Hi there my name is Anthony or Ant for short. I currently own a 99 civic lx.

Well for the last few months i have been look for "real" carbon fiber interior panels for my civic. Simply put i couldn't find any except for one thing NRG arm rest/console for $300+... expensive for me since i'm still in college.
So for the moment i'm looking to do my own carbon fiber panels and console. though i was wondering...

Why dont manufactures make carbon fiber interior for us car enthusiats??

 

I believe you answered that yourself.
Cost...It's just not quite ready for mass production at the level of metals yet.
Polymers, more precise composites in your case are relatively young compare to metals working. I had a professor who told me that composites are the future, just give it time.

 

Lol i kinda did.

Well besides the cost, not to many carbon fiber designs are available for the typical civic besides a hood, fenders and etc. but its only a small list. Though i do understand that a composite of this material is more costly.

I'm just one of them car guys who doesnt want something that looks like the real thing.

 

Get a spare dash, make a mold of it and make your own CF dash.

Cost is a big thing, but you can't forget about the some what limited market when it comes to stuff like this.

 

true true
well at the moment i'm trying to save up to buy carbon fiber making kit and molding kit to do this myself though i would like to help others like myself make carbon fiber panels interior etc. for their car also.

 

IIRC, a kit and supplies may run a total of $800 enough to make 15 hoods, am I right?
If so, damn that'd be awesome. If I were you and had the time and inspiration, i'll get another Civic (shell with complete interior maybe exterior too) and just start molding carbon fiber parts (decent quality) and start selling them.

Why don't they? It'd be a hassle to mold everything out, a hood and fender are easy because they're such a simple flat design, imagine all those curves and crevices in interior parts

 

if you think 300 for a CF piece is expensive, then you really havent looked into what it takes to turn out quality CF parts. for a real deal set up its going to run you 1k minimum. for materials and a quality vacuum, trial and error. your first attempts will not be great. unless you just plan on just making facades, and not actual parts.
the reason manufactures dont make all types of CF parts for civics is because most honda boys are cheap.
if you want you car to look all carbon out like a luxury sports car or a race car, you are gonna have to spend RACE CAR money.

i used to want to "make" cf parts too. but at the end of the day if your going to make money from it you are going to have to invest in bulk materials, and a whole lot of time getting good at the process. that is if you want to sell them. i even took mold and tooling classes at my local community college. in the end it wasnt worth it to me. if i had a 40k to throw at it and a couple of non paid helpers i might reconsider. lets not even talk about what it cost to ship items like hood, bumpers and dashes.

dont think im just being a negative nance. if you really want to go on with it. i would start with fiber glass, and see how you like it.

 

If you want to get into the world of composite molding, always start with fiberglass. It's a LOT cheaper, and your wallet won't hurt as much when you throw away your first few pieces - you will. That in mind, there are companies out there that make CF and custom CF pieces - you just have to look hard enough, and have deep enough pockets.

 

Well thats exactly what i want to start out with first: fiberglass then work into carbon fiber after i am great or good at making fiberglass.

I know im kinda shootin at my foot here with the whole idea of making cf interior or exterior panels. Its just something im VERY interested in besides working on cars for the rest of my life. I just wanna be able to one day share my hard work with others.

Yes, i know what it currently cost to get materials and tools to make cf properly. The price was insane but I know i can do it eventually.

Just cant give up!

 

Yea quality cf is expensive. Do you happen to go to lincoln? I see your in grand prairie and that my where im going lol

 

I wish cf parts made from manufacturers wasnt so damn expensive but it cost about the same to turn out a quality just like it. Thats why i wanna make some cf myself. Mainly to spread my knowledge.

Yea I attend Lincoln College of technology right now. Already in my 2nd course right now. Hows it going at Lincoln?

 

Im not in yet i start in june after hs but im already accepted n whatnot. The entrance test made me lol tho i scored a 21

 

I dont know how far from Round Rock you are but I have three of these places in the bay area.
I took a class on vacuum forming and made some parts from it.
There are carbon fiber classes that are offered, and it can give you some insight on how to create what you want.
Read up on the place and see if it would be a good place to learn a little more on what you want to do.
http://www.techshop.ws/austin_round_rock.html

Also if you have a Tap Plastics place in Texas you might also want to visit it and bend the ears of the workers there.
Tap also carries carbon fiber fabric and fiberglass, along with the resins used.
I have found that there are a few employees at Tap that teach the classes there.

 

I'll check this out for sure after work. Sounds interesting, though what was it like going to the claases for cf??

 

Its just an introduction to it and you make a simple key fob during the class.
The instructors are a good source to get some information and some instruction from.
I wouldnt join as a yearly member, I just joined for one month to use their equipment for what i wanted to do.
Check with your local shops schedule to see what they offer.