Think its plausible to....

[Twigsoffury]

Cover the hard top on my jeep wrangler with Carbon laminate like this guy did to his computer?

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26823&page=3

seems like it would do the job, i'd wonder about it taking a beating though?

I've also looked all over the internet and haven't came across a carbon fiber hard top for a Jeep wrangler. so i'd probably be the 1st guy to do it.

What are yalls thought on this?

[Airbozo]

I think it is plausible, but probably expensive. You would also need some sort of mold to give it some shape when applying the resin... (then again I have only worked with CF once on a very small scale)

[TheMainMan]

I don't think he wants to use CF but rather the vinyl look-alike. I'm pretty sure it was in the thread that you linked where someone mentioned clear coating his Chevy bowtie after covering it in the vinyl and it looked better. My guess is that you could use it and that clear coating it would allow it to last longer. BUT I'm just guessing based on what I've seen of it.

[CorsePerVita]

Using the "fake" stuff is pretty cost effective in comparison. When I do CF it costs me about $100 per yard to do it, including the resin. A yard doesn't really go too horribly far. It got me an overlay mold for my dash and my CF dash, a pillar piece and a few small pieces done. All of which helped, but they aren't glamorous pieces, just functional stuff for the trackday project. Essentially you're crossing it and using multiple layers, so realistically, a yard really truthfully doesn't go far, at all. Using 1 layer would just be silly. So in this case, the 'fake stuff' would go a lot further.

To do a really nice overlay, do it right, plus add in the mold you'd make, plus the finishing touches and all the finish work to boot with sanding/cutting/buffing, it'd be time consuming.

I like what that case mod has, and in the end it looks REALLY NICE! I was at one point really against the "fake" stuff, because it had no texture, looked silly and tended to wear off (since most the time it was printed on vinyl). This new stuff like what you have pictured here seems to have some texture to it, looks good, holds up well. I even see it on some aftermarket spoilers and at a distance looks like the real deal and even up close doesn't really look bad at all.

If you do it, show us the finished results!

[Twigsoffury]

Using the "fake" stuff is pretty cost effective in comparison. When I do CF it costs me about $100 per yard to do it, including the resin. A yard doesn't really go too horribly far. It got me an overlay mold for my dash and my CF dash, a pillar piece and a few small pieces done. All of which helped, but they aren't glamorous pieces, just functional stuff for the trackday project. Essentially you're crossing it and using multiple layers, so realistically, a yard really truthfully doesn't go far, at all. Using 1 layer would just be silly. So in this case, the 'fake stuff' would go a lot further.

To do a really nice overlay, do it right, plus add in the mold you'd make, plus the finishing touches and all the finish work to boot with sanding/cutting/buffing, it'd be time consuming.

I like what that case mod has, and in the end it looks REALLY NICE! I was at one point really against the "fake" stuff, because it had no texture, looked silly and tended to wear off (since most the time it was printed on vinyl). This new stuff like what you have pictured here seems to have some texture to it, looks good, holds up well. I even see it on some aftermarket spoilers and at a distance looks like the real deal and even up close doesn't really look bad at all.

If you do it, show us the finished results!


Thinking about it.


as it stands right now, the roof is scratched to sh@#, The GF's mother "borrowed" the jeep for a few days. Well it came back with a flooded interior (she drove it in the rain and the soft top didn't have windows..but she didn't bother to put that up either) and the top looks like it had been dragged across the ground and a corner is basically sanded away. scratches on the ends where it looks like she dragged it across a chain link fence.

man her mother is a b@#tch of the largest caliber.

[xr4man]

it may be difficult to find a sheet of the "fake" stuff big enough to cover the whole hard top. my suggestion would to do some research into a "wrap". that might be the best way to go.

[Twigsoffury]

it may be difficult to find a sheet of the "fake" stuff big enough to cover the whole hard top. my suggestion would to do some research into a "wrap". that might be the best way to go.

hmmm you might be right about the wrap...

I was wondering how i would patch those sheets together myself over the past few weeks.. the largest size they had was 24x24. and the top about 60" wide or so i'd guess.

But i thought if i just staggered the sheets together so the grain matches together piece by piece, i'd get it all in the same direction as it came off the giant roll of that crap in the factory. It would use more material but with a few coats of clear you probably wouldn't notice it, Plus we were thinking of one of these next year.

http://www2.kargomaster.com/files/031102_A12.jpg


So really all you would see is the sides most of the time.

http://i52.tinypic.com/5phhqq.jpg


Thats the same hard top as the one i have.

You can see there isn't really more then 13" of length at any given point along the sides and the countours of the hard top are something i'd think i could handle. The hardest part would be the top of the rear C pillers, I'd probably have to sacrifice a few pieces to get that cut right and fold it together nicely.

from the photos i can see of 3M's stuff it looks like a high quality material and really close to what the legit stuff looks like.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/attachments/f95/144128d1270012265-3m-di-noc-carbon-fiber-film-3m-di-noc.jpg

http://www.carbonfabricsource.com/shop/images/19/DIN-8801-5.jpg


I'm thinking its doable, Its better then re-painting it (besides just rhino-liner'ing the bastard) and about 3,100$ cheaper then a new hard top for it. I'll have to look around for a place that does heavy vynil wraps and see what they would charge for materials and labor.

Hell they might just have the hook up on a huge sheet of that 3m film.

[x88x]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought that the vinyl stuff was just ink printed on a sheet of vinyl. How exactly is that supposed to protect anything?

[CorsePerVita]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought that the vinyl stuff was just ink printed on a sheet of vinyl. How exactly is that supposed to protect anything?

The newer stuff is still vinyl overlay but with a little bit of texture, not sure how they do the whole 3d thing but it's more convincing. But scratches and stuff, well, you're still going to be vulnerable to that. It really is just for looks. But a good thick vinyl can still hold up against weather and stuff.

Realistically...

REAL carbon fiber:

- Gelcoats and resin are prone to scratching just like paint is
- Gelcoats and resin are also prone to turning yellow over time
- IS very structurally sound, but it is brittle in many cases, so if it busts, well, it busts.
- Will take a beating, so it'll stand the test of the elements, but for aesthetic purposes should be used in places where it won't be scratched/scraped/etc if being used for looks. Remember, it's a good thing to use for structural things, not wear items.

FAKE carbon fiber:

- Looks really darn close to the real thing
- Obviously isn't CF, so no yellowing over time
- Prone to being cut/scraped/sliced/diced and hit by stuff.
- Isn't going to protect much, is strictly for looks, shouldn't be used on something that will see wear/tear

[x88x]

Ok, that's what I thought. So, I guess what I'm trying to tactfully ask is, Twiggs...why do you want to do this? Now, maybe I'm operating from a false assumption, but generally when I think Wrangler, I think form following function because they tend to much more frequently than other "off-road" vehicles, actually spend time off-road. From your posts I got the feeling that you wanted something to protect the cover from beatings like the one that got it in the condition it is in now. If that's the case, slapping pretty vinyl over the thing is going to end up being a huge waste of money.

Now, if my opening assumption about what you're trying to accomplish is wrong, feel free to ignore all this. ;) I just wouldn't want to see you coming back in a few months talking about how your pretty new faux-CF vinyl got shredded.

[Twigsoffury]

Ok, that's what I thought. So, I guess what I'm trying to tactfully ask is, Twiggs...why do you want to do this? Now, maybe I'm operating from a false assumption, but generally when I think Wrangler, I think form following function because they tend to much more frequently than other "off-road" vehicles, actually spend time off-road. From your posts I got the feeling that you wanted something to protect the cover from beatings like the one that got it in the condition it is in now. If that's the case, slapping pretty vinyl over the thing is going to end up being a huge waste of money.


oh well when her mom borrowed the jeep, she dragged it on a corner across some concrete, spun it around on the top corner and scratched the s@#t out of the rear sides doing something.


It was basically in pristine condition until she borrow it for 48 hours.