Carbon Fibre Door Cards

[Mac944]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some carbon fibre door cards, or a sheet or pre preg carbon fibre I can cut to size to replace my existing door cards.

I'm running the standard doors with the internals removed and the sheet metal on the inside removed, leaving a hollow shell.

I'm unsure where the best place to source the cards or sheet would be?

The sheet will need to be sufficiently strong enough to support the lock handle and a strap for me to yank the door shut.

Any advise/suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Diver944]

EMC Motorsport make some. Top right hand corner of this page should see you right [8D]

http://www.emcmotorsport.co.uk/parts-shop/

 

[944 man]

You bolt the pull strap through the door inner. The cards cannot stand the load on their own.

 

[Eldavo]

I have some, as Simon says - you bolt the strap to the door itself.

EMC supply them but they get them from Club Auto Sport in Birmingham and stick their margin on so your best bet it to buy direct.

BUT - and it is a big but, the quality is not what you'll be expecting! I paid £120 + VAT each but this was halved after I received them. The moulding is quite poor with excess resin in the curves of the mould where the carbon sheet hasn't been pulled in well enough and there are air bubbles through the resin in a fair few places. The cards are also then backed with FG which increases strength but also weight.

I looked at getting a local carbon company to remake them properly, the cost of each card would've been similar but I would've had to pay for the moulds to be made too. Overall I'm happy with them and people tend to only see the defects when I point them out, but for a race car they'd be fine.

CAS also do a gel coat FG card for the half the cost, that may well be worth considering as an alternative. If you want flat carbon sheet then I'd recommend CarbonMods.

Edit:

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=604709&mpage=120&key=Carbon%2Cdoor%2Ccardòµ¥£

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=604709&mpage=143&key=Carbon%2Cdoor%2Ccard&#762161

 

[Mac944]

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

I currently have the strap bolted to the top edge below the window so may as well leave it where it is. The door inner has largely been removed.

As for the panel itself, a flat sheet will be fine and if needs be I could cut to size.

Funny you mentioned the fibreglass backed carbon, I'd not heard of that before but found a firm http://the-arc-angels.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=62_64&product_id=331 that make flat sheets.

I gave them a call and they have recommended the 2-3mm thickness and if extra strength is required to mount the door lever to reinforce the bolt/rivet holes either with washers or a small ally plate. Although I'm not entirely convinced carbon covered fibreglass has much of a benefit over fibreglass only.

Out of interest Eldavo what are the weight of the FG backed door cards?

 

[Eldavo]

No idea I'm afraid, I never weighed them before fitting them. I'm sure I you call Richard at CAS he'll help you out with the info.

 

[Neil Haughey]

Personally I see this sort of mod as a waste of time for two reasons:
1) Original door cards weigh practically nothing once stripped to a plain panel, going to CF cards saves maybe 1 Kg from the car
2) If you completely gut the doors including the inner panel I believe you can get away without any door cards, I was surprised by it but Rob Holyman told me or rather stated he had his car that way in a PH thread last year.

Mac what weight have you got yours down to? I am at 1120 Kg after taking another 30 Kg early this year, I still have the heater and original dash + the door bars and inner door panels. We have some scope to get under 1100 with the heater if I race next year, still undecided what I am going to do with the car.

 

[Mac944]

The doors have pretty much been gutted, support bars removed, the inner has been cut away except for chuck of support around the door hangers and a small piece holding the door handle which is then supported further with a piece of ally angle.

The original door card has torn in the haste of opening and closing the doors during pitstops and generally rushing around. CF should be far more durable.

I had it weighted a couple years ago and with fuel was 1049kg.

Since then the front half of the engine bay has been cut away and replaced with a box section frame which has eradicated the need for bumper supports, mounts etc.

Replaced the early two piece stock bumper and valance for S2 fibreglass bumper.

A larger (but lighter) ally rad and slimmer fans has replaced the S2 rad, race oil cooler etc.

Windscreen is now polycarbonate which has saved 7.5kgs, doors are currently 8kg each lighter than stock.

Seat is around 4/5kgs lighter than old seat.

Fibreglass replica dash and centre console has been replaced with a smaller ally dash, saving around 3/4kgs.

But I've swapped the engine from a 2.7 8v to a steel lined racing S2 engine which will be heavier.

So I'm guessing it's around 1,000kg.

 

[Neil Haughey]

That is mega light, blimey. I am at 1185 to 1190 Kg with me in the car all up so I was always a long way over the 1150 Kg class limit for the stillborn Dunlop Cup but spot on for the old PCGB class 2 limit.

If your door cards are shot then I guess you have to do something but it would be worth talking to Rob, I was surprised he got through scrutineering but I guess it all comes down to whether or not the inner panel presents sharp edges to catch yourself on. If there isn't an inner panel and all the sharp edges have been removed then I can see how he got away with it.

 

[Mac944]

How does he mount the door release without a door card and no inner panel?

 

[944 man]

Id line the drivers door with alloy sheet riveted into place and ignore the near side door. Carbon fibre shatters so its far from ideal and its as likely to injure you as it is to protect you in the event of an incident.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: Mac944

How does he mount the door release without a door card and no inner panel?

He didn't say but I assumed he must of boxed off that section and made a little lever or door pull to tug on. He is on FB and has his own website http://www.hollymanautomotive.co.uk. I haven't seen inside his 944 though since 2010 when we both raced in Future Classics, I didn't even know he had been running without door cards until he mentioned it on PH. I believe he still has the 944 but tends to always race his 964 in AMOC.

 

[tref]

I can't remember which car it was, but certainly seen one with all but the inner frame removed, and an early door handle bolted to the bottom of the door. When I say the bottom, I mean the bottom between what is left at the inner skin and the outer skin. This then used the standard early cable. Sorry I don't have a photo, but I was very impressed with the ingenuity, saving weight and all bog stock, zero additional cost. Proper racer stuff!

 

[Mac944]

Thanks all!

Might as well save myself a few quid, reposition the lever and file of the edges of what remains of the inner.

 

[333pg333]

Wow, some of your cars are light guys. We're at about 1130kgs I'd guess with half a tank of fuel and that's with not a lot of OEM metal panels on the car anymore. Including c/f doors/lexan windows. Guess we've got some other junk on board.