Something I've missed in this whole discussion...
what would be the point?  Is the idea that the current tops aren't
strong enough??
Or is this like wanting a gold-plated pop-top?

-Wes

Stephen Grisanti wrote:
> "Economies of scale" is what that is called.
>
> Stephen
>
> --- Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@ipa.net> wrote:
>
>
>> Took the words right out of my mouth!!
>>
>> At 12:21 AM 9/8/2007, Stephen Grisanti wrote:
>>
>>
>>>> Your pricing MIGHT be a little off.  You can get
>>>> carbon fiber hoods for about $800.
>>>>
>>> How much do you think it cost to make that first
>>>
>> Civic
>>
>>> carbon hood and how many of them are out there?
>>>
>> The
>>
>>> second was cheaper, the 100th way cheaper and the
>>> 1000th maybe $400, so they can sell it for $800.
>>>
>>> Stephen
>>>
>>> --- "Chris S." <mrpolak@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Live it to the list to tear any idea to shreds.
>>>>
>>>> Your pricing MIGHT be a little off.  You can get
>>>> carbon fiber hoods for about $800.
>>>>
>>>> Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET> wrote: $500?
>>>>
>> The
>>
>>>> last time I checked, graphite cloth in a 6 oz,
>>>> weight was
>>>> selling for about $75/yd.  I don't remember if
>>>>
>> that
>>
>>>> was 38"wide cloth
>>>> or 60", but the fact of the mater is that you're
>>>> looking at maybe 3
>>>> layers minimum to make that top stiff enough
>>>>
>> unless
>>
>>>> you took some
>>>> sort of foam core stiffener and that carbon top
>>>> would likely not
>>>> survive much of a hail storm either.  The foam
>>>>
>> core
>>
>>>> stuff ain't cheap
>>>> either. d.  Something with that many
>>>>
>> convolutions
>>
>>>> would almost have
>>>> to be vacuum-bagged and I'd want a couple of
>>>>
>> layers
>>
>>>> of kevlar under
>>>> the foam core just for strength. The kevlar is a
>>>> bargain at like
>>>> $15-18 a yard if you get it from
>>>> www.sweetcomposites.com  Then
>>>> there's the cost of making the mold for the top
>>>> after you make the
>>>> male plug to make the mold from.  The Westy top
>>>> wouldn't be rigid
>>>> enough to mold.
>>>>
>>>> Let's see, that first carbon top would cost
>>>>
>> about
>>
>>>> $12,000, and the
>>>> next one maybe only $2,000 if you di all the
>>>>
>> work
>>
>>>> yourself.
>>>>
>>>> DM&FS
>>>>
>>>> At 10:34 PM 9/6/2007, Don Hanson wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> a Van top from carbon fiber, while it would be
>>>>>
>> very
>>
>>>> trick, from a practical
>>>>
>>>>> standpoint makes little sense.  Unless you're
>>>>>
>> Bill
>>
>>>> Gates or Jay Leno or
>>>>
>>>>> someone with lots of money to spend on a
>>>>>
>>>> questionable project.  The amount
>>>>
>>>>> of material you'd use to make the
>>>>>
>> part...fiberglass
>>
>>>> or carbon fiber.. is a
>>>>
>>>>> lot.  Glass fabric is a little heavier and not
>>>>>
>>>> quite so stiff, but it is
>>>>
>>>>> about 1/100th the cost of carbon fabric..In a
>>>>>
>> piece
>>
>>>> as large as a Westie
>>>>
>>>>> style roof, you might save oh, say 20-30 lbs,
>>>>>
>> by
>>
>>>> using carbon fiber rather
>>>>
>>>>> than the normal glass,  but you'd probably
>>>>>
>> spend
>>
>>>> $500 doing it...You could
>>>>
>>>>> save almost that much weight just by
>>>>>
>> vacuum-bagging
>>
>>>> a fiberglass lay up and
>>>>
>>>>> being very careful with the fabrication..
>>>>>   Now, in a racecar or a bicycle or an
>>>>>
>> America's
>>
>>>> cup yacht or an
>>>>
>>>>> airplane...that kinda dollar per lb. may be
>>>>>
>> worth
>>
>>>> it..but for the top of a
>>>>
>>>>> Vanagon?  Prolly not to normal humans...
>>>>>   Don Hanson
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ---------------------------------
>>>> Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you
>>>> sell.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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