FD Headlight Delete Panels (Carbon Fiber)
 

That about wraps up the front end project, and I had another separate project going on this winter too. A composites project.


I'm making a headlight delete panel for my 93 Mazda RX-7. I am removing the pop-up headlights and replacing them with these covers. I expect the weight savings to be ~14 lbs, based on the the weight of the parts removed and the estimated weight of the delete panel. This will be my first all epoxy project. Last year I did a project where I made a mold from polyester gel and resin using chopped strand mat. I had help making that mold, and learned a lot from the process (a lot of what not to do).

For this project I'll be using a epoxy surface coat, with epoxy laminating resin, and various woven fabric reinforcements. I'm using Adtech ES-201-PC surface coat, Adtech EL-301 laminating resin, and some 1 oz fabric followed by 8.8 oz fabric for the mold. For the part I'll be infusing with Adtech 820 resin.

First step, make a platform that mimics the surface which I will bolt my part to. For the RX-7, it is a simple angled surface to which the parts will bolt, so that was easy enough to make from plywood. Then I took some measurements from the factory cover panel to the mounting flanges/locations which I'll bolt my cover delete panel to. I too many measurements to ensure my plug would be constructed perfectly. I transferred those measurements from the car to the plug and mocked up the factory covers in that position.

IMG_7419.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7419.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

I then transferred a scribe line from the edge of the cover down to the base, and cut and glued some 1/4" square dowel to the base using hot melt adhesive. That was to provide a good surface to glue the "walls" against. Following that, I cut some wood to fill in the walls. Again, I used hot glue for that. Then it was body filler time. If you look closely at this photo, you can see the RX-7 in the background. You can pick out the angled surfaces I'll be bolting these down to.

Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

Then after body filler and glazing, and 220 grit, it was time for a high build primer.
Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

This is where I'm currently at, I need to get this sanded to 600-800 grit. Then I'll hit it with a base coat, then a 2k clear coat. Wet sand and buff to a mirror finish.

I sprayed the base and 3 coats of clear. Turned out pretty much awesome for my first time every using an HVLP spray gun. I did get one sag in the clear on my 1st coat, but I shouldn't have any issue wet sanding it out and buffing it up to a nice shine. The finished surface when installed looks nearly perfect w/o even wet sanding and buffing yet.

Wet sanded to 3000 grit and buffed out.
IMG_7431.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7431.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

IMG_7434.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7434.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

Made the mold yesterday. It was a marathon of work, ~9 hours straight with my Dad helping. All made with type 7725 E-glass. 8.8 oz, 2x2 twill. Has a minimum of 8 layers everywhere, with many areas (darker green) having significantly more. Went through roughly 1 gallon of resin and 15 yards of fabric. From the outside it looks like it turned out nice, but I'm pretty nervous about the finished side. This is the first time I've made an epoxy mold, so the brushing on surface coat was new to me.

Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

I popped off the mold today. It was on there for ~72 hours. Popped off pretty easily. The surface looks great.
IMG_7446.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7446.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

IMG_7445.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7445.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

Small update:


Pulled the parts from the mold. They're a bit dry, and the weave isn't very straight and nice, but they parts will be functional. I'm not happy with how they turned out, so they're definitely getting painted to match the car. Weight of each is 7.3 oz. Savings of 14 lbs.

IMG_7705.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7705.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

IMG_7707.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7707.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

IMG_7708.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7708.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

IMG_7714.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7714.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

Closeup of dryness. You can see the resin wicked out of the weave intersections.
IMG_7713.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! IMG_7713.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing! by Kevin_Doe, on Flickr

That's actually very innovative that you produced the mold and made it out of CF. Weight savings of 14lbs is not bad at all.

hi

Awesome job. Make me a pair haha.

Awesome indeed

With a fancy mold like that would you ever consider making another set? So want to get rid of my frogeyey lights on my drag car. Great job btw

I'm thinking of making a few more sets (or maybe just selling the mold to someone who has time do make more sets. I'll figure it out in some time, and let everyone know my intentions.

Nice work, but pretty crazy that you can DELETE the headlights, and only save 14 lbs.

Hey,

Really nice work! And I know how troublesome it is to make! :D

If people are interested, I could make a mould from your sample!

Cheers,

Marc

Nice work, great upgrade...

You make these projects look easy. Nuts.
Makes me want to delete my headlights, lol.

very cool!

I'm interested :icon_tup:

^Interested too!!!

Would buy a set.

Ok now try to convince Kevin Doe to send a sample! :D

If i were him i'd sell it to you. Don't know about just giving it away.. ;)

I've been in contact with Kevin a couple times since May trying to buy a set(or at least the molds)... he's said he's going to sell the molds only after he makes another set for himself that he's happy with BUT he's too busy and will most likely not make another set this season.

CarbonRXX, why don't you just make new molds from scratch?

Yea, think there's atleast 5 of us who asked him the same thing. He did a awesome job, whoever makes a set, lmk I'm a real buyer

Because I don't have the car with me! I do have the carbon fiber headlights covers moulds but for this, it should go deeper and I have no idea how much!

Maybe you can tell Kevin that if he sends me the parts, I can make a copy for him free of charge! :nod:

I would be interested.