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Jay Leno's Garage - SpeedKore Carbon Fiber Mustang GT350R


SpaceGhost

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watched the segment this morning, 600lbs is a lot of weight to drop in just body panels. I am particularly impressed with how good the fit is on some of these panels. Anybody who has ever played with any of the old fiberglass panels knows how hard it is to get good fitting and good looking composite stuff.
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Jay said something that made me think...

 

As cool as carbon fiber is, is it really worth $70K+ to get rid of 600lbs? Can you not get better suspension/powertrain/braking/tire mods to get the same benefit?

 

Like, I see how the carbon fiber wheels greatly minimize unsprung weight. That's why Ford developed them. But, for a few thousand would carbon-fiber control arms, or strut tower bracing, etc...be a good blend of lightening for not a lot of $$$?

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Jay said something that made me think...

 

As cool as carbon fiber is, is it really worth $70K+ to get rid of 600lbs? Can you not get better suspension/powertrain/braking/tire mods to get the same benefit?

 

Depends on the job you are asking it to do. In this case you could probably get similar weight reduction if you didn't care about the parts: fitting together well, having a high level of cosmetic finish, being durable enough for street use, having any kind of longevity. I don't even know if you need carbon fiber for that, you could probably get away with good old fashioned fiberglass mat. Carbon fiber's main benefit is strength, you can use 4 layers where glass would require 6, and it will hold up better.

 

There are many ways to get the similar benefits - since power to weight is a ratio, increasing power has the same effect as decreasing weight. Being more efficient with getting that power to the ground is harder to track in quantity other than 1/4 mile ET, but every setup is different and what works on the street doesn't always work on the strip. The unintended benefits are harder to replicate - lighter means less wear on parts, more power usually means more wear.

 

Like, I see how the carbon fiber wheels greatly minimize unsprung weight. That's why Ford developed them. But, for a few thousand would carbon-fiber control arms, or strut tower bracing, etc...be a good blend of lightening for not a lot of $$$?

 

I don't think structural carbon fiber is up to the point where it can replace something as cheap as steel or aluminum. I think evern strut tower bracing is more expensive than it's pressed metal counterpart. That doesn't mean it won't get there, but for now, structural carbon is still very expensive.

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