Date:         Fri, 7 Sep 2007 06:37:21 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Carbon fiber van tops...?
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <001301c7f0ff$f581ce00$bbb2d8d1@dhanson>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed

Don Hansen wrote:

>>Now, in a racecar or a bicycle or an America's cup yacht or an
airplane...that kinda dollar per lb. may be worth it..but for the top of a
Vanagon?  Prolly not to normal humans...<<

Don, are you trying to say Vanagon/Westy owners are normal human beings?? You have GOT to be kidding!!! :-D

'Tis Fryeday! I guess it's OK.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver





Don Hanson wrote:
> a Van top from carbon fiber, while it would be very trick, from a practical
> standpoint makes little sense.  Unless you're Bill Gates or Jay Leno or
> someone with lots of money to spend on a questionable project.  The amount
> of material you'd use to make the part...fiberglass or carbon fiber.. is a
> lot.  Glass fabric is a little heavier and not quite so stiff, but it is
> about 1/100th the cost of carbon fabric..In a piece as large as a Westie
> style roof, you might save oh, say 20-30 lbs, by using carbon fiber rather
> than the normal glass,  but you'd probably spend $500 doing it...You could
> save almost that much weight just by vacuum-bagging a fiberglass lay up and
> being very careful with the fabrication..
>   Now, in a racecar or a bicycle or an America's cup yacht or an
> airplane...that kinda dollar per lb. may be worth it..but for the top of a
> Vanagon?  Prolly not to normal humans...
>   Don Hanson
>
>
>