Fiberglass doors are done, here's a pic.

[Mike Puckett]

John Temple and I, mostly John, have been drilling out the holes and fitting the trim to them. Here's the driver's side.

[Mike Puckett]

You can see the inner side drilled out and then the raw undrilled passenger door. This weekend we'll try to get them completed. I want to get them painted and mounted as soon as possible.

[392Bird]

These will be a very nice addition to my Winter Project.

[Kurt K]

Very cool guys :)

[SCme]

looking good guys.

Mike a set going on the racer? If so, I would maybe start thinking of a to trailer the car to Atlanta Drag. With those fiberglass doors and no inner support (I guess), I don't think you would want to take a chance in a side-impact crash.


But thats a great job John and Mike. Hope we can see a set at our next SCCoSE meet.

[tim]

Great where did you get them and how light are they?

[Mike Puckett]

John is having them made by a friend who does that sort of thing. The empty shell weighs 17 lbs. The empty steel shell weighs about 70lbs. I am concerned about side impact and I think we'll just do the passenger side 1st. I guess I'll be putting in a roll cage this winter.

[Darkside]

If you put fiberglass doors on a Supercoupe, is it still considered a Supercoupe? :p :D J/k Is there going to be a seperate top SC's list for cars with fiberglass body parts? I can hear it already....... :rolleyes: :D :p

John's friend does some awesome work. Looks nice.

[tim]

I really want a pair are they for sale?

[Bleed_Ford_Blue]

This is just curiousity I am not sharpshooting anyone.. But that is only a net loss of 106 lbs which should only be a net gain of roughly .01 seconds in in the 1/4 right. So do you think the cost/risk is worth the gain or are my numbers way off. Like I said I am not attempting to critique or criticize, just understand.

That is some DAMN FINE fiberglass work. Whoever did that has talent.

[Mike Puckett]

They will be for sale. Mine are the prototypes and are being used to test their fit and durability. Some modifications may be necessary. That 100 lb weight loss should translate more to .1 sec rather than .01 and I'll take it. I mean this being a race car and all, I'm shooting to get it to run consistent mid 12's. I'll eventually pick the weight back up with the roll cage but it'll still be a weight loss over the steel door. I can replace the glass with lexan, too.

[XR7 Dave]

This is just curiousity I am not sharpshooting anyone.. But that is only a net loss of 106 lbs which should only be a net gain of roughly .01 seconds in in the 1/4 right. So do you think the cost/risk is worth the gain or are my numbers way off. Like I said I am not attempting to critique or criticize, just understand.

That is some DAMN FINE fiberglass work. Whoever did that has talent.

It's not a cost effective mod for an entry level SC, but when there is nothing else left to do, it starts to look really attractive. Especially if someone is trying to offset the added weight of a roll bar. The doors are also in an area that constitutes dead weight above the cars center of gravity and do not contribute to the structural rigidity of the car. It will help handling as well as 1/4 mile times.

[392Bird]

At the point I am now, I would swao my wife for 100 less pounds in the Bird.
Heck, Id swap her for 10lbs loss.

I was pricing a 2005 Cobra, and the guy said it would be 36,000 delivered when they are released. I asked him how muck if I traded in my wife? He said 46,000. He said hes been trying to get rid of the one he has now. :)

[Nettlesd]

I heard the SVT Cobra (new body style) won't be released until 2006 or 2007. Now that I think about it, I suppose they could release it in 2005 as a 2006, so you could be right. Although, Ford is offering special lease options on SVT Cobras so that you can lease a 2004 and then have the lease end in 18-24 months and swap that for the new Cobra when they are released.

[Bleed_Ford_Blue]

Im really not trying to be a pain in the neck here, but would in not make more sense to lighten the front end, say the suspension or maybe the k-member by replacing them with a lighter material. It would greatly improve the weight transfer to the rear would it not, and wouldnt it be cheaper to machine aluminum control arms or other such parts than to have a guy make a mould to mould doors. I have never had a fiberglass mould made, but I bet the guy who did that didnt do it cheap. That kind of work costs. I am not a 1/4 mile racer and never have been, so dont be upset at me Im just trying to understand. I know on the dirt track we leave weight that is behind or neutral to the center of gravity and constantly try to lighten the front end so the cars weight transfers more quickly for better grip (then again that is dirt and this is asphalt). But isnt grip the all important thing here?

I did not know that the car was a race only car so I guess the safety of a steel door is not an issue. I cant get over that fiberglass work, that is some of the best Ive seen. I have a shelby hood (not a repro) in my garage and it is rougher than that.

[tim]

I may be wrong but it seems to me that with only 232 cu. in. weight is a big factor. Its like free hp. you dont have to do anything to the engine and it makes the car faster.

[Randy N Connie]

I will buy a pair of doors if I can receive them by the end of this month.
Don't need all this testing .And sell my hairyglass doors.

Randy

[John Temple]

I can have a set by the end of the month...that would not be a problem. We will be using our new bonding technique on this set for a more uniform edge fit. Please give me a call @ (770)722-2587 John

[Micahdogg]

Another reason for the glass doors.............it would be a LOT easier to do custom lambo opening doors with those glass skins. Just in case you customizers would be interested.

Awesom work guys...those look hot. Doesn't a company in Canada make a glass trunklid too?

Micah

[Randy N Connie]

I need them so Micahdogg can't beat Connie two years in a row at the 04 SHOOTOUT. :)

Randy

[XR7 Dave]

I need them so Micahdogg can't beat Connie two years in a row at the 04 SHOOTOUT. :)

Randy

I dunno Randy, I heard Micah has sprung for one of those newfangled AR superturbos. :eek: :D

[aviationstation]

Great Work on those doors!

Looks to me like both can be made using pre-peg glass, a male plug (one for each side), and a vacuum bag. Don't think it would be too hard to impregnate some BID laid-up kevlar or 4130 tubing for side support.

BID layup would seem a good approach as well, but you likely won't get the same finish (or weight savings) as the one pictured. Those doors look as good as most wing skins & I'd say they are doing some damn good work. With those doors my SC would only weigh a petite 1.75 tons! :D

This takes a little more glue... but they all smell the same!http://members.eaa.org/home/homebuilders/images/Glasair-3.jpg

M Randolph

[Randy N Connie]

M Randolph A pre-peg is easier to be made lighter than a wet layup.
The pre-peg has better wt control in layups.With the pre-peg you can
calculate the wt. before layup closer than a wet layup..

For the ones that don't know what a pre-peg is.It is fiberglass,carbonfiber,
ect.mat.That has already has been inpregnated with epoxy.You just cut the shape needed.Then lay the mat in your mold.Then put the mold in a vacuum bag.Then put the mold thats inside of the vacuum bag into an oven.The pre-peg mat with the epoxy heats up in the oven,(or auto clave without bagging.)And melts together and cures.

The reason you put the mold with layup under vacumm.Is because epoxies
will attract mosture.And get between the layers of glass or carbon fibers.This mosture will cause the part to delaminate.And the vacumm bagging ,or autoclave will press the layers of mat together.From the pressure the vacumm causes during curing time.

This will never happin with these doors.Its just one of those goverment over kill mil-specs they want for a fighter jet.

RANDY

[aviationstation]

RANDY, et al,

The bottom line is that these folks should consider marketing these doors. Start small...Edelbrock did! And I agree, pre-peg would be overkill. Of course, my thought (and likely the originators of this post) is to stop the possibility of delam and early sep... and a car gets a lot more exposure to vibration, water, and sunlight than most "conveyances." Take a look at the countless boats, old glass/metal race cars & RV's that have employed lay-up glassing techniques. Most have "some" sort of delam. Pre-peg allows the resin to fully "float" the substrate (to quote Stoddard-Hamilton), leaving little or no voids and uniform material saturation. Of course, the vacuum bags always help... it's just that they would be Shelly-Winters big for a T-Bird door! :)

It was more me thinking-out-loud that, for a minimal difference in price, it would be good to just make the thing with Safe-t-poxy pre-peg. It would be mondo strong & would likely start to delam long after I would have gone to be with my 7.23 virgins in the sky (to quote a local radical Muslim cleric/mathematician).

Still, makes me want to try and make somethin' after having seen the success that Mike Puckett appears to have had. Great work, lots-o-sanding... :)

M Randolph

[DamonSlowpokeBaumann]

ANother good reason for fiberglass doors..Death wish on side impact..

Seriously though I'd only reccomend them for cars with a cage (I assume most getting them will have one)

[blown96bird]

would it be possiable on later production doors to get a heavy duity side impact door beem inside incase if someone wanted to install these doors on there car. It might be benficial for the people that live in the rust belt where good doors can be hard to come by.

[tim]

Now the hard part, how much? If they are affordable you can go with a glss hood and maybe a trunk lid. Carwould go on a serious diet. Weight seems to be a big factor. That and all the extra junk under the hood.

[talonhead]

Wife even thinks so.
Now swell the wheel openings and stick on some of those big Lambo wheels and tires............................................. ......Oh, don't forget the supercharged v-12 :rolleyes:

[MikeKanterakis]

Maybe not such a good idea on a street car?

[DamonSlowpokeBaumann]

Personally I'd go fenders, nose, hood, decklid first along with lightweight wheels, tubular K member...Gutted interior...no front sway bar.....

Then perhaps fiberglass doors and lexan windows along with a roll bar.


Its really a mod for those who want to shave every tenth when there is nowhere to shave it....Or someone that wanst to say..LOOK MAW..I HAVE GLASS DOORS!

Regardless its a great looking peice quality wise...Should get a rear decklid and fenders going..If you do the nose and rear bumber in glass you can rip out all the bumper supports

[plev72]

Just slightly off topic (forgive me if this has already come up... got the 3am insomnia and a desire to babble). The fiberglass doors look spectacular. As it looks like you guys have those down to a science, and from what I'm reading a number of the suppliers for aftermarket hoods have gone away, is there any possibility you guys might consider making aftermarket hoods for us as well?? Personally I'd like to see an aftermarket fiberglass hood the fits as an OEM replacement... adds to the sleeper effect for those of us sleeperish, and also allows for the possibilty of a hood scoop at a later point.

Thanks

[Randy N Connie]

Damon: www.hairyglass.com makes a fiberglass (Dog-house) front fenders with SC front end,trunk lid.stock type hood, glass or carbonfiber.

lexan windows mustanghoods@yahoo.com

John Temple 1-770-722-2587 Fiberglass doors.

K-Members www.ajeracing.com

Look MAW-SLOWPOKE I HAVE MORE THAN FIBERGLASS DOORS :)

RANDY

[plev72]

Thanks Randy... I actually talked to Harry Glass months ago, the issue with their hood is that it is 6 inches too long. :-/

[DamonSlowpokeBaumann]

as are the fenders

[Randy N Connie]

Since i am not building a pro-mod must be why i havent bought there front end.Just pointing out places for some glass parts to others, and some of the parts I have.And making a joke to Damon.

Its been pointed out in posts on this board & on hairy glass about the length of some of there parts.So what is you point plev72?

Plev, I was wanting to finish installing my fiberglass part this winter.But I would like to install some of my parts for the shootout.Where do you think I should start?

My hairy glass trunk lid has been sanded and the fitment is good.Just need to make some tabs for the dutz fasteners.And paint.

My K-Member is ready to install.

My raised manifold with larger plenum.

I am going to have a lot of prep work tring to install John Temples glass doors
in a week.

Got a new set of Nitto road race style tires,They need mounted

Tring to buy a FMIC system and get it shipped to me before the end of the week.Would like to get it on.With a air to air IC.This will be nice to run with my water to air IC.This should give me a cool charge at the track and on the road.

I waited to long to order a Cobra R hood for my SC.To make the shootout.That was one of my winter projects.To install a Cobra R hood
that would match my two 2000 Cobra R front bumper covers that I purchased to make one 2000 Cobra R front bumper cover to fit my bird.

I can go on about the parts I have been collecting to install on my SC.I am sure you probably you don't want to hear about my new Lentech I am getting this week.Or about all the trick parts for my band new SC motor I have been working on.Like titainum lifters,carbonfiber pushrods,ect.I might even throw a set of my carbon-carbon brake rotors on.I got about twenty of them layin around.I have over $8000.00 in parts being delivered this week alone for the SC.

I am so happy and excited.I just don't have time to dwell on small BS like some seem to do so well.

Who knows,I may just buy a six inch over front end from Hairy Glass some day.

John Temple,Thanks for your help on the doors.Hope to be able to work on them by the end of this week.And get the fiberglass doors installed before
the shootout.If I don't get the time to install your doors.I will take them to the shootout to let others see your new fiberglass doors.


RANDY

[plev72]

Ah... humor, I get it! (Funny, and I thought I was being polite, guess I need to caveat things from now on).

[Randy N Connie]

Pelv72 So are you tring to say you are issueing me a warning.

So your still mad ,Because you are not able to understand ,or just don't want to understand this post and other post I have made..
RANDY

[plev72]

Hmmm... guess I'll have to caveat my caveats... I was actually thinking of 1.b. :

(from www.webster.com)

1 b : an explanation to prevent misinterpretation

I'm not mad ... being mad requires too much effort and provides too little return on investment.

Paul

[Randy N Connie]

Thats great ,that your not mad.I would hope that you understand That i
did not mean any offense to you any one or there religion.I just beleive that the little fat man running the unname country is out of hand.I beleive this countries voting box will soon back up my beliefs.Enough said.

Thanks Randy

[thebigslide]

So much for the voting box theory... :/

[seawalkersee]

Anybody have pics of the doors installed on their ride yet?

Chris

[Mike Puckett]

I just painted mine Sat and I'll start swapping the internal parts next week. I've got some carbon fiber cloth to add some additional strength. I'll either add an additional layer on the inside or wrap an aluminum tube with it as an internal brace. I'll take a photo of them painted and post it later. Hopefully I'll have them ready to install in a couple of weeks.

[seawalkersee]

Why is everyone sooo concerned about the side impact? Do Saturns, Cameros, Firebirds and other GM products have plastic doors? Getting around this is not going to be a big factor.

I saw the fiber deck lids. Do they fit our hinges?

Chris

[Randy N Connie]

Chris If your asking if the Hairing-glass deck lids work with are hinges?
No they don't. They are held down with clips,Dutz fasteners,etc.
You would need to mold-in some aluminum plates with fasteners.
To the underside of there deck lid to bolt hinges to.

Looking at these fiberglass doors you cant tell the differents between
them and the steel doors.They sound soild,when you knock your nuckles
on the outside side of the doors.They sound just as strong as the
steel doors do,when you knock on them.

There is a few hours of prep time to get them installed & Paint,etc.

The doors are worth the money,if you want to go fast.And you have
done every thing else to your SC.Or you have a set class or record
your building for.

I am not worried about side impact.I plan to have a cage
in my SC before long.The rollbar will have a couple tubes
going across the door opening.

RANDY

[Pablo94SC]

John is having them made by a friend who does that sort of thing. The empty shell weighs 17 lbs. The empty steel shell weighs about 70lbs. I am concerned about side impact and I think we'll just do the passenger side 1st. I guess I'll be putting in a roll cage this winter.

First, I want to say I think glass doors are a great idea. Here comes the but...

I'm not only be concerned about impacts, but also structual rigidity. I'd be willing to wager that, over time, the doors are going to crack from chassis flex. If I was going to buy glass doors, I'd use them on a non-street driven car. That's just my $.02 though. Not trying to piss in anyone's Cheerios.

[Pablo94SC]

Why is everyone sooo concerned about the side impact? Do Saturns, Cameros, Firebirds and other GM products have plastic doors? Getting around this is not going to be a big factor.

I saw the fiber deck lids. Do they fit our hinges?

Chris

They may be plastic or glass doors, but their is a steel beam that runs from the hinge point to the latch point in most doors. Sometimes other support/safety structures are in there as well. A glass door doesn't have all that stuff, so if you get hit, that car is going to be in your lap.

[Mike Puckett]

In 40 years of driving, I've never been T-boned but that doesn't mean that it won't ever happen especially with red light running now rampant. And a side impact even with steel doors can be fatal. I'm also going to eventually put a roll cage in mine but I'd feel better with more protection in the door. I'll be driving it to the track mainly but occassionally I drive it to the store or work which increases my exposure. I'll be a lot more cautious with the glass doors on it. My main goal is to get my 1/4 mi times solidly in the mid-12's.

[Pablo94SC]

In 40 years of driving, I've never been T-boned but that doesn't mean that it won't ever happen especially with red light running now rampant. And a side impact even with steel doors can be fatal. I'm also going to eventually put a roll cage in mine but I'd feel better with more protection in the door. I'll be driving it to the track mainly but occassionally I drive it to the store or work which increases my exposure. I'll be a lot more cautious with the glass doors on it. My main goal is to get my 1/4 mi times solidly in the mid-12's.

Might I suggest an Autorotor? (shamelessly plugging Sparky). LOL

[tim]

I swaer by the time you spend the money on all the glass stuff you are well on the way to an auto rotor. I am way to cheao and lazy to do all that work. I will just save and get one of daves auto roto weed wackers.

[Randy N Connie]

Glass doors,+ glass hood,+ glass trunk lid, + raised manifold-plenum,+
AR blower,+ 4130 K-Member.=

=Nay-sayers, Palblo94SC & TIM, whinning about loosing the next race. :p


RANDY

[Scour_king]

You only die once so why not do it in style!!!!! I think these doors look great. Hell I smoke to much and drink alot and everyone is bettering on one or the other to get me. Knows my chance to sway the tide to my favor. I might have to get me a set. If you had a total stock car how much would the weight savings make on the 1/4 mile time.

[tim]

Some people when they get OLD need all the advantage they can get. No problem. I sure hope you like the color red cause thats all you will be seeing. I will be in the 12 second bracket with my all steel car and a stock early style blower. That will make the victory just that much sweeter! :p :p

[Mike Puckett]

Ohhhh, the gauntlet has been thrown down! :D :D I just picked up a '93 Mk8 aluminum driveshaft and hope to get it cut, balanced, and installed this weekend, there goes another tenth. I'm trying to shed another 200lbs in the off season. I've always heard that 100lbs is a tenth of a sec.

[tim]

In these heavy cars with a v6 I would not be suprised if it picks up more than a tenth per hundred. Lexan windows in the doors and side windows would cut the weight a lot too.

[ben m]

hot rod magazine did a project in which they took a slightly built nova on a budget, and put it on a diet. with fiberglass everything, and aluminum everything else, i think they picked up 2 tenths, which is huge in a car that wasnt that heavy to begin with, and not all that powerful. but in doing so they messed up the cars rear-weight bias and the ratio went from something like 52% front to 58-60% front weight bias. this just proves that in drag racing, total loss of weight can match or exceed the perfomance of a more properly balanced car.

remember the old match race funny cars that had the altered wheel base? they were able to achieve over 60% rear weight bias and they eventually became obsolete.

[DriftingThunder]

Did a solid price on these doors ever come up?

[Randy N Connie]

I think the doors price is listed below in this forum.
FIBERGLASS SC DOORS FOR SALE type this in for a search
I think it was $850.00

RANDY