jfairladyz

I wish I had a picture of a garage where I could make some carbon fiber parts

No seriously though, I should be able to start making some stuff soon.
In the mean time I'll atleast make some smaller sample parts just so you guys can see what I can do. As soon as I get my extremely late tax return I'm going to get me a new vacuum pump and order a small amount of supplies so I can make some small stuff. I've got a small shed here where I'm staying and I can clean that up and use it temporarily. The trouble is that's it too small to make anything large. And making these parts outdoors isn't the greatest idea, especially here in VA (BUGS, BUGS, and more BUGS). The parts would probably be infested like fly paper before I could even get the bagging material over them. But Mike once I get going I'll definitely be making a couple kits too.

I need your guys' opinion on something though. I was thinking about ditching the whole carbon fiber thing (its so overrated) and trying like an adobe sort of approach. Maybe mixing grass with resin (instead of mud) or maybe even small sticks (plenty of shrubbery out here). Parts would be next to nothing and the look would be one of a kind. Oh sure weight would probably go up but hey, you'd be one of the few people to be sporting an adobe hood. Sounds pretty pimp huh? Yeah I thought you guys would like that. Oh and just for the record, YES, I will still be making carbon fiber windshields.

jfairladyz

FRP: Foliage Reinforced Plasti. It's the wave of the future.

Dorifto

J, you can make me an adobe hood for the FC when I come out.

s/cL3.0

I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, and really hope you are kiddung.. You can make that for everyone else but for me STRICTLY CARBON And black/red carbon kevlar

jfairladyz

Oh come on s/c, live a little. Tell you what, I'll hook you up special and make you a MRP hood. Mosquito Reinforced Plastic. I figure alls I got to do is poor some resin into a mold and let nature do the rest. And I'll make sure you're the ONLY one Hows that sound.

Now if you're actually foolish enough to pass that one up I suppose I can stick with the tried and true practice of carbon. And yeah, Kevlar is definitely still going to be an option. Soon, hopefully very soon.

RodMoyes

Dude! You get way too goofy when it gets late at night... Go To Bed.


Rod.

jfairladyz

You're right. Good nite

Man I hate being on this Eastern Time Zone crap.

007max

did you come across some good drugs down in VA?



i want some grass clippings in my CF floormats. Astroturf interior YO

MikeB7283

OMG, MSA is now marketing a CF hood for 84-86 300ZX's!!! WTF??? What about 280ZX's 79-83??? I feel neglected!!!

s/cL3.0

Right.. I emailed them.. "You skipped some years in there... What happened??"

RubberBerner

Haven't been in the "Z" community that long, but it seems like the 280's are kinda shunned upon when it comes to the aftermarket...good think i can fab ****. How about a carbon fiber dash ?

jfairladyz

I'm definitely making myself a carbon dash. It's not going to be an OEM style dash though so I don't know if I'll market one or not. The problem with making a CF dash (OEM syle) is that first of all you need a flawless piece. Not the easiest thing to find. Then there's the fact that the dash itself is flexible, which could present a problem in getting it to fit right since CF is not flexible and if the dash flex's while making the mold then theres a chance the Carbon piece might not fit. Then there's the fact that that's a complicated mold/s. I'm sure eventually I might make something like that but being as it's so complicated it probably won't until I get a few body parts out and can afford any "scrap" I end up making

jfairladyz

www.zspecgarage.com is off line temporarily. If you've got any questions you can post em here or send me a PM. This also means the drawing for the hood is CLOSED. No more entries will be accepted. I'm still going to have the drawing though (when I finally get some damn hoods made). I'm going to refresh the site while it's down and it most likely wont be back up until I open for business. There's no sense in me spending as much money as I am when I'm not even using the site. Thats money I can put towards getting these things made. It's a whole lot cheaper to just keep the domain reserved without an active site. I'll keep you guys updated through here in the mean time though. Should still be within this year though.

Dorifto

I'm thinking a CF dash would be the ****. Doesn't need to match perfectly, just enough for a gauge cluster to fit, and the general lines to look right. I'd buy one off ya anyway.

jfairladyz

I'll keep that in mind D. Remeber, it's demand that fuels production. Once I start anyways. The more of each part I can make from each mold (and I think will be sold) the cheaper I can charge for each part.

And on a side note. Someone matched the offer I made on my house today. But I made the offer first. So if he doesn't raise it then it's mine. He's got so long to decide. I'm ready to offer a few more thousand on the house, but not much. If this one goes to a higher bidder then I have a few more lined up I can make offers on. If this one comes through for me then the contract is for me to move in by Nov. 1. The day I move in I'm going to start setting up shop.

007max

hey man good luck with that house, about time things started going your way!


i agree with what you're saying about the dash, it doesn't need to be an exact replica, because as we all know there is a lot of improvement to be made over the stock dash. personally i'd like to get rid of all the a/c vents, cowl vents (the ones under the glass anyhow... whatever they're called) and maybe get rid of some of the spaces for features that most of us don't have on our cars anymore, for a nice clean looking dash

also, i'm waiting for my full carbon fiber interior, hood, fenders, air damb, and hatch, so get crackin!


once again, good luck with the house!

NismoZigma

has anyone suggested cf louvers for the side? or how bout cf ebrake ****?

jfairladyz

Side vents I'm doing, but they aren't going to look like either of the two Nissan designs. My own design, and much cleaner in my opinion. That is of course if you're talking about the vents between the side windows. As for the ebrake ****, I'll let you in on a little secret here. Im not going to be making them. I will be selling them though . Here's what I mean. Companies that supply carbon fiber often time times sell it in plate and tube form already hardened. So with the handles, you just simply cut the tubes to length, fit aluminum end peices on to clean up the look and voila! Aftermarket ebrake **** No seriously though, thats how it's done, you can order a length of tube and do it yourself and sell it on ebay and probably make a few bucks profit. Especially if you make em for a Honda. Those guys will buy anything I've got a lot of designs but I've got to start with the stuff that I think will sell right off. People like CF body panels. They serve a dual purpose. They lighten and look trick. Interior parts like trim pieces really don't save you any weight but the do look nice. I've even had people ask about just wrapping stuff in CF, and that's doable too. Problem is that it won't be any cheaper because that requires alot more finishing work to make it look pretty. (sanding and buffing)

Oh and one more thing, I WILL NOT BE GEL COATING MY BODY PANELS. Gel coat is for show. The clear coat on your car is enough to protect the paint and it's enough to protect the epoxy. Gel coat is an unneccessary weight burden and expense (and yes it is heavy). Certain interior pieces (if I make them) will have a gel coat. Like an ebrake handle for example. A clear coat would probably wear off in a situation like that, so a Gel coat would be neccessary. A lot of people keep asking me about gel coat and saying that I HAVE to put a gel coat on. I can get clear, UV resistant top coat for less than gel coat and will do the same job and I'll use less of it so that means cheaper cost for you guys. And for those who are relatively newer and didn't get a chance to read all of this thread, the parts will be PURE CF. No fiberglass. I can use Nomex for those willing to pay the extra expense but when I finally make some parts, the prices will not include Nomex. And Nomex IS expensive. For those that don't know, PM me and I'll explain Nomex to you. Either way, no Fiberglass. I can however make fiberglass parts to order.

I've got a lot of ideas that I've worked up and a lot that I've recieved from you guys. If anyone knows what happend to Juggalo280zx let me know. He had some really good designs but he just disappeared one day. If you have ANY ideas for parts PM me. Be it whether you want to know the feasibility of one off parts or just a design or part you think I might be interested in making. Like I said the hood's coming first, but after that it's up to what you guys lead me to believe I should produce. For the guys who have been here since the start of this thread, patience is a virtue Things are coming along.

Ok now for the house deal. My real estate agent (my inlaws actually, but I'm using her. Yes, her) seems to get the impression from the sellers agent that he no longer wants to sell the house for his original asking price as the it's already been matched a few times. He's selling two identical houses on identical sized lots (2.2 acres) for $150,000. They are good sized houses too. I couldn't pass on that one. And one of the offers is from an investor looking to turn both houses into rental properties. So she seems to thing that since he wants both or nothing that he's probably going to be the one who ends up getting the contract. *******. I was there first . So as a precaution, on Sunday I'm going to look at another house on Sunday. It's only a few thousand more and it'll be available much sooner than the first house. Which means I can get this started much sooner. I've got a list of properties if anything doesn't work out though, so I'm confident I'll be in a house soon.

Oh, and just so you don't give yourself a hernia, you've got one reserved s/c

Oh which reminds me, Carbon/Kevlar is also going to be an option. It won't cost any more than an all carbon hood either since CF and C/K cost the same. And for those who don't know, C/K comes in colors If I can remember correctly, it's red, green, orange, blue and yellow. I know there is also silver but have yet to find a supplier for that color.

And thanks to everyone who's supporting the cause. I've got everyone of your guys' emails saved so I know who suggested what. I couldn't believe how much of a response I got for not having any parts made yet. It's pretty crazy. Hell, s/c's got his own folder in my inbox

007max

i've got to have gel coat on my parts mang

seriously though, gel coated CF just looks so much nicer than just clear coat. how much more would it be gel coat something the size of hood vs just shooting it with clear coat?


edit: here's my list of CF parts that i'd like to see made

- hood (4" cowl, no need for vents with the cowl)
- fenders
- dash
- center console
- hatch
- door panels
- full interior (like every panel there i'd like to see in CF, it will most likely be cheaper that way than trying to track down stock replacement panels anyways)
- headlight buckets
- t-top replacements (ah why the hell not while you're at it, those things weigh a ton anyways)

i'm sure that i'll be able to afford anything on that list by the time its made

s/cL3.0

LOL.. Thats funny cause you gt a folder in my inbox to .. Also I tried sending an email but it wouldnt go thru..

jfairladyz

007, if you want to pay the extra I CAN gel coat. I'd have to figure out how much Gel coat I'd need for something that big, but I'll let you know before I end up selling anything. s/c, you've got a PM coming.

RodMoyes

Need to make Carbon Fiber T-Tops... That would be cool.

Rod.

lww

Now THAT is a good idea!

007max

hey that was my idea

jfairladyz

Yeah I've had that one suggested. And that was actually the very first part I though about making, even before the hood because of it's simplicity. Then I started looking at the price of T-top seals. OUCH!!! I can very easily make a replacement for the glass but I don't know if I want to dive into messing with the weatherstripping. If I can get my hands on some ttops I'd try to make a complete top, and sell those. But other wise it'll just be the glass replacement. I'd hate to say send me your ttop and then I mess up the seal and find out MSA doesn't have any in stock If I could perfect the process of constructing Ttops then I'd do it

But you know what, weight removed from the roof is more effective at lowering the cars center of gravity then removing twice as much weight from, say, the hood? So shaving 10lbs from the roof will do more than shaving 20 from a point lower on the vehicle. Of couse the hood shave more overall weight. But why cut corners? Get a CF hood and CF Ttops. And never worry about the sun blaring through and high noon again