Is it Legal to Carbon Fibre a Landie?!

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i work for a carbon fiber company. You can make non structural parts of the land rover defender out of carbon fiber or fiberglass. if its structural you can still make it out of carbon fiber but the amount of plies of carbon that would be needed to make it as strong as the original metal part would be vast and the weight would not be that different. you can make the front wings, back door, bonnet, front (where the lights are) and side skirts out of carbon for definite. Metal has some give in it. where as carbon fiber doesnt really. So where you landy articulates things like the doors bend a little. If your after weight saving you can have the parts above made out of black carbon glass. which is the same strength as the carbon fiber you see with the pattern, but instead its just black. it you want it for looks. you will have to have it make out of the proper carbon (e722 carbon 200g). however the price to have it made out of the proper carbon will be roughly double the price compared to having it made out of the carbon glass. But carbon glass comes out black (no pattern). speak to an autpmotive structural engineer about the structure of a defender and you will be able to see if you can make all your desired parts out of carbon fiber. if its structural you will have a big problem and a big cost to pay.
 
scottson said:
i work for a carbon fiber company. You can make non structural parts of the land rover defender out of carbon fiber or fiberglass. if its structural you can still make it out of carbon fiber but the amount of plies of carbon that would be needed to make it as strong as the original metal part would be vast and the weight would not be that different. you can make the front wings, back door, bonnet, front (where the lights are) and side skirts out of carbon for definite. Metal has some give in it. where as carbon fiber doesnt really. So where you landy articulates things like the doors bend a little. If your after weight saving you can have the parts above made out of black carbon glass. which is the same strength as the carbon fiber you see with the pattern, but instead its just black. it you want it for looks. you will have to have it make out of the proper carbon (e722 carbon 200g). however the price to have it made out of the proper carbon will be roughly double the price compared to having it made out of the carbon glass. But carbon glass comes out black (no pattern). speak to an autpmotive structural engineer about the structure of a defender and you will be able to see if you can make all your desired parts out of carbon fiber. if its structural you will have a big problem and a big cost to pay.
Click to expand...

Fibre.



Keep up tit.



Go and introduce yourself.
 
I worked for a plaster company and it could well be feasable to construct some defender parts from plaster but may not be wise mainly due to the low tensile strength of plaster and the fact that it will wash away over time.even though they rust a lot i would still be an advocate of constructing defenders out of mainly steel with some birmabrite and the occasional bit of plastic,non structural mainly trim,due to the sucess this materail has had in land rover construction over the last 66 years.my plaster ideas will never make me any money for making defender parts now anyway as i sold my shovel and tin bath many moons ago to a traveller who said he needed it for his series ambulance.good luck with your Karbon fibber idea and may it make you rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
 
Freelaner said:
I worked for a plaster company and it could well be feasable to construct some defender parts from plaster but may not be wise mainly due to the low tensile strength of plaster and the fact that it will wash away over time.even though they rust a lot i would still be an advocate of constructing defenders out of mainly steel with some birmabrite and the occasional bit of plastic,non structural mainly trim,due to the sucess this materail has had in land rover construction over the last 66 years.my plaster ideas will never make me any money for making defender parts now anyway as i sold my shovel and tin bath many moons ago to a traveller who said he needed it for his series ambulance.good luck with your Karbon fibber idea and may it make you rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
Click to expand...

Did you make the chassis for my Discovery at your plaster company by any chance,cos that dissolved away like you described.:D
 
if i was doing a new body on a d2 id stick one of these on it. All the panels are fibre glass with a steel space frame underneath :D goes like the clappers. had a go in one a few months ago.

14243235820_2271a9bb1b_c.jpg
 
One point to ponder: If a grp panel takes a hit off-road (or on) it is likely to crack, craze the topcoat or even break completely if it is done with enough force. Birmabrite just bends and is easy enough to knock back into shape with a big hammer.
And your CB mag mount will find it hard to stick to it :D

Sorry - that's two points ...
 
Yoyodyne said:
One point to ponder: If a grp panel takes a hit off-road (or on) it is likely to crack, craze the topcoat or even break completely if it is done with enough force. Birmabrite just bends and is easy enough to knock back into shape with a big hammer.
And your CB mag mount will find it hard to stick to it :D

Sorry - that's two points ...
Click to expand...

Good luck sticking yer mag mount on birmabright :p
 
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