Carbon Fiber Engine Cover Photos

**gr8titan** · 09-02-2005, 06:04 PM

Update: Photos of CF inlay Volant box last post
The OE engine cover had a hole left by the OE intake pipe after I installed the Volant CAI. I subsequently fiberglassed over this hole but just didn't quite look right to me so I ordered a yard of 5.2 oz Carbon Fiber, 3M spray adhesive and liquid fiberglass + hardener.

STEPS: (1) I sprayed 3M adhesive over the cover and on one side of the CF. (2) I carefully adhered and stretched the CF over the engine cover then tucked inside. Trimmed excess CF (3a) I then "brushed" clear liquid fiberglass over the CF and let it cure appx 30 minutes. After which I sanded it smooth while making sure I did not sand down to the CF. (3b) Brushed a thick 2nd coat of fiberglass and this is the state the pictures are in at this time. I will wait for the FG to really cure then fine sand and spray several coats of "clear" for depth.

It's getting dark and my old digital camera doesn't take good pics with flash. I will update this thread as I finish sanding and clear coating the engine cover.

37L1 · 09-02-2005, 06:09 PM

Wow, man, you are something else!

That really looks fine, nice work!

tnbowhunter · 09-02-2005, 06:17 PM

Nice!!!!!

kartman · 09-02-2005, 06:35 PM

nice. How did you do the see thru volant cover?

baseballfanz · 09-02-2005, 06:45 PM

Awsome looking man.

**gr8titan** · 09-02-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kartman

nice. How did you do the see thru volant cover?

I used 1/4 inch Plexiglass which is available from HomeDepot and kept the original Volant cover as the template. A grinder was used to shape and smoothen the edges. Use slower speed so as not to "melt" the edges of the plexiglass.

As I sit here idle, I'm thinking I should apply CF to the Volant CAI tube to match the engine cover and Volant box. What do you guys think?

Vyrus · 09-02-2005, 07:00 PM

Very nice work!! The CF looks like it contours perfectly and no shabby edges.

Please post some better quality pictures when it's all cleared and done! Really impressive! I'm assuming you've worked with CF before?
-Cyrus

**gr8titan** · 09-02-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vyrus

Very nice work!! The CF looks like it contours perfectly and no shabby edges.

Please post some better quality pictures when it's all cleared and done! Really impressive! I'm assuming you've worked with CF before?
-Cyrus

This is the first time I'm toying with Carbon Fiber. However, CF is similar to working with fiberglass cloth which I have done before. Spaying 3M adhesive to the surface where CF is to be applied makes it immovable while applying the clear FG resin.

You bet I will post better quality photos as soon as I'm done sanding it smooth and spraying several layers of clear coat.

RockyMtnTitan · 09-02-2005, 07:41 PM

Nice job, man....I think most of us would be too scared to tackle something like this...I know I would, at least!

Q's Titan · 09-02-2005, 07:55 PM

Very nice! Now when you gonna start taking orders? lol

Titan Fever · 09-02-2005, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8titan

This is the first time I'm toying with Carbon Fiber. However, CF is similar to working with fiberglass cloth which I have done before. Spaying 3M adhesive to the surface where CF is to be applied makes it immovable while applying the clear FG resin.

You bet I will post better quality photos as soon as I'm done sanding it smooth and spraying several layers of clear coat.

Warning to all who chose to manufacture with carbon fiber!

Carbon fiber is a complex composite that begins life as polyacrylonitrile (foreign speak for a polymer) and through extensive heating it becomes almost pure carbon in the graphite form. The worst effect of this material comes to the end user who sands this product unprotected (no respirator). The graphite fibers too small to see enter the lungs, that is if you can actually breath, constitutes an almost choking effect when you try and breath, and embed into the lungs. Each time you cough they work deeper into the lungs. This is the onset of a later pulmonary disorder known as pneumonia which will almost always follow after exposure to the graphite fibers in large quantities. I am knowledgeable of this, as I have worked with fiberglass and carbon fiber extensively in the aerospace industry for many years. We had to sit through endless amounts of safety films and were constantly monitored with air quality samplers that test the air for Parts Per Million of the fibrous material. I do remember one certain fiber that was fascinating to look at and touch and to this day still, intrigues me, but is super dangerous in it's raw form, was called angel dust (AND NO To all the drug innuendos). It was the finest form of ground fiberglass I have ever seen. We used it as a thickening agent in a product called hysol that we used as shim material for parts. It served the same purpose as the plastic fibers found in fibermesh concrete to give it strength, but it's softness and finely ground nature was beyond fiberglass properties I had ever known. Anyway getting back to the Carbon Fiber, <<<<<PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELF>>>>> Go to a local paint store, grab one of those tyvec painter suits and tape the cuffs of the arms with masking tape, and use good gloves, and a respirator that will protect you for more than just dust. It is also a good idea, but most of you probably won't do this, but put a little Vaseline around the edge of the respirator, it will keep any loose fibers from getting around the seal as you make faces while you work, and you know that your guilty of this......

I can't stress enough how dangerous it is to sand this product, and I am glad that gr8titan hasn't sanded the raw material yet!

Not trying to be your BIG BROTHER or anything, just passing along very valuable information.
Titan Fever, once with Gulfstream Aerospace, world leader in Global Business Jets

**gr8titan** · 09-02-2005, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan Fever

I can't stress enough how dangerous it is to sand this product, and I am glad that gr8titan hasn't sanded the raw material yet!

Thank you and I appreciate your concern. Anyway, it would be counter-productive to sand the cured fiberglass resin down to the Carbon Fiber surface. It will destroy the CF surface pattern as the untouched CF pattern is the look I am trying to achieve. Sanding the cured clear fiberglass resin to a super smooth surface is an important step prior to clearcoating and that will provide a "super smooth" mirror like final look.

**Kronos1965** · 09-02-2005, 09:43 PM

Okay, you sold me.

How much for you to make me one? It looks amazing

rjspitz · 09-02-2005, 11:30 PM

Looks damn good. Kinda looks like mine. Only my engine bay was very dirty whien I took my pic.
Different take on intake cover

I've since pulled the cover out and replaced it with an OEM one. I'm making a mold so that I can make a direct replacement, rather than an overlay. It's taking a long time though.

Do you plan on doing any more CF parts? I overlayed my interior with CF.
http://www.titantalk.com/forums/atta...chmentid=13540

Shadowofnight2001r · 09-02-2005, 11:52 PM

Looks really sweet....so does your intake