CF floor pans?

[Eurolook71]

Carbon fibre floor pans sound like a really good idea to me. Not only will they shave off isane amounts of weight, but rust will never ever be a problem. They could be easily installed with some good sized rivets. I've seen fibreglass pans, but only from mark V, and I've heard bad things about quality issues with this place. So, Joe if you read this maybe take it into consideration. I'm sure they won't be cheap, but I feel they would be well beyond worth it.

[miller]

CF floor pans would be sweet. I would consider using 3M structural tape to bond the CF to the car. One precaution worth noting is that SCCA dosent allow cars that dont have aluminum or steel floors. Maybe they dont even allow aluminum and just steel and stainless steel? Anyway you might check into kevlar too. I hear it has greater impact ressistance then CF. The only problem I see with using CF is flexing in the chassis might cause it to bend and weaken. Making a chassis out of steel and CF involves 2 materials with different characteristics. What steel can deal with just fine might be a weakness for CF. Not saying it cant be done but their are lots of variables to consider

[oasis]

Carbon fiber floor pans would be suicidal in an accident -- they would explode into dust and minute particles. A carbon fiber and kevlar would be somewhat safer.

If you have ever seen a race crash and jagged body parts are hanging on by threads, that's the kevlar portion. The cloud of dust at impact is the carbon fiber.

I'm certainly not a spokesperson for Carbon Joe, but I do remember him saying he would not do c/f bumpers due to liability issues. If that's still the case, he would be running a greater risk with floor pans.

Additionally, while one would save significant weight, it would be low weight. The car would actually be more top-heavy -- unless one was also planning to make a complete c/f shell.

[coffinator]

I agree with Oasis. Carbon fiber shatters upon impact. Mller stated that the cf pans would flex. As long as each layer of cf is set in the previous one at 45 degree angle and so on, it will be very ridged. If you were to replace every 3rd cf layer with kevlar it would make it extreamly strong and ridged. As for using rivets for mounting, I wouldn't. It creates a place for cracks to form. I would make a plate out of some 0.125 5051-T6 aluminium that ran around the perimiter of the floor pan and use AN17-8 bolts to hold it together.
If i were Carbon Joe I wouldn't make cf floor pans for the reasons stated by oasis.

mike,

[vujade]

all excellent points oasis

[hybrid_john]

yes very good points Oasis.
I wouldnt trust a c/f floor pan. But if you want one you could probably find some one to make you one...I would think about using some honey-combed aluminum or steel inbetween a few sheets of c/f and kevlar...might add strength to it and be safer in crashes! I dont know where to get some metal like that though!