Alex's FD3S
 

Just putting the finishing touches to the carbon doors I made for my car so I thought I'd start a build thread.

Complete with (lightened) hinges and latch but no perspex, they each weigh in at just 3.5kg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7e53fe203a.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...692b7782a2.jpg

It started with some really poor quality fibreglass doors I bought off ebay...


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...89ca4ae508.jpg


They looked OK, but were not at all up to the job. Far too flexible, the rubber around the top of the window was causing the side screens to flex out when the door was shut. They also sagged terribly when the doors were open.

So, I started again with a set of steel doors, which I would firstly modify to the final carbon fibre shape I desired...


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f16d4ff45e.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...45676f3829.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...6f9dd0cd31.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3e033e45ae.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a69e6ed154.jpg

Eventually they were ready to take moulds from..

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...084dd05286.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...030496b894.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...830ece33af.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...fcf7ab9b34.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...cc95b5129e.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...8761485fbe.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d18966f38f.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...12e844fc7a.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...31e725b237.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7740f4db56.jpg

Next is fabric layup and vacuum resin infusion

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...bc5de6a9d8.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...67e799e4fc.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c33883d5de.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...7f67b3b2ea.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5c3629a284.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...cefdc9a96e.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...5c23e42e4b.jpg

Popped the parts out of the moulds

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...67c78a5f98.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0a65d4133a.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d0e39b2a19.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4f9a44f155.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...91856aeab5.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...fbdb3fa2b9.jpg

Life's too short to be fiddling around up to your elbow inside a door trying to put a nut on. So, made up some captive nuts and brackets to bond onto the inner halves.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3dd9915e32.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b470e5e9b6.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...887672329d.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...fda8a49808.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...a93bd78573.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...eb6221b694.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...70ef3f072b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...cce4982f5c.jpg

Everything bonded in place, final step is to join the two halves together.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...d8316b7b87.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...b0b1fa2028.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...eb6ca66a13.jpg

Awesome work!
Whats the spec on the car?

BTW join fdoc.co.uk if you haven't (UK based forum)

Thank you.

It's a '92 Japanese import. Race car/track toy/ongoing project. Currently weighs in at 1020kg with fluids.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3da78fd232.jpg


- Pineapple Racing large street ported engine
- GT4088R turbo
- DTA S80 Pro ECU
- Race Technology data logging setup with CAN interface
- AP Racing complete brake setup (calipers, discs, pedal box, lines)
- Ohlins 2-way adjustable dampers
- Racing Beat aluminium flywheel
- 5.5" AP Racing Clutch
- Drenth DG400 heavy duty sequential g'box
- 4.77:1 final drive
- ATL 80L fuel cell in rear buckets
- Self-built carbon fibre nose, headlights, front wings, bonnet, front splitter, rocker panels & rear arches
- Custom cages T45 rollcage
- AP Racing air jacks
- Fibreglass rear hatch
- 10.5J 18" CE28Ns all round

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e012de5e81.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...3565c5d11b.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f9f5110431.jpg

Holy hell. Please share everything you have on this car. What's the story on all that bodywork and ducting? Are you in that industry? Your skills are clearly first rate.

Very cool. I would love to do some composite stuff once i get the car out of the garage!

Thank you. I'll share a bit more over the next few days. What would you like to see more of?

The bodywork was a whole project by it's self too. I spent a long time going through the same process as with the doors. Lots of foam, filler and a few tons of fibreglass got the moulds done. Making the panels is comparatively easy once it's reached that stage.

I don't work in composites, everything I've done has been self taught and took a lot of trial and error 🤣 A lot of stuff didn't work and had to be thrown away ($$$$$$$) just to figure out how to make it good in the end.

any idea of the final weight savings and what it weighs in at now? very nice work! car looks proper....

Couldn't have put a better response; this build is SERIOUSLY impressive. Amazing work!!! Subscribed to this thread for future updates for sure.

Amazing work, just amazing. First rate.

Those fender liners look fantastic too, far better than the flimsy plastic that breaks down over time. Are they kevlar?

Thank you. Here they are off the car. I couldn't work out how to make them at first, because they're such an odd shape.
Eventually I decided to lay up some very thin (2ply) carbon/kevlar as it's flexible. I cut it into strips and butt-joined with epoxy, then to give it some actual strength, I wet-laid two more layers on the reverse side.
Ran a bead of silicone along each of the joints and put rubbers round the edges to finish it off.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...c60fe7c53a.jpg

It's 1020kg now, with fluids but no fuel. That's 2248 lbs. So it's around 240kg lighter than it was when it rolled out of the factory.

Would you be interested in making more doors or other body parts and selling them?

That is the plan at some point, but I'm not quite there yet. I think the splutter would be the nicest most generic part to produce for a wide audience.
I don't actually have a picture of it completed off the car. Here's the bottom half. I made it so the nose attaches to it with 6 1/4 turn locks, and it's removed along with the nose in 30 seconds.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e338924c87.jpg

I'm just trying to figure out how to fasten on the side windows. Previously I've used 5mm nuts and bolts, but I think there's a better solution. I've spotted some really nice looking fasteners on GT3 and GT4 Porsches.
I looked through some online catalogues for the Manthey Racing Cayman and spotted the drawing below. They're described as Cam-Lock fasteners. Can't find those exact ones though, does anyone know what they are and where to get them?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...50769cfcf6.jpg

Here are the headlights I've made. Would be able to produce more if I can work out how to make more clear covers - these ones are doners from another headlight kit.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...aa759683ba.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...4b3dd946ae.jpg