1:1 Carbon Doors

[Epoustouflant]

Making progress, paint preparation is done. Overall, these required some work, but not that much. Carbon doors don't ding, we think the door used for the mold creation had some door dings.

You can see the flattening on the second picture by the slight bondo we added next to the bare sanded carbon.

[Obioban]

Save about 60/70 lbs in total

Never held a door off car-- how much do they weight?

... and how much are we looking at if we keep the stock door card and use the crash bar?

Personally, I far prefer the use of a metal crash bar to Kevlar :P

[Epoustouflant]

Never held a door off car-- how much do they weight?

... and how much are we looking at if we keep the stock door card and use the crash bar?

Personally, I far prefer the use of a metal crash bar to Kevlar :P

The stock doors without any accessories weight 17.5 kg / 38.5 lbs. The E46 carbon doors came in at 3.6 kg / 7.9 lbs without the crash bars. They add 1.8 kg per door for a complete weight of 5.4 kg / 11.9 lbs.

We're in for a minimum weight savings of 26.6 lbs per door without deleting any accessories / retaining everything OEM.

Agreed on the kevlar, I wouldn't feel safe at all without the crash bar. The door skins are relatively thin: they flex.

[Epoustouflant]

Progress finally being made. The test fitment went well - all lines... line up, along with the widened fenders. It's looking good for now.

[jet_dogg]

Looking good but I must have missed it, whose car is this if not yours?

[Epoustouflant]

Looking good but I must have missed it, whose car is this if not yours?

This one is mine!

[jet_dogg]

Bruh you got two e46s?

[sdwz_m3]

Were you able to confirm if the OEM bar is bolted or molded to the carbon door?

[Epoustouflant]

Bruh you got two e46s?

Just one - the PY got painted to SMB

[Epoustouflant]

Were you able to confirm if the OEM bar is bolted or molded to the carbon door?

Bolted!

[jet_dogg]

Ah I been out of the loop player.

You should have done a crazy ass yellow bro but regardless that's such a nice blue.

[Epoustouflant]

Ah I been out of the loop player.

You should have done a crazy ass yellow bro but regardless that's such a nice blue.

Ahah, I gave it some thought - SMB's been my dream color ever since the M4 CS came out. I had to do it. Thanks dude, appreciate it.

[slavik1988]

Matt,

A few questions for you...


Will the mold be fixed so as the dent not show on other doors? Next, could we get a video of the door closing? How, much force comparing to OE is needed for the door to shut? I am assuming that it will need sound deadening applied to the skin for the door to more daily drive-able as the OE are.

[Epoustouflant]

Hey Pavel!

See below in blue.

Matt,

A few questions for you...

Will the mold be fixed so as the dent not show on other doors?

Yes, it has been fixed after we isolated the dings.

Next, could we get a video of the door closing?

Yes! I filmed a complete video of the test fit. I will edit it over the weekend.

How, much force comparing to OE is needed for the door to shut?

Less than OEM - for sure. It doesn't fly off though - nothing to that extreme. The angles are too wide.

As there is is no strut on OEM doors, it is purely held by the hinges. However, the lower hinge is tightly designed, we assume it is to act as a resistance.

I am assuming that it will need sound deadening applied to the skin for the door to more daily drive-able as the OE are.

This is something I'm eager to test.

1. I expected it will definitely sound less hollow and more matchbox.
2. I can't yet comment on driving noises. I personally wouldn't tolerate more. I want all the benefits of lower weight without the downsides of the Motorsport style doors with integrated door cars.
3. If it needs sound insulation applied on the kevlar, I will document the extra weight it adds.

I have written 3x entries on the doors here. I have not yet published them - but you can take a look as a preview! I still need to revise a few things.

The bigger challenge is fitting the fenders down to OEM gaps. It's to be expected considering it's interlinked with 4x other body panels and the side trims.

Here are a few pics until then. As a disclaimer, having a white color panel against a darker color will emphasize the gaps from my experience with the E46 and the M3 V8 carbon panels I fitted.

[Epoustouflant]

We started on the interior fitment work today. Overall it's pretty good in regards to fitment with door cards and door auxiliaries. Slight trimming needed for the door card clips on top.

I'll report back with notes in a new Build Journal entry.

Of course, my passenger side "ketch" was FUBAR and the lower gasket were oversprayed with PY from the previous owner's low rent respray.

Outside of a few small revisions, I'm getting ever closer to feeling confident about officially sourcing the doors for owners. We'll also be offering bespoke paint & fitment program on this.