What is after fiberglass?

Seems to me fiberglass is long-in-the-tooth and low-tech. Don't you imagine there are new composite materials in the market that are much stronger & lighter, have no delaminating issues and would make a dandy body material.

No doubt fiberglass has evolved over the years and is better than it used to be, but still, I am certain there are other modern materials that hopefully would be cost-effective for what you would get.

Anyone have any knowledge to share?

The problem with most thermoset(cast or room temp reacting) polymers is that they are highly toxic. Polyester has been around for a long time. For the most part we are getting away with it. I noticed that the bodies for most of the kit cars are created in Mexico, where the laws relating to use and safety of toxic chemicals is more relaxed.

Carbon fiber requires a heating process which requires a large kiln to hold the entire part being made. This alone can cause the cost to be high. Let alone the cost of manufacturing a quality carbon fiber matting.

One of the places for improvement in the creation of the bodies probably will come from the refinement of the polyester resin. I also believe the biggest limitation to quality improvement is the manual layup of the matting and the subsequent application of the resin. Chopped fiber guns proved to make a weak product. Therefore it really lies in the hands of the technicians creating our cars.

Heat molded materials (thermoplastics) although cheaper and safer to use in the molding process require very expensive tooling. I have seen some improvements in the last few years by automotive companies.

I still believe without the fiber mat structure it would be hard to get the flexibilty and long term duability of present day glass-reinforced polyester molding methods.

Thanks Erik, that was informative, and to the point. My experence with 'fiberglass' asside from a pittifull attempt a surf board building, is in the boating industery. Yes the higher quality boats/yachts are hand laid.

Eric,

I assumed as Panoz is building poly cars, and OEM autos have various poly bumpers, etc., in use, that in time even the replica field would evolve away from fiberglass.

Between JPS, Vintage and IM perhaps 150 cars a year are built, certainly a tempting enough number to cause some vendor/supplier for Panoz and the OEMs to consider investment spending on tooling up for a McSpeedster mold and whatever else is needed. If they do the same for Cobra bodies the numbers would be worthwhile, though it would depend on how much said body would add to the sticker. Fiberglass is good, but I like guys that push the envelope.

Carbon fibre deteriorates in sunlight over time due to ultraviolet light exposure. There are many, many different types of resins avaialbe for GRP (glass reinforced plastic) - polyesters, vinylesters, epoxies, etc. Most modern GRP structures are stronger, lighter, and more resistant to solvents and acids than the earlier GRP products.

I suspect fiberglass will be around for a long time. But the only other practical material is plastic.

I just don't see these car going the way of the Saturn. But,I have been wrong before.

Just went over and looked at the Panoz site, imagine if those guys got a wild hair and decided to fab up a Speedster. I mean that custom space age bonded aluminium frame/windscreen and then composite body skins? Now that would indeed be something to look at, but boy what a price tag!

Charlie