Carbon Fiber Left Door

[bigjae46]

The carbon left door fits!



Still working on some final details - getting the door handle to work and fitting it up a little better.

Started out making the molds. Wasn’t terrible difficult or tricky.


Then the layup and infusion. Didn’t want to repeat my mistake with the floppy hood. This one is heavy duty ballistic grade! The kevlar should keep the structure together in an impact. Kevlar retains some strength beyond its yield point. Carbon’s strength falls off very quickly which results in shattering. At some point, I want to make a sample and see if a 9mm round can penetrate. Or how much more kevlar I need to use to prevent it from penetrating. And kevlar is a total bitch to work with. Next time, won’t lay it up to the very edge. I burned up a couple of diamond cut off wheels and lots of fraying I need to deal with.




Out of the mold. I used a spread tow which is the same stuff formula 1 uses so my car is now an F1 car 🤣. It looks cool but is hard to work with. Lesson learned, get stabilized fabric so the tows don’t get messed up. I love this part, pulling it from the mold! So yeah, didn’t get it perfect cosmetically. But I have a mold…can always make another one.


Trimmed and ready for bonding

[bigjae46]

It works! Did a track day, didn’t fly off! I still need to adjust the door and the latch. Also need to figure out the door handle cable.

I am using a manual latch which saves weight and fits better. I added core material to the handle and latch areas for strength which are fitting up the OE actuator impossible. Not a huge deal but I would just added a layer or two of carbon instead of core next time. The door handle fits but not really well…same issue.

I think when I bonded the inner and outer shells there was a very small misalignment. I need to grind a little bit away from the hinges to get a little more adjustment.

This whole door adjustment thing has been the hardest and worst part.

[Cubieman]

Badass man, you have gotten pretty damn good at this!

[liam821]

While this is awesome, I'd be curious to know the weight difference between a stock gutted and crash bar removed vs this carbon door. I looked into carbon doors on my Honda to save weight but after cutting out the inside structure / crash bar and all the door card mounting parts so they're just an outside skin and window frame they are literally a few pounds per door.

[bigjae46]

Badass man, you have gotten pretty damn good at this!

Thanks! Good is relative. I can make a part but not consistent at getting it cosmetically perfect each time. Still learning so much with each one.

[bigjae46]

While this is awesome, I'd be curious to know the weight difference between a stock gutted and crash bar removed vs this carbon door. I looked into carbon doors on my Honda to save weight but after cutting out the inside structure / crash bar and all the door card mounting parts so they're just an outside skin and window frame they are literally a few pounds per door.

This is my steel door


It weighed 35lbs with an eBay racing mirror, actuator and inner door handle.

I weighed the carbon door without the ebay racing mirror, door latch, hinges, rub strip, and inner door handle - 12.4lbs. Guessing this weighs 13-13.5 lbs.

21lbs for one side from a gutted door is quite significant. I overbuilt this door. I think I can get it to 11lbs.

I think a Honda door isn’t nearly as stout as a BMW door. So less opportunity for weight savings.

[liam821]

This is my steel door

It weighed 35lbs with an eBay racing mirror, actuator and inner door handle.

I weighed the carbon door without the ebay racing mirror, door latch, hinges, rub strip, and inner door handle - 12.4lbs. Guessing this weighs 13-13.5 lbs.

21lbs for one side from a gutted door is quite significant. I overbuilt this door. I think I can get it to 11lbs.

I think a Honda door isn’t nearly as stout as a BMW door. So less opportunity for weight savings.

Okay, wow, that's a big weight savings. Seems like there is a bit more cutting that could be done at the top, but still I didn't realize the stock doors were so beefy. Here is my Civic door, we cut out the whole top since the window is gone as well. They're incredibly light.