My experience with Laying Carbon Fiber on the Trans Tunnel ( AKA Skinning)

[nucjd19]

Ok I have just emerged from a deep dive into skinning objects with Carbon Fiber. So I have the FFR Carbon Fiber dash and I was wanting to do something different for the transmission tunnel top rather than carpet. I had initially thought I would get it upholstered but I was given the run around with my local upholstery shops. Then I saw on the FFR FB page a guy had actually formed CF tunnel and it looked amazing. So, as a lot of you guys know I had asked folks experiences and tips. I got quite a lot of them that were very helpful and was looking at buying a finished sheet of CF veneer which had adhesive where I could glue the CF on the top of the transmission cover. But I could not get what I wanted along the lip on the sides that had a radius over to 90 degrees. Finally I settled on skinning it with CF kit. I bought a starter kit from a company called Composite Envisions. It came with the hardener, resin, black dye, measuring cups and a yard of twill Carbon fiber. I also decided to grab a FFmetal trans top with no holes as my starting point. It is mission critical to get the ratios correct for your timing of adding coats so I used an electronic scale to measure ratios.
Disclaimer: This is just my experience with this process. YMMV. Use appropriate respirators, gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149852&d=1624574395

Now there are some great videos on youtube that show you every step. There is one out of the UK that was my favorite that I referenced the most
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqwhcfQZT8U
So I started off rough sanding the tunnel aluminum to get a good bonding with the resin/hardener
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149851&d=1624574395

Next I added the 1st coat which you mix with a black dye to ensure the substrate does not show through the weave. This is where I wish I had done a second coat because at some points if you look hard there is minimal "show through" of the Aluminum base. Lesson learned..
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149909&d=1624747050
Next, once the coat tacked up I applied the CF down on the tunnel in one motion and pressed into place.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149908&d=1624747050

Then I let that set and cure. My next step was to lay down the first of coats of Hardener and resin. This creates that glass like finish. If FFR had not gone with a Matte finish the CF would have been gloss and really looked nice with a lot less work IMO.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149906&d=1624747050

Continued below

[nucjd19]

Next I started wet sanding the tunnel top to smooth out the valleys and ridges.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=149991&d=1624926784

At about 160 grit I was seeing low spots that I would have to address. I filled the low spots using a syringe and Resin/hardener directly in the area and then sanded again. you have to be very careful not to sand too deep as you can get into the weave and create a smudge.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150100&d=1625097439

At this point is was about where I needed to be and was getting into the law of dimensioning returns but my brother who builds and paints high end guitars told me to continue with the sanding....So I did.....

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150526&d=1625745649
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=150465&d=1625606688

Once the wet sanding was done up to 800 grit I was ready for the 2k matte clear coat. I verified with Dan at FFR the dash is a matte finish so I grabbed a can of the 2K matte clear and rigged a small paint booth. I had my brother do this last bit for me cause I wanted the most even coat and he had worked with this stuff before and new when to hit with the second and third coats after flash. EDIT::::: The Clear coat I used has UV protection and anti yellowing protection.
So here it is installed. It is not 100% perfect but I am pleased and if I get a hankering to redo it down the road I am a lot more experience with it and feel confident I could make it dang near perfect now.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151301&d=1627327004
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=151300&d=1627327004

I have plenty of CF left over as well as supplies. SO I am planning on skinning my access panels for the battery, Gas tank sending unit and fuel line access. I also might skin the access panel in the engine bay for the driver side footbox. It has been a cool project. But now I need to get back to fitting the body etc and get this thing street legal.

[nucjd19]

The lights in my garage are making it hard for a color tone comparison due to the flat surfaces so once it quits raining I will roll it outside which should even out the light

[hineas]

That looks great!

[Otee453]

Ive built custom fishing rods with carbon fiber handles. I have seen where people put the custom handle in a lathe (slowly rotating), built up the clear resin and then sanded and polished the handle. Seemed like a huge process to me.

I used clear plastic heat activated shrink wrap over my handles and used ample resin on the weave. They came out darn near perfect and shiny smooth like the guys who spent hours sanding and polishing.

Unfortunately, I cant think of any way to reasonably (and affordably) do a vacuum mold for what you built. If you did build such a contraption.... you could sell those tunnel covers for a pretty penny.

[Papa]

Nice work!

[J R Jones]

Composite Envisions is somewhat local to me, I have been buying my epoxies from Florida. CE seems to have a full line of products, I will try them.
I did not see mention of UV sensitivity with their carbon fiber. Since your panel is exposed to direct sun, you might inquire about potential fading.
jim

[Blitzboy54]

Looks fantastic. Congratulations!

[nucjd19]

Composite Envisions is somewhat local to me, I have been buying my epoxies from Florida. CE seems to have a full line of products, I will try them.
I did not see mention of UV sensitivity with their carbon fiber. Since your panel is exposed to direct sun, you might inquire about potential fading.
jim
Thanks for the heads up with UV. Composite envisions recommends a clear with UV protection so that is what I did in my final steps. Hopefully it will not fade. Time will tell and if it does I will re skin it.

[NC Cobra]

I did not see mention of UV sensitivity with their carbon fiber. Since your panel is exposed to direct sun, you might inquire about potential fading.
jim[/QUOTE]

Good point, but its the resin that causes the issue with UV. As this lay up is not under load getting brittle won’t be an issue. However if left out in the Alabama sun for a prolonged period of time it will cause problems - finish will haze up and eventually delaminate. Solution is a coat of UV resistant varnish as a barrier coat. Quite common in the marine trades and a solution that has worked well for me on several racing sailboats I have owned in TX and NC.

[nucjd19]

Ive built custom fishing rods with carbon fiber handles. I have seen where people put the custom handle in a lathe (slowly rotating), built up the clear resin and then sanded and polished the handle. Seemed like a huge process to me.

I used clear plastic heat activated shrink wrap over my handles and used ample resin on the weave. They came out darn near perfect and shiny smooth like the guys who spent hours sanding and polishing.

Unfortunately, I cant think of any way to reasonably (and affordably) do a vacuum mold for what you built. If you did build such a contraption.... you could sell those tunnel covers for a pretty penny.

HA!! Nope. I did not form it I just covered the Aluminum tunnel from FFmetal in it.

[nucjd19]

I did not see mention of UV sensitivity with their carbon fiber. Since your panel is exposed to direct sun, you might inquire about potential fading.
jim

[/QUOTE]Good point, but its the resin that causes the issue with UV. As this lay up is not under load getting brittle won’t be an issue. However if left out in the Alabama sun for a prolonged period of time it will cause problems - finish will haze up and eventually delaminate. Solution is a coat of UV resistant varnish as a barrier coat. Quite common in the marine trades and a solution that has worked well for me on several racing sailboats I have owned in TX and NC.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Alabama has got some direct sunlight going on. Hence the recommended matte clear coat with UV protection that was recommended by the manufacturer. Hopefully that will hold the sun at bay

[vtullomk4]

151308

Great work. Looks very nice. I’m still experimenting with the 3M product. I’m using wood veneer “pods” so I think it will work.

[nucjd19]

Thanks vtull. I think your pods will look amazing.

[GoDadGo]

Bravo & Well Done!

[nucjd19]

Also to head off at the pass the question of Galvanic corrosion. The answer is Yes Aluminum and Carbon fiber will undergo Galvanic corrosion. I thought long and hard about that and this is what I came up with. First, This is not structural so if the Aluminum corrodes underneath it would not be an issue/ Second the Carbon fiber is sitting in a thick layer of epoxy which is buffering between the Aluminum and Carbon Fiber. And in theory should not be coming in contact with the Aluminum substrate. The only time this seems to bean issue that I can find is when people are building airplanes and laying up structural parts which have Aluminum as the base.

[nucjd19]

Bravo & Well Done!

Thanks Steve!. This project really slowed down my build LOL!

[nucjd19]

Nice work!

Thank you Papa!!

[toadster]

very nice!! awesome work!

[Slow and Slightly Angry]

That looks fantastic. Thanks for posting, I may be "borrowing" the idea.

[nucjd19]

Thanks Angry! If you have any questions etc just shoot me a pm. I am planning on laying CF on some of my panels in my engine bay and trunk to match my dash.