Carbon Fiber bumper shield......

[Zmann42087]

I am having one made for my 97 rear now. Custom Airwerks in Lancaster, Pa is really good with the carbon stuff. I have seen the one they made for this WRX along with all the other carbon pieces they have made and it is nice. They pop riveted it on. I will post pics when I get it. If there is a ton of interest maybe we could get a deal on getting a few presold and asking for a discount. Let me know!

I'm going to be working with a local shop that does quite a bit of carbon fiber work here in the next month or so to create one. I'll definitely post pictures after and let everyone know how or if they'll be availiable.

Sounds good guys. Please don't forget to post up pics and info after you have the part made. I know myself and a couple other guys are very interested!

 

[Zmann42087]

I've been looking for a carbon fiber guard to protect my freshly painted rear bumper from my exhaust tip. Unfortunately, nobody makes such a part for DSMs. So I decided to contact Carbon Trix (a division of Road Race Engineering) to see if they would be interested in making one for the 2gb Eclipse. Well, I talked to Rob (RRE's carbon fiber fabrication guy) and he said they are willing to make the CF guard, but they want assurance that they are going to make enough money from this new part to justify designing one. With this in mind, they would like about 20 pre-sales @ $130 per guard before they go ahead and design the part.

Carbon Trix already offers a CF exhaust/bumper guard for the EVO VIII that runs about $130. The EVO guard is pictured below...

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

I'm assuming the new DSM guard would be similar to the one pictured above, only designed to fit the contours of the 2gb Eclipse rear bumper, of course. Basically, I'm posting this thread to see if there is any interest out there in having this part made. This carbon fiber guard would fit the stock/OEM 2gb (97-99) Eclipse rear bumper. If any of you 2gb owners are interested, post up! Again, Carbon Trix would like about 20 pre-sales @ $130 apiece before they would design the part.

Thanks,
-Andrew

 

[Jeff822]

I would definately buy one, if they were about $50 cheaper.

 

[Zmann42087]

I would definately buy one, if they were about $50 cheaper.

Yeah, that what I figured most people were going to say. Traditionally, DSM guys are not big spenders when it comes to non-performance parts and I recognize that. However, $130 is not that much money, and I know there are plenty 2gb owners out there who would be happy to own this part. 20 pre-sales might be a stretch, but even if we could get a dozen buy-commitments to show Road/Race that would be good.

 

[TrboANTsi]

im interested but i have a talon no fair.

 

[Semprini]

However, $130 is not that much money, .

for a little ass piece of CF it is....

 

[Hideki]

Sounds like a plan a CF spark plug cover is over a c-note so $130 for a bumper shield sounds reasonable. Anyone know if it gets pop-rivetted like the EVO's or what? I'm still saying that RRE sould make a vortex generator for the 2G, but that's a completely different subject.

 

[Jeff822]

Yeah, that what I figured most people were going to say. Traditionally, DSM guys are not big spenders when it comes to non-performance parts and I recognize that. However, $130 is not that much money, and I know there are plenty 2gb owners out there who would be happy to own this part. 20 pre-sales might be a stretch, but even if we could get a dozen buy-commitments to show Road/Race that would be good.

$130 for a 6" peice of carbon fiber is crazy, considering i could go on ebay right now and buy a CF hood for just over $200. Yes i know they are trying to make something for us, but how much R&D goes into a peice of CF bumper cover, not $130 worth. Like i said, if it were $50-60 cheaper, i'd pick one up.

 

[mavisky]

That carbon fiber hood, like most carbon fiber hoods, is just a fiberglass hood + a layer or two of carbon fiber over the top of it.

The materials alone to make a sandwich-cored all carbon fiber hood would be close to $600 before any labor.

Check out http://www.racingcomposites.net/ if you're interested in making your own carbon parts.

 

[Zmann42087]

$130 for a 6" peice of carbon fiber is crazy, considering i could go on ebay right now and buy a CF hood for just over $200. Yes i know they are trying to make something for us, but how much R&D goes into a peice of CF bumper cover, not $130 worth. Like i said, if it were $50-60 cheaper, i'd pick one up.

Any DSM carbon fiber hood on ebay with a $200 price tag is going to have a jacked up shipping price that will (at least) double your cost. Also, there is a longstanding carbon fiber shortage that has raised the overall cost of carbon fiber. With that said, I'm not going to argue with you about the price of a carbon fiber guard anymore... its just dumb. If it is too much, don't buy it. Thats fine.

Sounds like a plan a CF spark plug cover is over a c-note so $130 for a bumper shield sounds reasonable. Anyone know if it gets pop-rivetted like the EVO's or what? I'm still saying that RRE sould make a vortex generator for the 2G, but that's a completely different subject.

We've got me and Hideki commited so far, but we need more if we are going to get Road/Race to put these into production. Also, Hideki has graciously offered his car (if needed) so that RRE can make a mold for the newly designed part. As far as pop-rivets go, I assume that part of the design will transfer over from the EVO guard. I'll ask Rob about it if we get enough interest in this part.

 

[mavisky]

Since all most people care about is looks, check out the black fiberglass that they sell at Fibreglast.

I'll be doing my overlays in that since I don't really need the strength benefits of true carbon fiber.

 

[Jeff822]

Any DSM carbon fiber hood on ebay with a $200 price tag is going to have a jacked up shipping price that will (at least) double your cost. Also, there is a longstanding carbon fiber shortage that has raised the overall cost of carbon fiber. With that said, I'm not going to argue with you about the price of a carbon fiber guard anymore... its just dumb. If it is too much, don't buy it. Thats fine.

I wasnt arguing at all, i just said im not going to pay $130 for a 6" peice of CF, that wasnt an argument, it was a statement. I'd rather wait a while and let the price drop then pick one up. You have to admit, $130 for a peice of carbon fiber is a little on the high side.

 

[mavisky]

Not at all when you factor in materials, molds, and work time.

Carbon fiber is expensive, very expensive.
A 1 yard roll of #k 2x2 twill is about $60 + at least $25-30 for resin for that one part. Then you're talking about the entire mold making process on top of that + all of the mold release agents. I'd imagine for an item like this you'd want to vacuum bag the carbon in the mold so you're looking at a vacuum pump, bag sealer, bag fitting, resin absorbing cloth, vacuum bag itself.

$130 is a pretty good price since he'll probably only sell a couple of these. The www.carbontrix.com evo shield is $129.00 and they'll probably sell alot more of those than he will these.