FD3S/FC3S: Any demand for Vacuum Infused Dry Carbon Doors?
 

I've been thinking about this for a long time and we definitely do have the capability of producing these now that we've moved to a new facility.


This is a question for the FD and FC guys. Is there demand for high end carbon doors?


I know there is a currently supplier of carbon doors in the market, but I believe they are produced using the traditional wet lay carbon fiber technique. It's an okay technique for show quality pieces, but for high strength and lightness, it won't compare with the Vacuum process we will be using.

I believe they are offering a pair of Carbon doors for roughly $1600-2000. I believe we can offer both pairs at a more affordable price depending on whether the skeleton will be carbon or FRP.

I am guessing we can offer a pair between the $1100-1400 range for Vacuum infused honeycomb backed carbon, which will be very high in strength quality. It will be lighter than hand laid parts, with much higher strength. I know lightness is of great concern, but how important is the strength of the door for a track car?

I would love to hear some opinions.

Ken

Id like set for an FC, but is there a way I can still use my strap windows. My car dosnt have manual or power just a simple strap and lock to keep my window up.

I'd love a set for the FC rather than gut the door for the door bars, that and give it some seriously reduced weight.

"Those doors" from "that company" you speak of have been on my to-do list for a while now. :)

hmm i am in the market to look for a new door. I am interested :)

What are the weights for a stock FD door and a stock FC door? I know they are both very heavy. They feel close to 100 lbs each.

Would you have any sort of reinforcement against crashing? I know most aftermarket doors I've ever seen don't have nearly the reinforcement, and I assume the crash safety that OEM doors generally do. I assume that's where a lot of the weight comes from :).

- Andy

I'm 100% in if this happens for my FC.

are these for the interior of the doors or the exterior of the doors
The company you speak of (rhymes with Cinnabon) makes both.
I have had my eye on the interior for a while

I'm interested but wouldn't jump in until I get a sample shot or two.

your making me broke Ken...... broke..and happy.

I want some FC CF doors! NOW! Super!

Hey Ken,
I'd also take a look at the piece which holds the door handle in on the FC...I've noticed on other CF doors that if you open too hard it tends to crack and/or break where the handle mounts. Also try to reinforce the parts where the interior door handle mounts for all of our gf's who like to pull the door closed hard. Just some sugguestions...

You should not be running these sorts of doors unless you have a quality welded roll cage installed.

Ken,
it would be nice to have provisions for windows for those of us with open trailers.

Ken, any plans to make any other dry carbon parts?

I think it is great that you're bringing dry carbon up to the stage. Dry carbon is far more superior to wet carbon. I'm interested in the doors, but it all depends on how it would look from the inside. Will the door panels be able to fit right on and will those of us who drive our rx7s on the street be able to use our power or manual windows?

Sunroof Panels!

Side impact safety is important on all cars, less full blown race cars w/Nascarish roll cages (don't think that 5 or 6 point is automatically going to cut it alone- unless you want to be impaled by the single bar that's 4" from your arm.)

I'm very interested in a strong light door for my FD.

I'd expect that anyone serious enough to have carbon doors would at least have an X door bar, but i'm forgetting about the drag racers and street crowd i guess.

there are quite a few carbon doors out there for the FD already, maybe only one the FC's that you have to order from japan
but then again people with the FDs are willing to blow more money parts

You're kidding, right?

Running any aftermarket fiberglass or carbon fiber door SHOULD require a full cage. Why the hell would you put this in a street car? Whether its wet or dry carbon would not matter. Any strong enough side impact will crash into the cabin.

I really don't recommend this for the street cars. There's a safety factor in all this, even if you reinstall all your factory components back onto the door (window, electronics, door panel). I doubt many of you read or fully understand the "For Off-Road Use Only". Nor do I think ShineAuto wants the guilt of having a fellow member be killed in a traffic accident.

Fc doors will pay deposit ASAP!!!!

also looking for CF blank centor consel panels.

Im sure theres 0 demand for it but a CF roof skin that deletes the sunroof panel.
such that you would cut the skin off the car and replace it with the CF piece.

Doors
doors
doors

Well first of all, all parts we offer are for "Off Road Use Only." Whatever you guys wish to do with our parts that's up to you.

I don't recommend FRP, Carbon, or Dry Carbon or any composite doors for street use. If I really really wanted to lighten up my street car by lightning up the doors, I would definitely go with our vacuum process because I know it is much stronger than the other options given similar weight. The honeycomb/coremat material plays a big role in the added strength.

For a race car... my question is... does the strength really matter? Or does it just simply makes you feel better knowing you have carbon doors.

From my experience , standard FRP and wet lay carbon will both be weak in an impact. The only benefit I see is lightness.

However, we can produce vacuumed FRP and CF doors, which will be significantly stronger for just a small fraction higher than the current market price. Our vacuum infused FRP door, in my opinion, is actually stronger than a wet laid carbon door, will be slightly more expensive than standard FRP doors.

For our vacuumed carbon doors, I've already mentioned that we can be much more competitive and realistic in pricing than the FD carbon doors currently out in the market and at the same time.... offering a much higher quality product.

The "look" of the carbon will be very similar to our FD3S Carbon Street Diffuser because it is essentially using the same process. The main difference will be in laminant thickness and strength. Our street diffuser was made a bit thin and flimsy by design so it can easily conform to the bottom of the rear bumper. The doors will be MUCH more solid.

Shine FD3S Vacuumed Carbon Street Diffuser...

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/6...sc08705jk6.jpg

There's a tighter, more pressed, and less glossy look with our vacuum process. The main reason for the loss in gloss is the process optimizes resin to fabric ratio. Less resin means stronger part. Excess resin only creates brittleness and the excess resin is one of the main source for gloss. If you really need a glossy part, you can always have it clear coated, which will also add weather protection.

Here are sample "dry" carbon pieces made for the S2000.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/7069/bentrunknf5.jpg
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8995/bentrunk2la8.jpg
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/4605/bentrunk3kb5.jpg


A door , I believe, is made up of a skin and a skeleton. The doors will be similar to these... only stronger.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/2776/jsdoorik9.jpg

I'm referring only to the door itself, not the door panel. The source of most of the weight is the door. The CF door panel is mainly for show.

How many of you are really really looking to lighten up your car as much as possible to gain an advantage? I personally believe lightness is the key to building a good race/track car.

My whole front end is already made of composites. The only thing left are the doors and hatch.

Ken

Here's a sample pic of what you can do to simplify your door panel.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/884...2174883fy8.jpg

i would be interested in these for the FC