Hi guys

Firstly I'm not here to sell anything, so please allow me to continue!

I'm setting up a business selling carbon fibre parts at cut prices. I'm starting with wings and bonnets, but aim to progress into dashboards, roof skins, bootlids and custom parts made to order.

What I want to know is what sort of products are out there for Fiat coupes, their prices and demand? Would more people be interested if the price of these bits was halved, whilst keeping similar quality? Is there a big track scene amongst you guys, with people on weight saving diets?

If I can get an idea of demand I shall go ahead and make moulds, then put the parts on ebay. Just to re-iterate, I know about forum conmen - I've been scammed myself as a buyer and framed as a seller , so I don't expect to be able to sell on here.

So... who likes carbon?

Cheers

There's a big demand for carbon bonnets but the cheapest I've found was £700 which put a lot of peolpe off them. Theres somone selling fibreglass ones for £450 so if you get a price near that you'd be onto a winner I think. Probaly best if you moved this to the "group buy" section offering your services with prices and offers for multiple orders.

do you provide skinning services?

a couple of parts i think may look good would be B pillars and plastic wiper panel under the bonnet.

B.A.C

Welcome to the forum

The Fiat coupe bonnet is a very large single piece item unlike most other cars so make sure you have a good look at it before you quote half prices.

There has been interest in a carbon bonnet for many years with several coupe owners inquiring about production of the bonnets with a few UK carbon specialists but the prices have always come back at £700+

Your best bet would be to measure up a bonnet and come up with a price then post up a poll to see who's interested.

There is no reason why you couldn't sell on here if you go through the right channels and register or become a forum member.

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

OK, bonnets are a possibility. The main requirements are

1. They are no more than 1.5m wide
2. Owners are happy to use bonnet catches instead of the factory fixing to the slam panel (you can get flush locking pins that are really smooth/subtle)
3. There aren't any really complex curves.

I'd like to have a look at one in the flesh to decide on price/feasibility, but it won't be more than £400 tops for a bonnet, and that's with two layers of carbon and one of either kevlar or fibreglass (the underside), for strength.

I'd be happy to pay up if and when I come to selling I know hosting and bandwidth aren't free.



Yes I can skin, it's very good in fact. B-pillars are fine, but the plastic wiper panels tend to be very flimsy in my experience and difficult to mould or skin. If they could be simplified (flattened!) then it may be an option.

I've got a little more work to do on my equipment and then I'll be ready to roll. In the meantime is there anyone in the Nottingham/Derby area I can visit to have a gander at their bonnet?

I would be very intersted in some carbon parts.

I do think though, that making large items may not be a good idea, as not a huge amount of people will be too keen to spend £6/700 in one go, much better off making smaller more afordable parts (that take less time to make)that more people are likely to invest in.

Ie small trim pieces, dress up parts for interiors and engine bays, things like the ford RS boys all have. Just my opinion

centre console "cover" (the rubbery covered bit) would be the best thing to start with and should be affordable for all you could also look at doing the ash tray cover, and maybe even the lower centre console (gearstick surround) and the handbrake console if you fancy a challenge

I'd be interested in a carbon bonnet, maybe a roof skin as my paint is shocking. Supposed I'd need to top it off with a carbon bootlid too to get the big carbon stripe look

if I was you I'd look at interior parts too, the long dash strip, vent covers to hold gauges/boost controllers

I'm not exactly close to Nottingham, but I'd be happy to help with any trial fitting etc..

chris

I'd be interested in a roof skin - definite

Ok - interior parts won't be a problem. I'll get hold of some and start skinning and offer the on exchange.

Thanks everyone, I'll be back

Hi,
I live in Nottingham and would be more than happy to let you look at or borrow any bits you may need.

I'm also really interested in a carbon roof skin.

Cheers,
Julian.

Sounds very interesting...
If you would sell this carbon fibre bonnet to Germany as well...
Juergen

or Denmark :-)
Kenneth

In which case, it looks like you're going to fail on all three counts.

1) Coupe bonnets are as wide as the car AND have another 100mm or so of vertical face too

2) Very few owners would put up with an external bonnet catch

3) There are lots of compound curves, especially at the front corners

Other people can do a carbon bonnet (I'm on the verrge of ordering one) - why can't you?

odd,

you'll need all sorts of complicated work in order to integrate mounts for the headlights inside the bonnet, why not add the proper fixing?
Have a look at photos posted before of grp bonnets and how they strengthened them with braces and whathaveyou to get an idea.
It is difficult for sure, but not impossible hence the 1000+euro pricetag

Regarding roof skinning, what do you guys mean? a thin skin of carbon covering up the metal roof? What's the point and how will it get decent finishing all around without gutters or anything else working as a finishing plate? How is it going to end towards the rear pillars?

I believe that the real market is on the interior (and the b.pillars on the exterior) and that I'd expect matching dash trim + central console targeting darker colours...

cheers

V.

I agree with most comments on here. IMO the majority of the interest (and would see most financial return) would be in the more affordable smaller items rather than £700+ items.

For example to compliment my carbon fetish i'd like.... Boot, spark plug cover, A/C cover, horn brackets, centre console, handbrake suround, dash and door strips... even smaller silly items like the interior accelorator stop plate (currently a plastic item) would be good.

People have made one off items before (Some examples below) but there has never been a company producing items available off the shelf.

i would be interested in carbon parts

Thankyou folks for the pointers on the bonnet. I had no idea the headlights were mounted to it. This means a little more work/research is needed before I can commit :-)

The roof skin you query is a common misconception that you can just cut your roof off and have a carbon one fitted, that's simply not a good idea unless you have a weld-in roll cage. The best idea is to bond 2 or 3 layers of carbon fibre to the existing roof, then laminate over the top. If you have removable gutters these make a nice boundary, if not you can have a tapered edge to look professional.

Ditto - exactly what my comments would be. I can't see why anyone would want to carbon skin the roof, even if it was a simple job to do with a good finish.

If a carbon bonnet could be made you might get a few people to buy one that are track day nuts, but others would only get one following a dent in their standard one rather than for weight saving.

The little interior detailing bits - if those can be done on mass then I can see them being popular if the price is right.

Hi all,
I've been thinking of an M3 CSL type roof skin/cover for my Coupe for a while now.

A cover that fits down the centre of the roof with the red metal roof showing slightly on each side (exactly like Carbonara's Blue Coupe), the carbon would need to be tapered or have some trim attached on the sides to make it look nice.

My Coupe is used as a track car and has a sunroof which needs removing to enable the fitment of an OMP cage, hence the requirement and thoughts on such an option.

Cheers.

BlackArtsCarbon

For an indication of the work involved in a bonnet, take a look at the AutoDS website

Mariusz produces some VERY high quality fibreglass bonnets and when you look at the piccies at the bottom of the page, you'll see the effort that goes into them

AutoDS bonnet

Clearly, if you weren't aware that a Coupe's headlamps are fixed to the bonnet, you're not at all familiar with the car, so I would agree with your comment that you need to do some more research.

Interesting, will keep an eye on this, can see interior parts being popular, I'd certainly pick up some parts if only because doing a good job on refurbing standard bits is hit and miss, and standard new parts are ridiculously expensive. Be interesting to see what comes this, best of luck BAC, will be watching...

And as an afterthought, there might always be the option to customize parts, e.g. centre console/ashtray to take a boost controller, while looking factory fresh... :-)

The centre console switch/clock/heater control panel (see RusH's pics) seems to go for around £25 in used condition on fleaBay, so maybe up to £50 would be a reasonable price for a carbon fibre jobby?

And as mentioned several times above, matching replacement gear/handbrake surrounds are also likely to fly out the door if well priced.

I'd like some interior items too

i'll book a carbon bonnet for a alfa romeo 155,and boot lid,also boot spoiler,please!!! much appreiciated.,i can send the boot spoiler to you,,to get a mould,but a bonnet and boot are all the same on all model's,cheers again

No rollcage = No carbon roof

Therefore most people have to bond a carbon roof onto existing metal roof. It's a cosmetic mod, same as the interior parts skinning.

I've never claimed to know anything about Fiat coupes (I drive a rival brand of coupe, lol), hence this post really and me trying to get an idea of the layout and fittings involved

I've got an offer of somebody's car to borrow briefly, to measure and inspect, so I will report back when I have done this. Bonnet catches are a must though, don't rule them out until you've seen the FLUSH fitting ones that are sunk into the bonnet and don't spoil it's lines

pics please (not heavily into motorsport and the ones I've seen are hideous...)

cheers

V.

Some interior carbon bits, I would be interested

I'd be interested in a carbon skin for the roof as I'm going down the rollcage / no sunroof route too. Failing that, a carbon panel that fits into the hole left by the sunroof would be an option.

Peter