possible EOI for carbon fibre stuff GB

by **coreys** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:04 pm

Hey, I was unsure where to post this, so i though maybe here? I am waiting to be yelled at...
Anyways, long story short, I have a friend who is down from China for a short while and he is offering to help out people in our car club by offering to make anything that anybody would want out of carbon fibre, as this is what he is trying to specialise in at a factory in China. At the moment he is into FD RX7s, so if anything wants to be made for an MX5 he will have to have the part sent over there and used as a mould.
I am after suggestions for what people might like made. Costs will be kept to a minimum as this IS NOT BEING DONE FOR A PROFIT. HE is the quality control of all the products that he has made in the factory, so everything will go through him in person before it is finished, and he will not let any bad products through, as he is a massive car enthusiast as well. High quality products are his goal, and soon he will be manufacturing original products through his own brand.

So, would people be interested in getting a run of around 30 of something? It could be headlight surrounds for an NA, intake manifold, air boxes, interior parts, body parts, pretty much anything, he can reproduce.
Something i also brought up with him was the heavt hardtop latches, and he said he would be able to make them out of lighter material if people are interested.
I would like just one item for now, with the possibility of others later.

I am aware that I may get flamed for this, but i am just trying to help out a friend who is offering a good deal to his friends.

by **Okibi** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:09 am

1/4 panels, doors, hardtop would all be popular I guess.

by **joshdobrik** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:17 am

Duck tale boot!

by **deviant** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:22 am

NB door trims, but much thinner and without any of the mouldings that get in the way now. Yeah yeah I know he needs a sample....

I think you will find that anything that can be unbolted easily people would want in CF!

by **username** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:26 am

Hmm...I like the sounds of carbon fibre headlight surrounds, tombstone, door cards and that bit that goes around the steering hub

by **deviant** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:45 am

Garage Vary do NA door trims: http://rev9autosport.com/na/interior/ga ... anels.html

The plastic sill trims would be popular in CF for all models.

by **username** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:10 am

deviant wrote:Garage Vary do NA door trims: http://rev9autosport.com/na/interior/ga ... anels.html

The plastic sill trims would be popular in CF for all models.

Yeah but I don't want to use the stock door handles

by **tofuboy** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:39 am

+1 on the duck tale boot.

maybe even a cf hood like this one.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/gomiata_2194_86232922

by **RedMX** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:58 am

CF Headlight surrounds for the NA is a must

& anything that could be used on Left & Right hand drive that way there is a larger market for your friend

by **Kikuchi** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:52 am

slimline nb door trims (keeping the tweeters and speakers, but removing the door handle, and bulge), quarter panel, flares, front lips, sideskirts, rear diffusers. I would love to see these in cf.

by **16bit** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:37 am

nb doors.

by **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:38 am

Kikuchi wrote:slimline nb door trims (keeping the tweeters and speakers, but removing the door handle, and bulge).

This. Perhaps with some sort of strap-slow for the handle.

by **coreys** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:07 am

Wow, I was actually expecting somewhat of an angry 'dont copy something, plus it is already available'.
Well i would like to only do maybe one or three things at first. It would be run as a typical group buy, where a number of buyers would need to be sorted vefore anything happens, then he says he wants some money up front so he wont be taking a large risk, but from your point of view there is a smaller risk i guess. He said that four weeks should be given from payment, but most likely less, just so people arent all 'where is my shiz yo?'. He has promised top quality stuff and it will all be a direct bolt in that will definitely fit the exact same as the original part. As I said he drives an FD and is in the same car club as me, and he is all about getting quality stuff out to enthusiasts.
I forgot to mention that the carbon fibre will not just be wet laid, but vacuum bagged, which results in less resin, leading to more strength, and less weight. not to mention a better quality final product.

I am keen on a ducktail boot like the autokonexion version 2, and definately the headlight surrounds. Front guards with a rolled lip have also been on my mind.
I will be seeing my mate again on friday and will talk to him a bit more about it to learn what i can and get a better idea of what the minimum order quantity will be, and subsequently what kind of pricing can be thrown at it. keeping in mind that I am not aiming to compete with anybody, but just to get stuff out there that we dont have easy access to.

I was considering bonnets, but our bonnets are already light enough, unless you want a different design, in which case I think it would be hard to find enough people to buy them.

Just to help push this along a bit quicker and get some more idea before i see him on Friday, could i get a rough number for people interested in a single item, or if people know a product will defiantely sell? I dont mind holding some stock, but i am not a business and dont have much spacem so I would like to have numbers first. I think the headlight surrounds will be the first thing i go for.
Also, I have an NA so I am going to be looking at NA parts, unless there is a large demand for other stuff like NB door trims and what not.
sorry if this seems like a fair bit of rambling, but I am not that great with writing stuff.