marmski

Following from the 'Wide Body Impreza' thread... i saw a link which went into the Seibon website.

I have seen a few panels there that i like the look of for my newage.. particualry the bonnets and wings since they can create shapes that OEM dont do.

I have a question over safety vs. the OEM though...

Carbon should be stronger... but does this have a negative effect with the cars crumple zones etc.... (since it snaps vs bends)

thanks in advance for any help.

GC8

You need to find out what sort of CF youre buying too. Proper autoclaved CF should be quite strong but simple laid-up CF is much weaker...

Shark Man

Seeing the outer wings and bonnet are not anything to do with the car's structural integrity it won't do much to the structural integrity. Also OE steel front wings are a light as a gnat's **** anyway as they are wafer thin, so unless its for shape, the weight saving is minor.

Now, if it was replacing/ removing inner bumpers (mind the OE inner bumper are as good as tin foil in terms of strength anyway when in 5mph+ impacts). It would be of concern, especially with regard to your cambelt pulleys (what usually writes off Imprezas).

The inner wings and chassis legs (box sections) are the structures that protects you in an accidents with impact speed of 20+mph.

marmski

Ahh.. ok.. now i understand.

So this item: Seibon Carbon Fiber Products: Hoods, Trunk Lids, Fenders, Lip Spoilers, Accessories... will not in anyway effect the safety of my car (negatively anyways?)

Gav

Seibon Carbon is amongst the finest you can buy. It's not the cheap **** it's the real deal but you pay the price for it!

AMBER PERFORMANCE are a big importer of the stuff

Shark Man

Nope no real safety issues, the only concern with carbon bonnets I've seen, is in an aim to be lighter have little in the way of bracing (unlike OE, which if you look has framework to brace the skin and stop it flexing). So it may tend to flap about a bit at three figure speeds if just using the original bonnet catch. Maybe worth investing in some bonnet fastener pins.

GC8

If you look in their FAQ youll see that its wet CF and that its laid on a fibreglass base..... Another way of describing that would be: '...a heavy GRP panel with a shiny CF exterior...(Id call it a toffee-apple!)'. Proper carbon fibre is dry and finished in an autoclave. It is more expensive, but its strong and light: its real carbon fibre.....

Shark Man

Yup, most stuff I've seen isn't "real" carbon fibre per se (well, not in terms of the stuff they use for F1 cars or the chassis on my R/C cars). More of a carbon weave placed into the gelcoat of what looks like GRP undeneath...Looks wonderful if flexed in a light impact when the gel coat delaminates from base . As my cousin found out when he grounded his splitter on the same day he bought his car...oops

marmski

hmm.. more after it for its shape and will prob be sprayed to match the colour of the car anyways.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Much appriciated.

GC8

When sprayed its little more than a very over-priced GRP panel.....

marmski

hmm.. ok.. i thought GRP was liable to dis-figuring under heat more than CF though? Possible im wrong though since im not an expert in this field.

Basically i want some more agressive 'fenders'/wings for the front... and it would appear on the GRP/CF ones offer this option.

StickyMicky

as above, most "carbon" panels are complete ****

i have seen countless bonnets that don't fit properly, wavy spoilers, and the best one is my mates MRO impreza "carbon" boot lid that will probably only ever line up, if he crashes into a tree to bend the bodywork a bit

StickyMicky

I do belive GRP can, over time "dry out" and start to crack, as i questioned the bloke who used to do my bodywork and i was wondering why they had fibreglass all over an old school "schmicter" (sp??) that was in for restoration

but this car was pretty old, it has to be said

GC8

Reliant Scimitar Mick?

GC8

Most 'carbon fibre' panels are GRP with a layer of CF covering them and a clear coat. Ask them if the finished product is autoclaved. If they answer anything but 'yes' the product is ****e.

StickyMicky

thats the fella