[DeTomaso] Fiberglass or carbon race Pantera roof ?

[michael frazier]

Patrick,

  I'm sure you will save a few pounds using CF for the top.  I haven't thought much about what stiffness woud be added

from a flate plane panel like that, but if done right the CF panels are incredibly rigid. I helped on something like this before 

with a shop that does aircraft panels.  A (relatively) simple conversion would be to make your mold of just the whole top area

from drip rail to drip rail and from the top of the windshield to the back edge.  Then cut out the center of the roof panel leaving 1/2"-3/4" around the edge.  Recess that material, fit and drop in the CF panel.  Secure it with one of the

super duper aerospace adhesives and you should be a least as strong as it was before you touched it.  This is a

method that would leave the original structural members in place.  But then again you can go as far as you like and

just start duplicating all the panels.  You may end up with a CF Pantera. :)

 
Michael Frazier
Gruppo Rompiculi Corsa 



 
> From: patrickhals at skynet.be
> To: michael at michaelshortt.com
> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:05:03 +0200
> CC: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Fiberglass or carbon race Pantera roof ?
> 
> Hi Mike
> No, not a tubular car, just a good ole GR4 with a good roll cage, so flex IS a main concern, hence my question to the Forum.
> Pat
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: michael at michaelshortt.com 
> To: Patrick Hals 
> Cc: detomaso at realbig.com 
> Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Fiberglass or carbon race Pantera roof ?
> 
> 
> Can we assume that the car will be fully tubular and that roof strength is not a concern for body flex, etc.
> 
> Michael Shortt
> 
> 
> On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 8:44 AM, Patrick Hals <patrickhals at skynet.be> wrote:
> 
> In constant search of saving weight, I am investigating the possibility of
> having a carbon roof on my future GR4 replica. The rest of the lightweight
> spares ( front GR4 spoiler with ducts, front hood with vents, rear sugar
> scoop, 2 doors, rear decklid, GR4 flares and " elephant ears" engine air
> intakes ) should not exceed 10 kilos in total... That's what I call weight
> saving !
> As a matter of fact, and quite unexpectedly, I have recently acquired with a
> friend of mine, a minority shareholding in a small fiberglass and carbon
> manufacturing company in Alsace-France ( 20 years of experience) and this
> will finally allow me to have access to top quality lightweight spares at
> unbeatable prices, and have other P friends in Europe benefit from it.
> Does anyone have any experience with that lightweight roof system, like on
> factory BMW GT4 or Ferrari 430 Challenge that are presently racing in Europe
> ? How to proceed ? How much weight is eliminated ? What about rigidity ?
> Many thanks
> Patrick
> 2862 Candy - 9628 ADA - 3679 - 4208
> 
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> Michael L. Shortt
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> www.michaelshortt.com
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