Cool or not

If I hit the lotto, I was thinking of having Carey make me a Spyder made out of carbon fiber, clear coated, with no paint, with the carbon-fiber showing. What do you think?

Tom--I like the look of carbon fiber---very high tech to me. I have my rain hats as well as my firewall in carbon fiber and like the look of it a lot.

I wonder if you could have a model made first---just to see how it looks to you.

Might be sensational---might not.

Not cool.

Painted with some EXPOSED (cleared) carbon - cool. Maybe a racing stripe or do a racecar number where the background is exposed (cleared) carbon and the number a contrasting color.

But the whole car with the carbon exposed - not cool.

angela

The other day, on my way to the Sacramento 356 meeting, I was riding along with a Panoz roadster, an Esperante GTLM. The striking thing about it, other than the sleek lines and the guttural roar from the engine, was that the body was polished aluminum. Completely.
A 550 looks so right done entirely in aluminum.
Carbon fiber? Save it for the rice rockets.

Win the lotto first, then have it done in aluminum in Poland with a billett chassis.

or - order some 3M carbon wrap on ebay and do the car in the weekend:

Now there's an idea!

One of the early SpyderClub folks (Dave Avery I think) had TR build a body entirely out of carbon fiber. Dave also had a very custom suspension system...and very sophisticated by the way. He eventually ran out of steam and sold the car off unfinished, to whom I don't know. Dave, or who ever did the car must have had $100k in it and ended up selling it for a lot less....it was very nice work...I did have photos of it, but they seem to be on a computer long gone....this was all 9 or 10 years ago...

I bet'cha Desi could do that, along with a partial flag wrap of your choice for accent.

There was a Bugatti Veyron at the Classy Chassis concours that looked like it was painted midnight blue from about 10' but as you walked up on it you could see that it was cleared blue and gray carbon matte. REALLY cool looking, not to mention that the carbon pattern flowed flawlessly over all the body panels... must have took some serious time, but for over a $M I guess that should be expected...

In that case I think the body panels ARE carbon fiber.

That's what I would want. A Spyder made out of carbon fiber, not one decorated with carbon fiber, coupled with torquiest air-cooled engine possible :-)

Wow...to go from plastic to carbon fiber.

Don't misunderstand, Tom - MAKING the car out of CF - COOL!

Having a bare CF speedster - not cool. Way, way too rice.

angela

Tom, when you get your bare CF Speedster don't forget to install a big-ass double-wing spoiler on the back and a chrome exhaust fart-can the size of a 5-gallon tomato can! 8-)

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

one more

I am finishing up a 1953 jag c-type replica. It is a as close to an exact replica as possible. When it came to the body I had the choice of fiberglass or aluminum. At the last second the guy doing the body called and said he had a pal who worked in the areospace field and was interested in getting into car stuff. He offered to throw a body if CF - for no additional cost. Cant beat that deal. The car will still be painted. It was not finished in time for our local british conclave, but I drove it out anyway. the combination of the CF with the not yet chromed brass fittings, as well as all of the aluminum work got quite a bit of attention. I was surprised ay how many told me not to paint it. Ricer? maybe. But the bottom line is I just shaved off 50% of the weight of the body on 400hp car. I do plan on leaving the bottom side of the bonnet raw (but clear coated). I will say that the thing absolutely stinks (smells!)....

Yeah, baby! That's what I'm talkin' about. I still think a clear coat CF Spyder would be bitchin'

drool...

Ok, I'm in lust.

Scott - that Jag is AWESOME!

That Jag is really bada$$.

I dont care what the "ricer" lay claim to, a clearcoated carbon body is outstanding

Just saw this on TV http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/00-noble-m600-opt.jpg

Probably one of Justin Bieber's cars.

Just think, you could have your car match your iPhone, and have some CF cowboy boots and hats made..

(why don't we have any puking smilies to add?)

Don't hold back Ken. Tell us how you really feel.

Noble always have a few cars at Carlisle every year.

The things just drip cool.

At my new retirement home in NW FL, Eglin AFB has an SR71 Blackbird on display. I keep wondering if they would really miss part of the side or a wing. That flat black "secret" material would make a great rat rod - plus would be invisible to radar. (I'd add a Hell Fire missile system from one of the Cobra copters there in case it wasn't stealthy enough).

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26146528

Think I found my new toy --- kind of like the helium RC sharks (a la Jimmy Buffet FINS) but this is awesum!


SR-71 RC... check link at bottom.

Amazing. Retractable landing gear, jet engines, and maneuvers like a fighter. Pretty impressive.

How's this for an expensive "Boys Toy"?

Model- SR-71 Jet Airplane
This is one absolutely amazing remote controlled [RC] model airplane. Not only did they build its jet engines, but included a retractable landing gear, and built it into a fully scaled model of the SR-71 "Blackbird" that flies just like the real McCoy. This SR-71 model was built by an Engineer / RC enthusiast in Germany, and is certainly one awesome toy. Watch and listen to it soar. And the landing is amazing, too

Click here