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After saying my S isn't going to get modded i decided to use some of my spare time (before we start building next years cars) and create something for my motor.
This is the beginnings of a pattern for a CF Sparkplug cover. I've nearly finished it so i'll post more pics tomorrow (obviously this pic is very early stages).
A few more of the finished pattern. Hand crafted not machined.
More pics as the work continues.
Here's the moulding stage.
There will be 8 plys of Pre Preg Carbon laid on the mould, one light ply (thickness) for getting all the detail (so it can be pushed into all the sharp angles to define the shape) and then 6 plys of heavy placed at 0 degrees for the first and 45 degrees for the second and so on. There is a final light ply laid to seal all the cut parts of carbon to make a good final finish. The ply orientation makes the mould hold its shape and not twist.
I'll have pics of the finished mould on monday.
"More progress"
The mould is cured and removed from the pattern.
Its a good mould because all of the corners are intact!! 8) :lol:
All trimmed up and freecoated ready for making the cover tomorrow. :smt026
"Moulding the cover"
After the mould has been protected with the release agent then the plys can be laid in the mould to make the part. I have chosen a ultra lightweight layup of 3 plys of carbon (2 plys of light twill and 1 layer of heavy twill). This will be sufficient for a cover of this type as it serves no purpose other than a moisture protector. I also added in some hard pads of solid carbon to make the areas that bolt down onto the engine.
This mould will be placed in a bag and will be subjected to a vacuum, this pulls the carbon down on to the surface of the mould ensuring all of the edges and detail is formed.
The cover is being autoclaved tonight (a big pressure cooker) so i should have it tomorrow trimmed and ready to fit to the car. 8)
Well after having a few days off work i finally got back to it!!
Here is the part as it looks just cracked out of the mould. It needs trimming to the lines that i scribed.
Here is the cover fully trimmed and ready to go.
Fitted to the car.
The two of them as a comparison. OEM = 310g CF = 87g
This is the beginnings of a pattern for a CF Sparkplug cover. I've nearly finished it so i'll post more pics tomorrow (obviously this pic is very early stages).
A few more of the finished pattern. Hand crafted not machined.
More pics as the work continues.
Here's the moulding stage.
There will be 8 plys of Pre Preg Carbon laid on the mould, one light ply (thickness) for getting all the detail (so it can be pushed into all the sharp angles to define the shape) and then 6 plys of heavy placed at 0 degrees for the first and 45 degrees for the second and so on. There is a final light ply laid to seal all the cut parts of carbon to make a good final finish. The ply orientation makes the mould hold its shape and not twist.
I'll have pics of the finished mould on monday.
"More progress"
The mould is cured and removed from the pattern.
Its a good mould because all of the corners are intact!! 8) :lol:
All trimmed up and freecoated ready for making the cover tomorrow. :smt026
"Moulding the cover"
After the mould has been protected with the release agent then the plys can be laid in the mould to make the part. I have chosen a ultra lightweight layup of 3 plys of carbon (2 plys of light twill and 1 layer of heavy twill). This will be sufficient for a cover of this type as it serves no purpose other than a moisture protector. I also added in some hard pads of solid carbon to make the areas that bolt down onto the engine.
This mould will be placed in a bag and will be subjected to a vacuum, this pulls the carbon down on to the surface of the mould ensuring all of the edges and detail is formed.
The cover is being autoclaved tonight (a big pressure cooker) so i should have it tomorrow trimmed and ready to fit to the car. 8)
Well after having a few days off work i finally got back to it!!
Here is the part as it looks just cracked out of the mould. It needs trimming to the lines that i scribed.
Here is the cover fully trimmed and ready to go.
Fitted to the car.
The two of them as a comparison. OEM = 310g CF = 87g
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