completely. They look primered if left unpainted. for a rare part.

 

Actually, carbon fiber isn't that strong if it isn't sandwiched with some type of core material like foam. limited plys of carbon fiber by itself is actually pretty brittle. And it doesn't bend as well as steel. It will bend a little, then fail suddenly. Steel will show signs of strain before failing. And just because it is dry carbon doesn't mean it is stronger. It just means it is lighter. That is all dry carbon is. It doesn't have a gel coat and it is usually injection molded instead of wet laid like fiberglass.

CF with no core material is for weight savings only. I hope you are carefull with them because they will break.

 

Faukengenius - Damn those are even nicer in person. Hah I was just there! Finally you got the pics up Will.

 

yeah nice hanging out w/ you s2k408. But yeah i'm leaning towards putting a couple layers of clear coat on them. And since i rarely drive the car now i think it'll be safe the way it is.

 

damn.

 

Mine are going on tomorrow but will be painted..

 

faukengenius, your car looks sweet. i would leave fenders unpainted if you were planing on going with the c-west carbon hood and front bumper. that carbon fiber is so nice, maybe it shouldn't be painted.

 

I have seen dry carbon hold up pretty well. Even a person standing on a hood of dry carbon and it didnt break. It is stronger than fiberglass. I am no expert but I have seen some carbon fiber that was pretty stout.

 

Dry carbon, although not gel coated, is stronger than wet carbon because the amount of resin used in dry carbon precisely the amount needed to bond the layers of carbon fiber together. Wet carbon or wet laid fiberglass is inferior simply because the amount of resin is not consistent and controlled. The brittle behavior of carbon fiber is normally attributed to excessive use of resin. Also, I think you may have meant something else when said that dry carbon is injection molded, because it is not.

You are correct that the fenders will "break" as opposed to steel or aluminum fenders bending before they break. But there's no need for concern. Steel and aluminum will dent under the force of a door ding while a good dry carbon specimen will flex and then snap back into shape. Carbon fiber matrices, especially dry carbon, is not as fragile as you believe it to be.

Nice fenders

 

I'm sorry, but that just looks weird and unattractive.