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Detroit, 9:37 AM
Tue Nov 24
24 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #seibon more →

    Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier

    Seibon Pointless Carbon Fiber Gallery

    Seibon Dry-Look Carbon Fiber Makes Godzilla Look Cheap
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of HoonThatFerrari HoonThatFerrari
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    All these guys need to do next is to figure out a mod that'll knock about 50 HP off the Elise once they've made it heavier with their carbon fiber, and they can win some kind of aftermarket Darwin Award.
     Reply
    Edited by HoonThatFerrari at 11/05/09 8:06 PM HoonThatFerrari was starred HoonThatFerrari was unstarred
    Image of Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car! Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car!
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    Aaand... We have a new winner for the dumbest car modification award.
     Reply
    area_educator promoted this comment Edited by Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car! at 11/05/09 3:13 PM Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car! was starred Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car! was unstarred
    Image of bzr bzr
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    Well, that worked well. #seibon
     Reply
    bzr was starred bzr was unstarred
    Image of Pessimippopotamus Pessimippopotamus
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    There's no bigger fail than making a Lotus heavier with no performance gain. #seibon
     Reply
    Pessimippopotamus was starred Pessimippopotamus was unstarred
    Image of firemunkie firemunkie
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    how do you make something heavier with carbonfiber? did they just wrap the original body with fiber? #seibon
     Reply
    bzr promoted this comment firemunkie was starred firemunkie was unstarred
    Image of PowerTryp, Starless wonder. PowerTryp, Starless wonder.
    11/05/09

    @firemunkie: You'd be amazed at how thin you can make composit body panels that will hold their shape. #seibon
     Reply
    PowerTryp, Starless wonder. was starred PowerTryp, Starless wonder. was unstarred
    Image of firemunkie firemunkie
    11/05/09

    @PowerTryp, Starless wonder.: thats not what im asking, i know carbonfiber can be really thin. im referring how did it get heavier? #seibon
     Reply
    firemunkie was starred firemunkie was unstarred
    Image of PowerTryp, Starless wonder. PowerTryp, Starless wonder.
    11/05/09

    @firemunkie: no not carbon, composit. Composit is moulded plastic, and can be made incredibly thin and light, the carbon fiber being woven will be more dense and thicker becoming heavyer than the composit panels that it replaced.

    Carbon fiber will be far stronger but it isn't the lightest material around. #seibon
     Reply
    bzr promoted this comment PowerTryp, Starless wonder. was starred PowerTryp, Starless wonder. was unstarred
    Image of ƒß✓ ƒß✓
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier

    . #seibon
     Reply
    ƒß✓ was starred ƒß✓ was unstarred
    Image of yisoo yisoo
    11/05/09

    @ƒß✓: creates more aerodynamic poop, with less drag, so that it doesn't stain or smear the sides of the bowl when you flush #seibon
     Reply
    bzr promoted this comment yisoo was starred yisoo was unstarred
    Image of MaWeiTao MaWeiTao
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    This is the latest stupid fad in the automotive world: carbon fiber everything. Like it's some sort of panacea. And I'm sure automakers and especially aftermarket companies are fully aware that consumers are suckers for this stuff. I'm sure that in many of these applications there are other, far more appropriate materials. #seibon
     Reply
    MaWeiTao was starred MaWeiTao was unstarred
    Image of günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    oh god!! it smarts!.. and burns.. oh please, please tell me it burns... #seibon
     Reply
    günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was starred günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was unstarred
    Image of MottPower MottPower
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    I would love to go back in time to when the creators weighed the cars. As soon as they're faces went 'wtf?!' I would laugh, slap them in the face and enter a portal. #seibon
     Reply
    MottPower was starred MottPower was unstarred
    Image of KeyserSoze KeyserSoze
    11/05/09


    @MottPower: This guy can help you with that.... #seibon
     Reply
    KeyserSoze was starred KeyserSoze was unstarred
    Image of MottPower MottPower
    11/05/09

    @KeyserSoze: hah, I think he should stand at their SEMA booth with that expression every day, never moving. whenever he looks up at the cars, he just cries even more. #seibon
     Reply
    bzr promoted this comment MottPower was starred MottPower was unstarred
    Image of FrankGrimes FrankGrimes
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    Am I the only one who wants to shake his cane in the air at these youngsters who forget about Fiberglass? Seems like Carbon Fiber is a spoiled hipster punk who put it's grandpa in a resting home. I think it's time he busted out of there and got some new rainbow suspenders and hit the town. #seibon
     Reply
    FrankGrimes was starred FrankGrimes was unstarred
    Image of Ben Wojdyla Ben Wojdyla
    11/05/09

    @FrankGrimes: I never saw any fiberglass need an autoclave. You can't build a carbon fiber anything while drunk in your garage and getting high as a kite on fumes. Those darn whippersnappers with their fancy furnaces and expensive materials. BIG DADDY ROTH NEVER NEEDED CARBON FIBER! #seibon
     Reply
    Ben Wojdyla was starred Ben Wojdyla was unstarred
    Image of Thrashy, perpetual Minardi Thrashy, perpetual Minardi
    11/05/09

    @Ben Wojdyla: It all depends on the kind of resin you use. Some cure at room temperature, others require high temperatures. And, regardless of the fibers used, the pressure in an autoclave will help reduce air bubbles in the finished piece, improving strength. #seibon
     Reply
    Ben Wojdyla promoted this comment Thrashy, perpetual Minardi was starred Thrashy, perpetual Minardi was unstarred
    Image of Ben Wojdyla Ben Wojdyla
    11/05/09

    @Thrashy, perpetual Minardi: I'm aware of those processes, I was going for the angry old-timer vibe. #seibon
     Reply
    Ben Wojdyla was starred Ben Wojdyla was unstarred
    Image of Paul Y. don't drive too fast. Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
    11/05/09

    @FrankGrimes: Damn right.

    Seriously, though, CF is only lighter when it's used for structural pieces designed by an actual engineer, not a guy making molds for a "tuner parts" company.

    This is a common thing: aftermarket CF hoods, fenders, and whatnot are almost always at least as heavy as the steel they replace; if they weren't, they'd be fairly flimsy. #seibon
     Reply
    Paul Y. don't drive too fast. was starred Paul Y. don't drive too fast. was unstarred
    Image of Paul Y. don't drive too fast. Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
    11/05/09

    @Paul Y. don't drive too fast.: ...and the other thing: the fortwo's body panels are all plastic (ABS, I think). How on earth could CF be lighter? Besides, one who buys a smart does so for the potential to be an obnoxious ricer. They do so for the opportunity to drive The Nerdiest Car In North America. #seibon
     Reply
    Paul Y. don't drive too fast. was starred Paul Y. don't drive too fast. was unstarred
    Image of Thrashy, perpetual Minardi Thrashy, perpetual Minardi
    11/05/09

    @Ben Wojdyla: And I'm just a materials science dork. ;) #seibon
     Reply
    Thrashy, perpetual Minardi was starred Thrashy, perpetual Minardi was unstarred
    Image of FrankGrimes FrankGrimes
    11/05/09


    @FrankGrimes: I present fiberglassman. #seibon
     Reply
    FrankGrimes was starred FrankGrimes was unstarred
    Image of mr_dude mr_dude
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    Any word on why it's heavier? To thick? Too many mounting brackets? Too much added aero?

    I thought someone already did a cf Elise... is that one heavier too? #seibon
     Reply
    mr_dude was starred mr_dude was unstarred
    Image of BigEngineSmallCar BigEngineSmallCar
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    I once weighed some super expensive high end carbon fiber replacement body parts for a previous generation STI that a friend of mine bought (Hood, Trunk, front fascia, and fenders) And I found that all those Carbon fiber parts actually added 45lbs. Needless to say he was dumbfounded since he is of the thinking those parts would lighten his STI by a million pounds. I blame the extra reinforcement needed to make the carbon fiber tough enough for the street. #seibon
     Reply
    bzr promoted this comment BigEngineSmallCar was starred BigEngineSmallCar was unstarred
    Image of gallahad gallahad
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    A carbon fiber Elise would be incredibly kick ass if they actually did it right, but that would require replacing the actual structure of the car (not just the skin) with the stuff. But, god damn... do that to an Exige 260? Holy bejeezus, that thing would be crazy. #seibon
     Reply
    skierpage promoted this comment gallahad was starred gallahad was unstarred
    Image of skierpage skierpage
    11/05/09

    @gallahad: Replacing an extruded aluminium and bonded chassis with carbon fiber doesn't seem possible. I think all carbon fiber cars (McLaren F1, Porsche Carrera GT, new McLaren MP4-12C, and ???) are monocoque construction rather than a frame made of CFRP with panels on top.

    By the way you can already get a Lotus Elise variant with all carbon fiber panels that are lighter than the original fiberglass; it's called the Tesla Roadster. But it comes with 900 lbs of batteries ;-). The Tesla Roadster is still the cheapest car with all carbon-fiber body panels. #seibon
     Reply
    skierpage was starred skierpage was unstarred
    Image of gallahad gallahad
    11/06/09

    @skierpage: Hey, stop stomping on my dreams with your science and logic. This is America, damnit.

    And meh to the Roadster. The Model S is going to be hot, but the Roadster's just boring. They took all the crazy out of the Elise's design, which is no fun. #seibon
     Reply
    gallahad was starred gallahad was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    This is FAIL³.

    SmartFor2 - fail
    Carbon Fibre on a car not worthy - fail
    heavier than steel version - fail #seibon
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of mr_dude mr_dude
    11/05/09

    @I was drivin' that Model A: I disagree, the Smart is clearly what Al Davis uses to drive over kittens. #seibon
     Reply
    mr_dude was starred mr_dude was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    11/05/09

    @mr_dude: Okay...good point.

    How's FAIL²? #seibon
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of wolowski wolowski
    11/05/09

    @I was drivin' that Model A:

    the smart's body panels are all light-weight plastic, not steel. so it's not really a surprise that the carbon fiber panels are heavier.

    your post - fail. #seibon
     Reply
    I was drivin' that Model A promoted this comment wolowski was starred wolowski was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    11/05/09

    @wolowski:

    Then this is an even larger FAIL. Replacing something light with something heavy, for purely cosmetic reasons.

    While I was incorrect in material replaced, my logic is still unassailable.

    Hence, your argument = FAIL #seibon
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of Maymar Maymar
    11/05/09

    @I was drivin' that Model A: I was talking to one of Seibon's staff (I was curious if the carbon fiber made the Elise any lighter) - his explanation was that the CF Elise (and I suppose also the Smart) were merely done to show what the company was capable of doing, rather than for any real performance benefit. At least they're not charging $400,000 for their experiment (unlike Lexus). #seibon
     Reply
    Maymar was starred Maymar was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    11/05/09

    @Maymar: Oh, it's interesting, I just question the platform chosen.

    ...and I really embrace the idea of small, two-seat commuter-mobiles...just not this one. Not enough MPG and too expensive, for what you get. #seibon
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of 64deville 64deville
    11/05/09

    In reply to Seibon Creates Carbon Fiber Elise, Smart, Makes Both Heavier
    maybe they should focus on carbon fiber decals for body panels. That way you could get all the benefits of carbon fiber? without all the extra weight and expense.
     Reply
    Botswana Meat Commission FC promoted this comment Edited by 64deville at 11/05/09 11:09 AM 64deville was starred 64deville was unstarred
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