21 Turbo The Scrapyard Quadra

[Mark_L]

Well, he wants to make one for his and is talking material cost only, so it'd be rude not to let him make a mould at least, right?

Does he want to take a mould from your skin?

 

[Adey]

do it. I'd love some carbon twiglet bits...........

 

[DaveL485]

Does he want to take a mould from your skin?

Yes. Is that bad?

 

[Mark_L]

Yes. Is that bad?

I suppose it depends on how rigid it is without the frame?

 

[Norwich Nick]

Yes. Is that bad?

Only if his name is buffalo bill or he also says fore in the same sentence iirc

If you’re serious about a carbon roof you definitely need the roll cage first. The company that make roof skins already won’t fit one unless you have a cage fitted

 

[Mark_L]

I suppose it's all down to what you want.

The effort in getting the skin in the first place warrants using it in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, Carbon is Cool.

 

[DaveL485]

I suppose it depends on how rigid it is without the frame?

It's like a big wobbly sheet of tinfoil that I am shit scared of dropping/damaging!

 

[Mark_L]

It's like a big wobbly sheet of tinfoil that I am shit scared of dropping/damaging!

Oh! Maybe best not then?

 

[NathanH21]

Imo, if you have the roof skin pretty much ready to take a mold from and it doesn't need any paint touch up, then for the sake of a few hundred quids worth of materials and a few hours work you may as well make one. If you add in some core material/bracing and properly bond and rivet to the surrounding shell then it will be stronger than any steel skin. Plus add some Aramid (Kevlar) into the mix.

 

[DaveL485]

Plus add some Aramid (Kevlar) into the mix.

Sure yeah, shall I throw some diamonds and shredded £50 notes in there too? Made of money, me

 

[Turbell]

I wouldn't imagine you'll get a good mould off a wobbly skin, It would need it in place to give an accurate fit for whatever you then lay up in the mould, then consider any returns on the panel you're taking a mould off, a GRP mould will be rigid, wrap it round an edge?.......how do you release it?....if you can make one that will release, it then needs a saddle to fit in, so when you lay it up, what you're laminating ends up the shape you want.
I've only dabbled with making GRP stuff, but know people who do it for a living, the difference between something that looks like the item you're copying, and one that fits properly/is strong enough/longevity etc and doesn't take a hundred hours to get done is vast.

Weld the new skin on, crack on.

 

[Mark_L]

I wouldn't imagine you'll get a good mould off a wobbly skin, It would need it in place to give an accurate fit for whatever you then lay up in the mould, then consider any returns on the panel you're taking a mould off, a GRP mould will be rigid, wrap it round an edge?.......how do you release it?....if you can make one that will release, it then needs a saddle to fit in, so when you lay it up, what you're laminating ends up the shape you want.
I've only dabbled with making GRP stuff, but know people who do it for a living, the difference between something that looks like the item you're copying, and one that fits properly/is strong enough/longevity etc and doesn't take a hundred hours to get done is vast.

Weld the new skin on, crack on.

My thoughts too! Not going to gain anything from it.

 

[DaveL485]

I wouldn't imagine you'll get a good mould off a wobbly skin, It would need it in place to give an accurate fit for whatever you then lay up in the mould, then consider any returns on the panel you're taking a mould off, a GRP mould will be rigid, wrap it round an edge?.......how do you release it?....if you can make one that will release, it then needs a saddle to fit in, so when you lay it up, what you're laminating ends up the shape you want.
I've only dabbled with making GRP stuff, but know people who do it for a living, the difference between something that looks like the item you're copying, and one that fits properly/is strong enough/longevity etc and doesn't take a hundred hours to get done is vast.

Weld the new skin on, crack on.

I understood about 22.3% of that post, but point taken.

 

[gordini stu]

Stick to steel one.

 

[Mark_L]

Basically, to take a mould it needs to be pretty rigid, any slight movement and it wouldn't fit and be useless.

If it was still on the frame as when you bought it, probably would've been OK.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Yeah get it on @DaveL485, not sure it's worth the faff for the full M3 spec Carbon Roof.... on a 4 door Renault 21.

If you could get get it bobbed on this weekend that would be nice.

 

[Mark_L]

Yeah get it on @DaveL485, not sure it's worth the faff for the full M3 spec Carbon Roof.... on a 4 door Renault 21.

If you could get get it bobbed on this weekend that would be nice.

No, no, not yet! Need to get the cage made first!!

Don't be putting ideas in his head,

Doing the cage with the roof on will be a task to weld properly!

This is one of the joints at the roof.
So much easier with it off!

 

[DaveL485]

Yeah get it on @DaveL485, not sure it's worth the faff for the full M3 spec Carbon Roof.... on a 4 door Renault 21.

If you could get get it bobbed on this weekend that would be nice.

See, this is where my head is

No, no, not yet! Need to get the cage made first!!

...although I do agree with this, the problem is budget (lack of) - I dont have the cash for a cage right now, but I do have a roof to get on with....

Luckily this weekend I have a belt service to do on my Twingo, an interim service to do on the Volvo and then the roof clean up pre-fitting work so I wont get anywhere near the refit itself lol (plus, I need Mark to help fit it and spot weld anyway!)

 

[DaveL485]

I was dead busy this weekend on other stuff but got enough time on the 21 Saturday evening (Sat evening, Dance Anthems, in the garage = perfect!) to weld up some of the spots on the roof sides. I did blow a couple of holes, and had to back the metal with flat copper to pool the weld enough to fix it again. Hoping it's not too ugly at the back and that we can sneak in the new spot welds around the old ones as I don't fancy having to grind the back of the welds back....access looks horrible!

 

[DaveL485]

Oh, I also took great pleasure in removing the sunroof drain tubes, wont be needing those any more! There were a SWINE to pull out!