[SRK]

Originally Posted by subodh

Konjaril, is the exterior of the car made in parts or has been made of two /three big parts? Since you are in pune, it might be wise to duplicate the exterior parts of the car while you are in process of completing the car... you might need all the parts replaced atleast once in life since its all fiberglass considering the pune traffic

Subodh, I think since they have made a fibreglass kit, they will be having a die ready. So it will be possible to churn out multiple copies.

[konjaril]

Originally Posted by subodh

Konjaril, is the exterior of the car made in parts or has been made of two /three big parts? Since you are in pune, it might be wise to duplicate the exterior parts of the car while you are in process of completing the car... you might need all the parts replaced atleast once in life since its all fiberglass considering the pune traffic

Well Subodh i have the perfect thing to explain the strength of fiber glass, just watch this space.

BTW, the car doesn't have just three pieces, its gonna have doors, front rear bumpers, front rear fenders, side skirt and a roof like a regular car, we still haven't started fixing it,

[konjaril]

Originally Posted by konjaril

Well Subodh i have the perfect thing to explain the strength of fiber glass, just watch this space.

BTW, the car doesn't have just three pieces, its gonna have doors, front rear bumpers, front rear fenders, side skirt and a roof like a regular car, we still haven't started fixing it,

hey guys , check it out, whoever had a doubt regarding the strenth of a well made fiberglass piece, i think this video will solve it, i wanted to use a bigger hammer ( we lost a sledge hammer), or infact a gun well anyway do that to any OEM made metal body car and if the bonnet takes the blow in the same manner without denting the surface, i will stop my project here and now itself. he he

P.S- the fiber glass piece on the car is the final piece of the car and it has taken several hits before being video graphed , so i think its other cars on the road who should be scared to bump into the conti, what say Subodh? he he, kidding buddy!

YouTube - nigel.wmv

[wildon]

wow, it takes all the hit, now i'm seriously thinking of replacing my cars metal part with fiber.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by wildon

wow, it takes all the hit, now i'm seriously thinking of replacing my cars metal part with fiber.

well, what matters is the type of Fiberglass you use. the range is just too vast.

@Konjaril, good job with that video. But with the strength comes brittleness. AFAIK on a high speed impact, it'll become brittle and shred into pieces.

nevertheless your usage of this grade of fiber in itself is a rarity in this whole custom car field not just in India but in the US as well. I know the fiber we use at my friends custom car shop here in US.
we know for a fact that the custom chin spoilers we make crack when they hit the ground while getting off a ramp and things like that.

[feel3sam]

No words you guys are just amazing . I wish i also get some time to see your work at your garage . Wish you all the best and keep motivating yourself.

SaMee C

[cmdalvi]

konjaril....dude i am speechless
that is spectacular, i asked you before man, you own the floor there, do you do jobs ?

[CCP]

@ Konjaril :- Having such a tough car body is a disadvantage. Coz once the car body gets a impact, it will be directly transferred to the car chassis and the driver. which can be fatal at times.

That is the reason manufacturers provide a bar behind the car bumper . In case of any accidents the the bumper and the bar behind the bumper takes the impact (gets deformed), saving the car chassis and the driver from the impact.

Hence it is recommended that the car should be manufactured by such a material that it can take the impact and get deformed ,saving the passengers from the impact (by reducing the intensity of impact).

Regards

Car Custom People.

[cmdalvi]

boy, great point there
i was actually wondering why manufacturers dont go for this kinda streength fibres, especially for bumpers and all
guess that questtions answered.

[konjaril]

Originally Posted by CCP

@ Konjaril :- Having such a tough car body is a disadvantage. Coz once the car body gets a impact, it will be directly transferred to the car chassis and the driver. which can be fatal at times.

That is the reason manufacturers provide a bar behind the car bumper . In case of any accidents the the bumper and the bar behind the bumper takes the impact (gets deformed), saving the car chassis and the driver from the impact.

Hence it is recommended that the car should be manufactured by such a material that it can take the impact and get deformed ,saving the passengers from the impact (by reducing the intensity of impact).

Regards

Car Custom People.

Well good point there. now what we have done here is just the skin of the car in fiber glass. there is all the bars and rollover hoops(to come) and whatever is needed there on the car and which is in metal. Also the body is tough but its flexible too look closely in the video, well if it was recommended that the car should be manufactured by such a material that it can take the impact and get deformed, corvettes ,TVRs , alfa romeos etc would not be even produced and i am not talking about small cars, these are all hairy chested v8 engined cars.

Also carbon fiber reacts the same way in a crash according to my knowledge, its the weaves that holds the whole panel together in a crash and doesn't just disintegrate.

its the main chassis structure in the car that takes the impact. to put a clearer picture, BMW itself has worked on a car, GINA in which they very clearly and boldly state its made of a cloth like material and in a crash its the internal structure that takes most of the impact, So if BMW can do something that crazy we can too i guess.

@CD yes that workshop belongs to Nigel and i work with him, I am an automobile designer. Also manufacturers if u want to know did start taking fibers seriously the only thing is that they perfected it, its Carbon Fiber, which itself is matt and epoxy resin. The technology at the point of time is very expensive and it will slowly and definately catch up.

[NigelLopez]

Guys.
What you see in the video is an example of the possibilities with fibreglass, we have kept in mind the need of crumple zones, as required on modern cars today and we have attempted to ensure that we dont miss out on this key area, while we progress thru the build one will see different panels having different levels of thickness, we have also been working on the shutlines which will actually help with the absorbtion ( by the nature of Fibreglass being brittle ) wherin it would just break off.
We will prepare samples of extremely flexible fibreglass which would be used in areas prone to minor scuffs, example of which would be the fenders, front bumper chins, etc.
Pls do understand that this is a first attempt at a restyle and we too are on a steep learning curve.
We do appreciate the bricks and are definetely soaking in the senseable suggestions.
I have been involved with Bodyshop for quite some time now, and we hope to take all necessary precautions.
We are open to all suggestions, so please keep them coming.
They are welcome

Nigel

[NigelLopez]

@dalvi
Imagine how long youd need to wait to take delivery for a car if manufactures resorted to this kind of Method to Manufacture Cars.
Fibreglass may be relatively cheap, but its very labour extensive, very difficult to work with ( extremely frustrating ) , accuracy of parts depends totally on the quality of moulds and more importantly the operator. we've had so much issues getting the correct people to work with us, that its no longer a joke.
Fibreglass is uses mostly in Kit Cars kind of Work, prototyping, where low cost is an advantage.
If a manufacturer were to do what we've done, God only would know the Cost.
We are a very small team, just four, and that includes Sunil and Myself.

[west]

Hey nigel, great video, what materials were used in building that hood? I have seen fiber glass mat- plain weave, iso resin (which company) and is process done in Layup process.? Just shed some light on the process..

[subodh]

@Sunil: I would definitely keep my distance form you in pune considering my luck with my palio (which is running quite good now a days) But that show of strength was really good. But even with fiber glass, I think i have seen that fiber glass does tend to break (maybe my limited knowledge) form impact at high speeds. or is this compound indestructible?

[konjaril]

hmm i just decided to finish the cad model i had started long time ago.