Custom NSX Carbon Fiber parts

[MichaelD]

Hey guys,

The company I work for is tooling up to begin work with carbon fiber epoxy composite parts, and after reading through the thread about weight reduction I thought it might be something that would interest you guys. We would like to offer NSX owners quality carbon fiber parts to help them shed a few pounds, while still maintaining strength.

Our goal is not just to create a great looking carbon fiber part, but to help those NSX owners on a “diet” reach their goal weight, and gain some strength. So, I am asking you guys to let me know what parts you would like to see made in carbon fiber. We will most likely be staying away from parts like hoods and wings as there are already many quality manufactures of these parts now.

Since we have not began tooling yet, I have the opportunity to find out what parts you would like to have in a lighter weight, stronger carbon fiber, and lobby for these to be our first products. We are willing to make almost any part, anything from a carbon fiber battery tray/holder to a rear diffuser.



Just to give you a quick background on the company and the owner:
The company was incorporated in 1995 and worked primarily with industrial coated fabric. We have manufactured numerous products, including airtight transportation bags for nuclear parts.

The owner worked for a company designing and making rocket motor insulation and was the chief engineer for the fuel bladders for F/A-18 and F-16 aircraft. For the Apache helicopter fuel bladder, he improved the drop test, crash test, and burst test and while still passing the gun fire test. He has also had worked numerous hours with wet lay-up of carbon fiber and filament winding.

Please feel free to pm me, call me at (318) 459-2211, or email the company at [email protected]. The company is located in Shreveport, LA.
I look forward hearing your replies and feel free to post any parts you would like see us make or any suggestions you might have.

 

[Fireballs_92nsx]

for me

triangle door trim pieces
and alot of other pieces

 

[Aero]

Center consoles and door trim pieces? Seems to be a recent call for those parts.

Several good vendors offer a lot of pieces so I'd suggest taking on stuff they're not producing to get started.

 

[dmeriel]

I would like to see carbon fiber interior door panels.

 

[nsxotic911]

Carbon Fiber T-Top (replacing alluminum panel) and still maintain structural integrity.

-Paul

 

[Senninha]

Hi Michael,

An interesting first post; it would be good to know what if anything has been produced for the motor trade thus far.

You wil find some useful input in this thread http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79272&highlight=i+wish+downforce+would+make
Have a look at post #5 and post #35 to #41

In addition, would you consider the following?
- replica NSX-R seats with outer CF shell
- a alluminium and CF replacement triangular strut brace for all the Targa's, something like the Lambo models have

Hope this helps,

regards, Paul

 

[MichaelD]

Several good vendors offer a lot of pieces so I'd suggest taking on stuff they're not producing to get started.

This is what we were thinking as well. We would like to make parts that are very unique and that others are not making now.

Thanks for the replies guys.
So far the suggestions have been

1. Triangle door trim pieces
2. Center Consoles
3. Door trim pieces
4. Interior door panels
5. T-Top and still maintain structural integrity

Keep the ideas coming.

 

[Senninha]

- a alluminium and CF replacement triangular strut brace for all the Targa's, something like the Lambo models have

Hope this helps,

regards, Paul

Sample picture added :smile:

 

[4AU4LIFE]

center armrest cover.
rear speaker cover.
under steering column cover on dash
headliner

 

[yellow-scorpion]

When you say "Our goal is not just to create a great looking carbon fiber part, but to help those NSX owners on a “diet” reach their goal weight". Are you saying these parts will have to be touched up or painted over to look good? I think if you produced the panels behind the driver and passenger seats in CF that would be great. If your producing low quality Carbon Fiber than using it somewhere under the car would be ideal.

 

[Fireballs_92nsx]

Just remember prices will drive sales. Priced well, and I think everyone will buy your products.

 

[nsxotic911]

Sample picture added :smile:

The Comptech is really light to begin with, maybe a couple of pounds, deffinetly < 5 at most.

However, not as cool I agree...

 

[sojusoulja]

Sample picture added :smile:

+1

 

[davidf]

Sample picture added :smile:

I wish someone made a cross tiebar like that for early NSX's.

 

[CL65 Captain]

Carbon Fiber girlfriend. Mine needs to loose a couple of lbs.

 

[MadFinc]

Carbon Fiber T-Top (replacing alluminum panel) and still maintain structural integrity.

-Paul

++ 1

 

[MichaelD]

Hi Michael,

An interesting first post; it would be good to know what if anything has been produced for the motor trade thus far.

You wil find some useful input in this thread http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79272&highlight=i+wish+downforce+would+make
Have a look at post #5 and post #35 to #41

In addition, would you consider the following?
- replica NSX-R seats with outer CF shell
- a alluminium and CF replacement triangular strut brace for all the Targa's, something like the Lambo models have

Hope this helps,

regards, Paul

Thanks for the information Paul, it was very helpful!
To answer your question, this would be our first experence with carbon fiber parts for the automotive industry. But with the owners previous experence with carbon fiber in the aerospace industry, his knowledge of composites in general, and his willingness to only put out a top notch quality product, I have no doubts that these will be high quality, well fitting parts. We are in the process of getting together the first prototype now.

When you say "Our goal is not just to create a great looking carbon fiber part, but to help those NSX owners on a “diet” reach their goal weight". Are you saying these parts will have to be touched up or painted over to look good? I think if you produced the panels behind the driver and passenger seats in CF that would be great. If your producing low quality Carbon Fiber than using it somewhere under the car would be ideal.

Sorry about the confusion, that sentence was poorly worded. These would be top quality carbon fiber parts, but parts that no one else produces now, so that those looking to lose some weight could benefit, as well as those looking to enhance the aesthetics of their car.

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys! Here is what I have.

1. Triangle door trim pieces
2. Center Consoles
3. Door trim pieces
4. Interior door panels
5. T-Top and still maintain structural integrity
6. Replica NSX-R seats with outer CF shell
7. Both and aluminum and CF replacement triangular strut brace for the Targa's
8. Center armrest cover
9. Rear speaker cover
10. Under steering column cover on dash
11. Headliner
12. Panels behind the driver and passenger seats

And one Carbon Fiber girlfriend for Captain

Once we give a few more people some time to reply, we will decide what will be our first product. Right now I am leaning toward the CF replacement triangular strut brace that Paul suggested (thanks very much for the picture), followed closely by the Targa Top that maintains structural integrity.

Please keep the ideas coming.

 

[RacingHeart]

Please keep the ideas coming.

Many people seems to want a carbon fibre version of the stock air box lid.

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Other than maybe a dash... it really doesn't make any sense to make little interior trim pieces and other knick knacks using expensive military grade lay-up processes. None of those parts carry a structual load, deflect under aero, nor are frankly big enough to garner a notable best weight savings benefit.

In fact, for most of the stuff on the list... if you really want weight savings just take them out of a stock road car.

Personally, I'd rather have made available some of those half price sale 4X8 sheets of 1/16 - 1/4" honey-comb reinforced carbon fiber that I can cut to fit for front splitters, panels, diffusers, trays, canards, door panels, etc...

An interior floor shell from Kevlar would be nice too.

 

[Tanto2]

I'm personally interested in parts that are understated elegance dull black, like the Lambo's. High gloss green gets gawdy(sp) over time, and it shows all defects. I'd just paint the parts with a black tinted clear with flattening agent. I personally just barely want to be able to see the weave. I would do all my parts this way. While it would be tons of work, I think there would be a market for an interior kit that would be the standard. Obviously the matte black won't match others parts, but they pretty much don't now anyway. My interests(that haven't already been mentioned):
Bumber Beams
Stock hood
Stock trunk
Stock airbox
Any low stress steel brackets(like popup headlight mounts,hood prop rod,etc)
Overdesigned alum parts(like the wiper mount and shifter mount)
Upper front bumper cover without cheeklights

I personally would concetrate on the weight reduction, prepreg vacuum or autoclave with enough body to paint without weave showing. And yes I am willing to pay for the quality(gulp). Glad to have you interested. Thanks!

 

[MichaelD]

Other than maybe a dash... it really doesn't make any sense to make little interior trim pieces and other knick knacks using expensive military grade lay-up processes. None of those parts carry a structual load, deflect under aero, nor are frankly big enough to garner a notable best weight savings benefit.

In fact, for most of the stuff on the list... if you really want weight savings just take them out of a stock road car.

Personally, I'd rather have made available some of those half price sale 4X8 sheets of 1/16 - 1/4" honey-comb reinforced carbon fiber that I can cut to fit for front splitters, panels, diffusers, trays, canards, door panels, etc...

An interior floor shell from Kevlar would be nice too.

Thanks very much for the input John! We can make a dash, but a replica dash is going to cost more. If we were to do a less detailed, more simplistic dash, this would keep the cost down, but might lead to the large surfaces resonating. With that in mind, the dash can be made to 1) an exact replacement, that would eliminate any resonation at speeds or 2) a custom dash, broken into sections (for example, would not be once piece all the way down the sides of the center console) 3) a somewhat close replace of the dash, but would be super light weight, but still might resonate.

We are looking into making 4x8 sheets now.

I'm personally interested in parts that are understated elegance dull black, like the Lambo's. High gloss green gets gawdy(sp) over time, and it shows all defects. I'd just paint the parts with a black tinted clear with flattening agent. I personally just barely want to be able to see the weave. I would do all my parts this way. While it would be tons of work, I think there would be a market for an interior kit that would be the standard. Obviously the matte black won't match others parts, but they pretty much don't now anyway. My interests(that haven't already been mentioned):
Bumber Beams
Stock hood
Stock trunk
Stock airbox
Any low stress steel brackets(like popup headlight mounts,hood prop rod,etc)
Overdesigned alum parts(like the wiper mount and shifter mount)
Upper front bumper cover without cheeklights

I personally would concetrate on the weight reduction, prepreg vacuum or autoclave with enough body to paint without weave showing. And yes I am willing to pay for the quality(gulp). Glad to have you interested. Thanks!

We can paint the parts with a black tinted clear with flattening agent to make the weave barely visible. We could do this for any of the parts if anyone else is interested. There are quite a few parts that would look great like this!


Here is the new list:
1. Triangle door trim pieces
2. Center Consoles
3. Door trim pieces
4. Interior door panels
5. T-Top and still maintain structural integrity
6. Replica NSX-R seats with outer CF shell
7. Both and aluminum and CF replacement triangular strut brace for the Targa's
8. Center armrest cover
9. Rear speaker cover
10. Under steering column cover on dash
11. Headliner
12. Panels behind the driver and passenger seats
13. Stock air box lid
14. A dash
15. Interior floor shell from Kevlar
16. Bumper Beams
17. Stock hood
18. Stock trunk
19. Stock air box
20. Any low stress steel brackets(like pop up headlight mounts,hood prop rod,etc)
21. Over designed alum parts(like the wiper mount and shifter mount)
22. Upper front bumper cover without cheek lights

 

[Semnos_NSX]

Just remember prices will drive sales. Priced well, and I think everyone will buy your products.

I have to agree with Fireballs_92nsx. Everyone here can say I want this or I want that but ultimately the price will determine how successful the product is. I think everyone on Prime is willing to pay for quality products; however there is a point where price will take precedence over quality.:smile:

 

[Senninha]

Right now I am leaning toward the CF replacement triangular strut brace that Paul suggested (thanks very much for the picture)

I shall watch with interest how this develops. IMO the standard part is very dull. I'm due to install the OEM NSX-R engine cover soon so will be working to improve the looks of the engine bay with some sensible detailing.

If you do develop this bar, will it be just CF? I'm no engineer but I think it will be better functionally and look better if the points of the triangle are machined alluminium with the connecting struts made from a high quality CF.

These alli parts could then be left either in a clear coated alli or painted to bodycolor. The latter would def work for me, complementing other CF parts I have in the bay already.

regards, Paul

 

[BluryNSX]

I have been wanting
stock air box
valve covers
intake manifold covers
radiator brackets
headliner
But as many have noticed I prefer Kevlar so hopefully that isnt an issue:biggrin: