Is carbon fiber worth it? Arete Supercar project.

With materials like E-Glass, S-Glass and Kevlar to contend with, is carbon fiber truly the king of composites? Carbon fiber has the greatest stiffness to weight characteristics of most materials, but is it the right choice for building a supercar on a budget? That is the question we set out to answer in this video. We investigate the material properties that often get lumped together in being called "strength," to understand what is best and what the best might cost.

[@mackenziepm]

Comment warrior's "carbon fibre" debate shut down of the century! Quite possibly the most informative and detailed answer to a question ever uploaded to youtube.

[@josephjones4293]

You should check out kyle engineers.

[@wrx2hot4u]

100%

[@iainrush5663]

I love the methodical way you explain the engineering science behind this build and the rationale for your choice of materials 🙂

[@poja82]

I love how this shows that you are not aiming to a luxury device, but to a damn good car.

[@chrisgenovese8188]

this gentleman is a legend. we should systematically bug him about more things just to generate more wonderful and informative videos like this. the thought and time that went into what seems to be just a response to comments is staggering.

[@BuilderCreator]

Bug me, Bug me! Always interested in what people would like to see.

[@sergiopereira1696]

Jarvie, your patience and intelligence to explain a complicated concept in a simple way is memorable. but ... you as always bring us great answers. great job.

[@billmeldrum2509]

Loving this explanation. Thanks.

[@cliffordkiehl3959]

That was really good. Trade offs are always present, but your example was impressive to help us understand the development of the car body.

[@ProjectSupercar]

Very well explained. I seem to have the same problem when explaining this to people regarding my project, but I'll just send them your video, as it would save me a lot of time. ;)

[@feltsjack]

Thanks for sharing your analysis of the differences of materials and thicknesses. This was so informative for someone looking to get into making composites.

[@jameslatham3521]

Thanks! This was a question I thought I knew the answer to and it looks like my assumptions were pretty close. Love the build and the info you share fills in the gaps a lot of other YT channels skip over.

[@brutalfiction]

Amazing level of detail . Love the work

[@rasmusljungdahl8077]

Finding this video while researching for my own car project, as well as just having finished a material science course in industrial design is REALLY REALLY satisfying!!! Awesome video

[@DavidGuyton]

VERY informative video!

[@clivemillington8452]

Got there in the end * fibre glass is by far cheaper than carbon fibre lol👍🏼

[@bobsnabby2298]

This video was too long to explain this simple fact !!

[@BuilderCreator]

The additional info is a buildup for future videos.

[@grabindragin3307]

This vid is by far the best when comparing carbon fibre and fibre glass. We all get to see the test done. Very educational.

[@curvs4me]

That's the best layman's guide to material I have seen to date. I'm old, so I have seen more than I should have lol.

[@davidmacfadyen165]

Thankyou VERY much for this video, you are a great, fair and honest teacher. Learned quite alot👍👍

[@dolfandon7124]

Excellent explanation! I learned a lot and the world doesn't need an overpriced driveway ornament. Keep up the good work!

[@miredquadrangle3963]

Another great video, you make these very easy to understand.

[@billhot3989]

your a grate mind and you will be immortalized for this,thank you for your grate work and hope to see it for many years to come

[@andrewstambaugh240]

Very well done. As a mechanical engineer, i knew of the trade-offs of the various materials, but i had no idea _how much_ more expensive carbon fiber would end up, nor had i seen such a through head to head comparison. It's also worth mentioning that carbon fiber is conductive (good and bad thing, eg galvanic corrosion) and so abrasive at it's free ends that fasteners need to be rethought to handle that. (Eg carbon fiber wheels are super cool, but not if you ignored that problem and the carbon fiber slowly cuts into your studs and suddenly sends your wheel off on it's own merry adventure)

[@TimothyWelty]

Jay Jarvie the Science Guy! Love this video, learned something new.

[@WorldRaceMVG]

Very good in-depth video. thanks for all the info

[@peterwooldridge7285]

What a great informative video Also like the snipe towards the end of the vid

[@city_of_love3654]

Very cool dude 💪🏾 your content is inspiring and I learn a lot from listening and seeing how u put the car together. Keep up the good work

[@beatfinkbeiner4215]

Perfect explained in every context!

[@davidgoff5883]

Entertaining and educating ! Love your videos!

[@deeplato5647]

Great episode Jay! Nice alternative to the E&N (ego & narcissism) supercar production model!

[@HyperDangerousThing]

this is what youtube should be about. I wish there was more channels liken this. I cant express my gratitute sir

[@BuilderCreator]

Thanks, This is KZbin, once you look behind all the frivolous "economy of nothing" videos. Ha!

[@LuvMyGT500]

Thanks for making this video!

[@seanhiggins704]

This video was a lot of work i'm sure. Thanks so much for taking the time to do these experiments

[@BuilderCreator]

You bet! Hoping to put together more of this "theory" of composites type videos soon. Make sure to subscribe so as not to miss.

[@kwassierufus]

Fantastic video as usual!!

[@anderson.81]

Fantastic. That's a nice job. Greetings from Brazil.

[@olewurtz7625]

Brilliantly explained, thank you

[@guillermodavila9397]

Awesome, i learn something today thanks 👍

[@ogamedennisdef]

wow like the video, i like how you explain the differences of the materials , and i like the way you say in one sentence how economy works . Gues the 21 dislikes are the ones off that 1 sentence

[@supdus]

thank you for the time spent to put this together - personally - i just like the way that carbon looks - outside of that - do as you do best - and i will continue to watch you

[@BuilderCreator]

We all love the carbon look- videos coming of exterior trim with carbon!

[@karsnoordhuis4351]

Like he said in the video, you can put a light carbon layer on the outside of the layup for visual purposes with fiberglass on different layers. It is just a bit of a faff to calculate/estimate the properties of the layup.

[@brinjoness3386]

@@karsnoordhuis4351 i ain't an expert but I would be very careful laying up varying FRP cloth over large areas. I doubt it's a problem for small objects and shapes but over large areas the differing cloth types could move in different ways, pressure, temperature, external forces etc, this could cause 1 type, ie kevlar to break the plain fibreglass or vice versa. No expert so anyone reading this can happily discard what I said and do what they want. I would

[@1barnet1]

Sure clear painted carbon fibre looks genuinely cooler then fiberglass. That said no one will see it when both cars have their paint jobs done on the body.

[@robertcook4215]

Excellent video! Most people don't realize even in the top GT3 race classes carbon fiber isn't needed. Also you answer why there isn't a market for 1.3M dollar gt privateer race cars. Imagine your spare parts package cost going from 500k to 1.5M just cause carbon fiber.

[@TheSurfRyder]

As always awesome I love this project

[@carlubetv]

Very interesting vid mate!!

[@CupsRsndz]

I love it when things are broken down Barney style for us smaller brained people. Thank you.

[@RodrigoNascimentoMattos]

damn strong. love this. as all the others :D regards from brasil.

[@C-M-E]

Pretty much nailed that across the board. I've had this conversation many a time to the event that it's just easier to point them towards certain materials engineering videos, but they still don't accept it. At that point, it's time to move along to more important ventures. =) In automotive history, Overweighting has also been called "Shelby the sh!t out of it" (power priority over less weight) and "Just Enzo it" (more engine, less aero work).

[@tigrote100]

very great video as always

[@armandobetancourt8488]

Thank you for the master class

[@DDE_ADDICT]

I agree in all areas I have used all of these in the makes of boat and car plugs, molts and parts, the carbon world is for very expensive items. However like on the keel of a powerboat i would often lay chop, weave, ten thick carbon 1 inch wide into the center line of the keel. That stops the flex in the overall boat length and removes the need to form a wooden rib in the keel tunnel to run the length, and under stress there is no delamination under high tension and speed. Excellent video.

[@BuilderCreator]

Carbon longeron (keel) stiffener sounds like an excellent use of composites.

[@mndlessdrwer]

One thing you can do with composites that people often overlook is just scrap an entire layer of fiberglass on your large panels and do what car companies have been doing for decades on hoods, trunks, and other large, flat panels that can't adequately support their own form: bond a skeletonized reinforcing structure to the bottom. Build this structure out of whatever you like, be it carbon fiber, fiberglass, or even aluminum. Doesn't matter terribly much, but you want to have a flanged U-section for the cross-sectional view, because this offers the best compromise between the number and size of supporting sections beneath the panel. Then you just use panel bond to stick it into place. If you've got the willingness to make quite a few more molds, you could do this for any and every large panel on your car, though it often becomes overly complicated for fenders and quarter panels to ensure that your supports don't impact panel fitment to and sub-structures in the car that the panels need to bond to. Another option is a sandwiched construction like you see for large sheets of structural carbon fiber, where the outer carbon panels are bonded to an aluminum or titanium honeycomb material to increase structural rigidity further and prevent panel flex. You see this sometimes when people decide to flex and use carbon fiber for the underbody aero control on their cars, since you can get a flat bottom for your car that adds very little weight and can also be a structural member for the car and even help keep the lower edges of body panels very firmly supported.

[@extremetravel]

Great episode !!!

[@PS_on_youtube]

I am making a body kit for my car (videos on my channel). I decided to go with the following: - epoxy resin (because I live in a hot climate, it will holdup better than polyester resin) - carbon fiber (because it will flex a lot more before breaking, compared to fiberglass) - Kevlar (outer layer of Kevlar to protect against rock chips and other road debris) epoxy (generally only used with carbon fiber & Kevlar, sometimes fiberglass cloth) polyester (pretty much only used with fiberglass, as the polyester resin has a chemical that breaks down binders in fiberglass) Over the past 3 years I've had a lot of exposure to fiberglass (cloth & CSM) with polyester resin. The final product is easily 3x heavier, and uses a lot more material to make (hence its heavy-ness), this also translates to minimal cost savings over carbon fiber (maybe 2/3 cheaper). in my experience, epoxy resin holds up a lot better to high temperatures (120+ F) over polyester resin. Polyester resin is brittle like glass, and will shatter when impacted. Epoxy resin is semi flexible. Epoxy tolerates high temperatures better than polyester. If polyester resin is exposed to high temperatures for extended amounts of time (maybe a few years) it will warp, epoxy resin will not. Kind of how i look at it.. Epoxy resin will out last human civilization in a land fill, polyester will not. So, if your going to make something that you want to last for many many many years, make it with epoxy. 😉

[@BuilderCreator]

I took a look at your channel - looks like a great project. I am assuming with all the description in your comment, you are looking for verification of your process? If not, I guess you get to hear my" two cents" anyway. Ha! Unless you are going to be using carbon fiber for the aesthetics it is not going to be of benefit to you. In actuality the fiberglass is more "flexible" than carbon. Carbon fiber is used when you want little to no flexibility. As you have mentioned the carbon can be 4-5 times more expensive for the same area of cloth so you may have to add 4 times more layers of fiberglass to achieve the same stiffness, but as you also mentioned (especially with a rally car) you want a semi flexible panel. Which can be achieved with just less layers and stiffening with with topography/ architecture (as you did with tubing under your hood). Carbon fiber is also not going to gain you enough weight savings to justify the cost . . . unless you plan on stripping all the comfort and luxury items out of the car. (can we say air conditioning!) Ouch! Finally, Kevlar will be your friend only on the lower third of bottom panels. It will not protect you from rock chips, but will keep the panels together long enough for you to get home should you hit the neighbors cat at speed. Also remember if you want to get closer to carbon fiber performance characteristics for a fraction of the cost use S-glass fibers. Anyway that is my two cents. :) keep up the great work!

[@PS_on_youtube]

@@BuilderCreator Thanks for the reply and checking out my channel! I am certainly no expert on composites, and I am always grateful to learn new things. thanks again for taking the time to respond.

[@simplelifediy1772]

thank you!!! this was one of the best explanations on anything... ultimately you boiled this down to "keep it simple, stupid"

[@BuilderCreator]

I think you missed it. It was "keep it cheap, (inexpensive) stupid!"

[@simplelifediy1772]

@@BuilderCreator lol... KIISssssssss it is then

[@patrickhill4192]

You sound like Dr Shultz in Django it’s amazing ahaha and it looks great btw!

[@keithyoung7]

Excellent Visio- now I know - thanks.

[@hunterratcliff5343]

I love this car build

[@barnabyjones5161]

Underrated channel.

[@barry4234]

Every day is a school day, thank you.

[@BuilderCreator]

Every day is "the" day . . . just like today!

[@aemrico]

Awesomely done 👍🏾😎😊

[@rosstisbury1626]

very helpfull thank you

[@chrismorse3862]

Batt Low never underestimate the ability for low batteries to cause wonkiness!

[@tomykas1]

Great video!

[@jeffkay2011]

Fantastic design and fabrication!!

[@stupid13375p34k3r]

Why don't you just spin your own carbon fibers and weave your own fabric? I'm kidding of course, this video was extremely thorough and informative!

[@brunobalestra]

Excellent!

[@KlabusterBerries]

Great Great Clip 😊👍🏼 Greatings from Germany

[@BuilderCreator]

Willkommen, ich freue mich, Sie bei der Fahrt dabei zu haben!

[@guillo88]

Exelent video, very clear. I would love to see in the future the explanation when you use carbon fiber, or kevlar, to explain why you choose to use it in that instance. Cheers, thx for the vid.

[@BuilderCreator]

I'll try to point out my logic as I work through the videos.

[@andrewstambaugh240]

A long driveshaft for high torque transmission is an example of an ideal case for carbon fiber. Not only is the rotational enertia savings significant, but it also has a better fail mode vs metal shafts. As some others mentioned, some places you want stiffness (eg keel on a boat, eg engine mounts, etc). But stiffness also comes with the penalty of stress concentration. It's better to have a fender that flexes rather than impacting the frame. Think of both the impact energy needing to be absorbed, but also think about the leverage.

[@gerrycooper56]

Great comparisons. Not only do you have to overcome additional weight in acceleration but also in deceleration so brake upgrades would be desirable.

[@luisdetomaso2224]

Also lateral acceleration - so wider wheels, more expensive tires, and stronger suspension/hubs

[@bzdirt]

So informative!

[@davidworth4692]

Excellent.

[@souvikdey9178]

Now I am reading the book ' structure or why the things don't fall down ' by J E Gordon. A very interesting video for me at this moment.

[@BuilderCreator]

Timing is everything. Ha! Thanks for watching the channel.

[@davntelisha19]

Don't you ever question the car God the old wizard knows his work great job man

[@BuilderCreator]

Thanks. True never question the Gods, but even this old wizard is still learning!

[@davntelisha19]

@@BuilderCreator yeah just fooling around you are a very smart man God gave you the gift stay bless and your family very nice 👌

[@mndlessdrwer]

That really lightweight E-glass seems like an excellent choice for body panels that don't need to offer structural support, since they would resist damage from slight impacts a lot better than carbon fiber. The challenging thing about kevlar that I've learned from people trying to turn it into bullet-proof tiles or plates with resin, is that once you've bound the fibers into a matrix with resin, it loses a LOT of the energy dissipative properties because the fibers can no longer deform plastically and are instead forced into deforming through shear forces. So while a kevlar reinforced resin panel will likely still remain in one piece after taking an impact, it isn't quite as true to the characteristics of the base material. This is a wild demonstration, though. I hadn't expected the single layer of 4oz E-glass to remain so pliable while also still holding its shape when not under load. Probably has to do with the inherent ductility of the resin used, but it's pretty impressive. I haven't finished watching yet, but I hope you go into how molding composite materials for strength is quite similar to stamping sheet metal parts, for instance, the unibody construction of cars.

[@eddean5090]

And having the moulds you can at a later date go back and remake things like doors hood fenders and other Small parts out of carbon fibre after the car is tested to get weight loss and strength in the right places. Not to mention a one-off car would then have spare panels and parts with power to weight gains left on the table

[@daleandersen6730]

I'm massively anxious to see a similar treatment on how the shape and geometry of a structure affects (or effects) the stiffness/strength of a structure.

[@BuilderCreator]

I'm hoping that video will fall in the mix in the next couple of months!

[@AdamsWorlds]

Amazing video clears it up perfectly, i was one of those wondering :D now i know! What about fire resistance though ;). Fair bit more cost as you said improve the engine and handling instead for less than half the sum.

[@BuilderCreator]

If you have a project that needs fire resistance you can get epoxies that have very low flame propagation. Use this epoxy and S-Glass or phenolics.

[@chrstphrr]

The fellows that are making the Dark Aero light airplane covered firewall materials in a video, going to FAA standards which are stricter than what you'd have to deal with in a car. They were firing a tiger torch at their test candidates for minutes on end, with temperatures exceeding 2000F. Hunt it up, you'll enjoy it.

[@AdamsWorlds]

@@chrstphrr ah interesting I was watching something about a Delorean before this was all. Never knew this till seeing it but they are fibreglass tub design with stainless on the outside covering it! Apparently prone for going up in flames! I guess the tech and products have game along way along with the safety standards these days :D Cheers for clearing it up.

[@ibrahimchannel495]

Impressive, let me know some comparison in terms of cost estimation and properties of kevlar carbon and glass if you have your working on their hybridization!

[@cinialvespow1054]

I never knew it's called a 'frp' I didn't know it's classed is a plastic. Very cool to know.

[@BuilderCreator]

Yep. FPR is the correct term, as composites could be wood and aluminum or other non plastic combinations.

[@BonetheStreetwearCreator]

Love your explanation. When I lived in Japan I designed, sculpted, and fabricated many custom body kits. Full on fender, bumper, and rear quarter replacement body kits for custom fiends like me. Rarely did we get someone who could afford Carbon Fiber. Only twice. I miss those days. 🥹

[@davidellis6376]

Nice tests.

[@erichraudebaugh]

I think another point you could make is that any damage to CFRP tends to be much more catastrophic than with fiberglass composites, mostly due to the added stiffness. You discussed this tangentially, and I'm sure you're very aware of it, but any repairs to carbon fiber are awful and often you have to just remake the part (and repairing means you lose the weight advantage). Glass fiber is far more forgiving, so if this body is damaged it can still be repaired, at least possibly. Carbon fiber is great if you really don't care about money.

[@BuilderCreator]

Yeah! Most expensive carbon fiber cars have specialty repairmen who travel the world fixing their brand. The local autbody shop is I'll equipped and short of knowledge in what's under the paint.

[@vincentruben]

Hi, great video! I was wondering wat the distance is between the 2 point between the sheets are bend between. 100mm?

[@evil_me]

From building body components, engine components and structural components... I find that on my projects carbon fiber is really only cost effective for engine components. Structural components end up heavier with glass but for a street vehicle I haven't seen where it would be a detriment. Interior components for the cockpit are always fine in carbon in my opinion as one layer will be enough with a good design and will retain the look. I tend to use a Kevlar glass mixed weave for bumper and inner fender body parts. Hell I use chopped mat for some large flat parts because it is extremely cheap to get in my area and is "strong" enough

[@BuilderCreator]

Carbon wins hands down for aesthetics, although there is an aluminized glass that has a silver sheen to it that comes out pretty cool! I have some carbon/ Kevlar hybrid cloth that will be going on the Arete (Orange Kevlar)

[@TechyBen]

I have a boat where they used Kevlar for strength/protection. But only in certain places. As this is a car not a truck, probably not needed. ;)

[@nfol6420]

Thanks

[@THESLlCK]

Flax fiber seems like a great option

[@Alumni6042]

It would have been nice to see you test an 18 oz stitch e glass against three layers of 6 oz woven. You found you pick up 20% on the multi layers, but they say that you pick up 20% on the stitched cloth. Having said that this is the Best composite video that I have seen. And a nice included philosophical interlude.

[@BuilderCreator]

18oz vs 6oz- Yes, there are hundreds of combinations to be tested to really understand what will happen. I may have a video coming out soon that will discuss how the geometry has the most effect in the design; with more philosophical interlude. ;) Stay tuned.

[@Alumni6042]

@@BuilderCreator like I explained in my other response I'm building a rv6 and contemplating building composite wings. It appears that the Long Easy uses three layers of 6 oz bid, and I was thinking of replacing that with 18 Oz stiched bid. It's just hard to lay up a surface like a wing with three layers of cloth and not get any air in that.

[@BuilderCreator]

@@Alumni6042 I haven't built a Long Easy, Just read through the plans once. Seems like I remember the layup schedule called for the layers to be laid up at 45 deg to cancel out some torsion loads?

[@Alumni6042]

​Yeah from the videos it looks like they cut the bid at a 45 angles, so it would run 45 degrees longitudal. The stitched bid I was looking at is plus or minus 45 degrees so it would lay out the same way.

[@monsieur-lecorbeau2246]

you are the best

[@TheDracfink]

great video and very informative as well. how many layers, and of what material, would you suggest to make a hood on an average car to make it lighter?

[@BuilderCreator]

A lot of people are doing the carbon hoods, but that is more of an aesthetic swap as the carbon would save you only 8-10 lbs. It would be easier for you to loose 10 lbs off your waist than build a new hood. You have to start changing out the whole car to make a significant difference.

[@TheDracfink]

@@BuilderCreator well put and thanks for responding. and i'm sure it'll be cheaper to loose the weight as well lol

[@immelting9834]

@@TheDracfink I dropped 50lbs off myself and was able to strip 203lbs off my Honda vtx1800 . Be surprised the dramatic difference weight reduction creates. Especially on the handling and top end ( it's a drag bike.

[@diycncdesign940]

Good stuff, thanks for sharing this info and explanation! I would have liked to see the thicknesses of each sample and some discussion of how that plays into the results. In other words, since stiffness increases exponentially with an increase in thickness, maybe differences in thickness had a greater effect than differences in weight. Similarly for the sample comparing 2 layers vs 3 layers with same total weight of fabric: Is it strictly that more layers is thicker (due to less compaction of the fibers and more resin between the layers)? Or are there other factors at play that made the difference in stiffness?

[@BuilderCreator]

I just used the weight of the raw fabric as the description of the test sample, as that is how fabrics are graded when you buy them. Thickness typically matches the weight of the fabric, as more fibers in the weave equals more weight. The exception being Satins, that have a very dense weave with little open area. Ultimately, in most projects, thickness itself is not a concern and stiffness can be compounded with core materials, of which I will be putting a video together to show. Stay tuned.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

Given the figures you have presented I wouldn't build in carbon fibre. I agree there are many more useful ways to spend the difference in cost. Knowing me as I do I wouldn't spend the money on carbon fibre even if I had the money to spend on it. I think there is a price we need to put on a project no matter how important and interesting it is. Each part is important but not so important that it gets to dominate the whole budget. 😊

[@BuilderCreator]

Yep! If the budget runs out, the project doesn't run. ;)

[@bradmaas6875]

How fast do you want to go, how much do you want to spend.

[@zacbaxter]

Can you do a video in detail about the layups that you used and why? I’ve been curious about how many layers that you need

[@BuilderCreator]

Trying to get better at talking about the specifics of each layup. I'll try harder to detail my actions. ;)

[@aarondcmedia9585]

That was an astounding amount of work you prepared and analysed. Thank you. Do you think experiments in fibre glass for developing a product would give you any indication of fibre layer layup behaviour, given the basic mechanism (fibres / orientation / set resin) are the same? For experimenting I would prefer the cheapest option for mistakes and learning, and then do the final product in CF for aesthetics and its properties. Also: I have looked quite extensively and am struggling to find information on layup and fibre orientation and its impact on final product properties. Do you have any suggestions on books or papers? Thanks.

[@BuilderCreator]

Your describing the exact practice of the Arete build; work out the bugs in glass and then move on to carbon (should it ever go to production). The fiber orientation and planning is being resolved in this prototype. Most books on composites are WAY to technical. The best and easiest descriptions come from the experimental aircraft builders world; they have to describe it simply, as non technical people are building planes, but they do have to understand, as life is on the line.

[@PragmaticWisdom]

Here are a few KZbin channels that can help you out massively: Street Bandito - - - specifically their 240z Carbon Fiber Re-skin series, they go in to a lot of detail on how to lay up the fiber, as well as showcase all of the methods you can use, including pre-preg. Also, their main sponsor for this build series is Fiberglast. Easy Composites LTD - - - this is a company, and they offer great tutorials and examples of the products that they supply. As Jay has said, by looking at people who build planes, gives you the greatest understanding of the performance of what you want to use, in saying this, there is no other channel to recommend other than... Mike Patey - - - this dude is absolutely astounding! I cannot recommend his stuff near enough. He is extremely experimental, and some may say stupidly so. What he has been able to achieve by doing so, far outshines the calculated risks he has taken and will continue to take.

[@aarondcmedia9585]

@@BuilderCreator thanks for the suggestion re: experimental aircraft builders, I will check them out. Seeing the Arete go into production would be unreal - if it does I hope you video a CF build. Are you using Fibre glass for the Leviathan too? I am guessing yes. Two great projects, loving the content.

[@aarondcmedia9585]

@@PragmaticWisdom appreciate the response and suggestions, will be checking them out for sure. (The Easy composite videos I have watched have been top notch).

[@GrayRaceCat]

@@PragmaticWisdom All good suggestions. Are you following Mike's new build Scrappy? (RIP Draco)

[@1barnet1]

Also, a cars person wants to drive his kit car. And when you race stuff gets damaged. Fiberglass is more resistant to damage and it is easier to patch up.

[@HoosierHacker]

how did you have that testing rig and all the sample? I learned something thanks!

[@BuilderCreator]

Amazon for the testing rig. Hard-core, intense sweat labor for the samples. Ha!

[@markscully2342]

I always thought that the greatest advantage of kevlar was how it responds to overload compared ot say carbon?

[@jamest5149]

Kevlar is good for bumpers and fenders etc, will take an impact without shattering unlike carbon, Kevlar doesn’t tear easily compared to the others.

[@Stu718]

In addition, in a crash carbon panels break into shards and powder

[@michaelboschen1412]

And what do you reckon fiberglass does 😂

[@Stu718]

@@michaelboschen1412 hi mike, from sad experience i know that fglass breaks into pieces, I then sweep them off the road and into a cardboard box, and at home piece together a jigsaw puzzle only to find that i didnt gather all the pieces :-)

[@America_Countryhumans1]

Maybe just doing the tub in carbon wouldn't hurt to much,this is the most formative thing I ever watcched

[@1ls376]

Sequential transmission with the left over money?

[@stevenfaber3896]

So Kevlar and e-glass? can you shoot out quick numbers on full kevlar to compare?

[@BuilderCreator]

I will just say that working with Kevlar has a lot of difficulties beyond its "strength properties" that kind of push it out of feasibility, as a full use material in auto body/chassis construction.

[@grantfryer1]

Great explanation, but you haven't answered the most important question: what color will it be?

[@BuilderCreator]

Cobalt blue with tinted blue carbon fiber accents and orange trim.