbon fibre is a waste of money, i dont see why a company like BMW would start using it in thier top of the line cars like the M3 CSL and M6.

Carbon fibre offers an incredibly amazing weight saving opportunity without sacrificing comfort or safety.

Maybe safety if u make your whole front end but i dont think the bonnet, should be a problem.

Surge · #9 (**permalink**) 06-03-2005, 04:32 AM

Painting carbon fiber is the most arrogant thing you can do, It's like on the Ferraris where you can still see the weave through the paint - looks great.
Having it, without flaunting it is the best way:

It's an amazing material and it's good to see someone with the intention of using it for it's worth not just for looks.

dieselnuts · #10 (**permalink**) 06-03-2005, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surge

Painting carbon fiber is the most arrogant thing you can do, It's like on the Ferraris where you can still see the weave through the paint - looks great.
Having it, without flaunting it is the best way:

you use the word arrogant like its a good thing, im kind of confused

.

as far as fiberglass being hard to work with, just take a shot at working on carbon fiber. good luck with that.

And by side panels, do you mean the fenders? quarter panels?

Surge · #11 (**permalink**) 06-03-2005, 07:17 AM

Haha, What I meant by that was that most people only use CF for looks then go on about the weight they've saved and the added strength afterwards, By painting over carbon fibre it's like going 'I don't give a fuck about it's looks, I'm only interested in it's over benefits' while everyone else is going 'What the fuck did you do that for?'

Fiberglass isn't hard to work with... Just takes a bit of playing around to build some skill up with it before you commit to applications you actually care about, same with carbon fiber.. however you don't want to waste it with it's cost....

Zekkius · #12 (**permalink**) 06-05-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Haha, What I meant by that was that most people only use CF for looks then go on about the weight they've saved and the added strength afterwards, By painting over carbon fibre it's like going 'I don't give a fuck about it's looks, I'm only interested in it's over benefits' while everyone else is going 'What the fuck did you do that for?'

whats better is everyone who has a brain realizing that some stupid fuck painted their CF to pretend like they did it for the "performance" but not really. Why would any real die hard spend $$$ on 20pounds of weigh saving w/carbon instead of far more important mods? and if they were interested in diehard performance, they would know that painting the CF they just wasted $$$ on just adds weight. Your argument is retarded, because any real performance guy would never waste cash on CF, and if they did, they wouldnt paint it, cause who gives a fuck what it looks like if it performs?

Jason_M3 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-05-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zekkius

whats better is everyone who has a brain realizing that some stupid fuck painted their CF to pretend like they did it for the "performance" but not really. Why would any real die hard spend $$$ on 20pounds of weigh saving w/carbon instead of far more important mods? and if they were interested in diehard performance, they would know that painting the CF they just wasted $$$ on just adds weight. Your argument is retarded, because any real performance guy would never waste cash on CF, and if they did, they wouldnt paint it, cause who gives a fuck what it looks like if it performs?

Once you get to a certain point with engine mods squeezing out another 10-20hp doesnt just cost the price of an intake/exhaust anymore. You get to a point where its like 5k for another 5 hp or you can spend like 3-4k and drop off a good couple 100s of lbs. I personally do not care for the look of CF, it looks unfinished to me. I would buy CF to save weight. I would buy a non-CF composite if it was cheaper/just as strong as well though. MA shaw's doors for $950 is well worth it and if I got them, yes I would paint them. Just because someone wants a fast car doesnt mean they cant afford to paint unfinished parts of their car.

pajama · #14 (**permalink**) 06-05-2005, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zekkius

whats better is everyone who has a brain realizing that some stupid fuck painted their CF to pretend like they did it for the "performance" but not really. Why would any real die hard spend $$$ on 20pounds of weigh saving w/carbon instead of far more important mods? and if they were interested in diehard performance, they would know that painting the CF they just wasted $$$ on just adds weight. Your argument is retarded, because any real performance guy would never waste cash on CF, and if they did, they wouldnt paint it, cause who gives a fuck what it looks like if it performs?

chill the fuck out. If a "diehard" is all about performance, which would mean that they have most likely already installed the far more "important mods". Why wouldn't they lighten up the body? If you have already tuned the hell out of your car, but you could get better times with less heavy body pannels, you'd do it.

Surge · #15 (**permalink**) 06-06-2005, 12:52 AM

You can paint instead of putting a clear coat over carbon fiber.... Not much weight gains there Zekkius.
Weight is a killer in next to all automotive applications. It doesn't matter how you choose to get rid of it or where you make comprimises as long as it's gone who gives a shit? On some strange mentallity where you don't want to lose your interior why not try to get rid of everything else (lighter body panels etc...) Other than the economic viability of carbon fiber, why not get it? I'm 100% certain that a fender made of carbon fiber would be considerably lighter than it's equivalent in pressed steel (even when the carbon is painted, because remember, Steel is painted aswell

)