Carbon fiber is not the miracle material that a lot of people think it is. In fact, carbon fiber is only better than metals in a very small amount of applications.

Carbon fiber can be made in varying strengths. Assuming that the mixture of resin is perfect, that would leave you w/ finding the right amount of carbon fiber to lay up. You can add more carbon fiber (like adding a second or third layer) to add strength for example. So CF can be made to be weak or strong. How would a single sheet of carbon fiber (w/ resin) compare w/ a 3-inch block of aluminum in a strength test? My bets are on the aluminum block. Add more carbon fiber and the results will change. Got it?

 

thats like saying a tree is stronger than a #2 pencil! No **** sherlock. If you make a 3" thick piece of CF, it'd be stronger than the aluminum. When you see someone say CF is X times stronger than whatever metal, they are usually saying pound for pound. So pound for pound, CF is better (but pricier!).

 

If only you could rate something that simply....

Carbon fiber has an extremely high tensile (3 times that of steel) and comprehensive (5 times that of steel) strengths, with low weight. Its main function is local reinforcement to improve the strength to weight ratio of highly stressed parts. Carbon fiber is weak in shear strength and impact resistance and should be shielded from abrasion with fiberglass or other materials, such as Kevlar.

Kevlar is a high strength (5 times that of steel), high modulus (75% of carbon fiber) aramid fiber. Kevlar is the most impact resistant fiber on the market, also exhibits the highest tensile strength and highest resistance to damage, vibration and crack propagation. However, Kevlar has very low compressive strength, so it is recommended that laminates carrying bending or compression loads have carbon fiber incorporated into the laminate to provide adequate stiffness. Kevlar is also hygroscopic, ultra violet sensitive and unsandable, thus it is not recommended as a sheathing or outer ply of the laminate.

 

Let's keep comparing apples to apples here. No where in the dash is a 3" block of aluminum. No load bearing object would use 3" of aluminum anyway.

Very little structural points on a car or airplane require a 3" block of aluminum. If you were to make a car out of a kevlar/CF laminant to replace all of the sheet metal, the car would have a higher impact resistance, lower weight, higher tensility, and higher comprehensive strength.

Compared to steel or aluminum, carbon fiber can be made just as strong with less volume and less weight.

 

First of all, you are all forgetting one thing- to make it out of CF requires a good mold. Whats someone going to do? Try to make a mold of the stock dash? Mounting gauges and what not to a CF dash is no problem, why would there be a problem? People mount gauges on thier pillars and wherever else using think ABS plastic, CF is MUCH stronger.
As for the strength of CF, its VERY strong, maybe not on some ricer hood, but they use CF for many purposes, the top of the line sport cars made today use CF frames and body panels. Using it for a hood on a car is just a gimmic, it is no lighter then fiberglass for that application. CF is used in sailboats for the masts, even to repair supports for buildings, bridges.
Making a dash out of CF isnt THAT hard, making it look GOOD is another thing, if you are going to hide a bad mold by painting it after, just use fiberglass.

 

The reason I want a carbon dash is one the stock one IMO is ugly and looks dated, 2 its so thick it weighs a lot, doesent efficiently hold meters and controllers, also I think a replacement dash made from Carbon would just look soo sweet.
I am not making the mold from carbdboard just the original shapes to trace onto glass as a mold. Its actually fairly similar to the shape of the stock dash except the top is entirely flat without that dip that runs the length, its about 6" shallower than the orig, the area for the guages that appear right in front of you is at the same heighth of the rest of the dash but protrudes about 7" further. And the center console is angled to almost be perfectly facing the driver, and has2 levels almost like a step. Next the piece that goes around the shifter will continue back to the rear between the seats, and yes with not one but 2 cupholders large enough for my morning large Ice coffee!
I am not concerned with insurance or crashes, perhaps I should but whatever, compared to my youth if the most dangerous thing I do in adulthood is replace a dashboard my odds of survival are looking up.
Its gonna be kinda boxy simlpy cuz I can make the surface come out better that way. I am prolly gonna make it from 2 plys of 2x2 twill then one underlying ply of a hybrid glass/carbon weave thats hella rugged like twice the thickness of burlap beforing curing!. All on an aluminum frame. It wont really require all that much CF, I expect about 50"x5 yards.
I am not sure many would want to buy one, as it will be a boxy business style dash not a swoopy modern looking one that a lot might like. Plus obviously it would be expensive,- more due to the time it takes to make it than the materials used. I am surprised about the intrest/replies honestly.

 

Intresting to see this thread i was just thinking about making a fiberglass dash today.. the stock one does look dated and for racing purpose's it is too heavy, and it can be hard to mount gauges and stuff on.. one of the things i was thinking about is molding in things like you S-AFC and verious other items to where they have a nice pro look to them insted of a slaped on the face of a panel look... i know i will probably not do the dash but i do want to do the center sterieo/ac/vent peice in fiberglass... and yes it will have cup holders .. *in place of the ash try..*

 

He's not asking if he should or not, and it doesn't look like he plans on selling it.

I think it's a cool idea and good luck with your project!

 

I dont intend to sit on my dash, the load it will carry will be the weight of a few guages and electronics-I think it will hold up! No area of the dash short of the length widwise of it will be more than 1.75 feet so there are no big open areas to be weak. Also as I said it will only be around 5 yards of carbon, at 40$ a yard thats only 200$-thats not really all that much $ compared to other materials. Being mostly right angles and very few curved parts most of the mold will consist of flat sheets of glass which will yield an unclearcoated high gloss finish. I will secure seems with alu. L brackets and rivets.

 

How do we contact you? Your phone is disconnected.

 

I'm making new door panels for my T2, which will include speaker pods for 6 1/2" and possibly cup holders. If they come out nicely, maybe I can tackle the dash too.

 

huh-oh: Looks like trouble for the New Hampshire crew, especially after busting on Mazdaspeed7:

FC3S driver
Exhaust Leak

Status: Online!
Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Olympia, WA
Posts: 3
ATTN: boostmotorsport
to whom it may concern.
My name is Justin kincy, Back in june I sent you $155 for some CF door pannels. I do not have them yet. I know longer want them, I just want my money back. you have dissapointed me on how you do business, all i asked for is that you keep in contact with me and you couldn't even do that. I have tryed to call your shop at this # 603-749-7199 and it says it's beens disconnected, so please contact me at 360-943-4841 so we can clean this mess up.

thnaks, Justin

 

Why the hell did you post this on every one of Boostmotorsports threads? There's already a post about it, and it's already way off topic.

You should know better than this, "Banzai".

Dale

 

I hate it when someone rips somebody off, especially when they disconnect their phone!!!!
Too many Forum members have been screwed. Look at the Damage Sergio, Demonspeed, AARotary have caused with their alledged rip-offs, They are pretty well documented. If you take a mans money at least send him the goods he paid for, or let him know when you will deliver. Thats a reasonable assumption I believe. Boost was busting MAZDASPEED& pretty hard about quality and delivery and being "Holier-than-thou". No we have someone who trusted Boost and has been "allegedly" screwed over. If Boost makes good I will post a full public apology and admit my mistake. John

 

I hate it when someone rips somebody off, especially when they disconnect their phone!!!!
Too many Forum members have been screwed. Look at the Damage Sergio, Demonspeed, AARotary have caused with their alledged rip-offs, They are pretty well documented. If you take a mans money at least send him the goods he paid for, or let him know when you will deliver. Thats a reasonable assumption I believe. Boost was busting MAZDASPEED& pretty hard about quality and delivery and being "Holier-than-thou". No we have someone who trusted Boost and has been "allegedly" screwed over. If Boost makes good I will post a full public apology and admit my mistake.