Anybody else who tracks a sunroof car (and enjoys the roof since you ditched the A/C), want to shave serious weight at the most important place on the car?!
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3rd generation RX-7's / Interest in Carbon Sunroof for FD!?
June 22, 2010, 01:27:21 PM
I\'ve started many threads and discussions with several vendors of CF parts in the U.S. on the RX7Club forum with no luck despite offering to either pay upfront tooling costs or assembling lists of interested parties, and most recently talked with Jon @ AtomicRex on this.
I\'ve had trouble reaching him back of late on it (maybe interest in Europe would help), but I believe if made there would be significant interest in this, provided it\'s done right for maximum benefit (and not simply cosmetic).
It\'s striking when you look at the non-sunroof car (which is essentially nothing up there, just plain sheet metal), exactly how much the sunroof adds.
The stock sunroof outer skin is framed underneath like a hood, and thus is significantly heavier than the plain piece of sheet metal that occupies that space on non sunroof cars. It\'s about 15 lbs. on my bathroom scale, so a well made CF version might save upwards of 12-13 lbs, right off of the very highest point on the car.
The other aspect is the mechanism. Unless you eliminated it and sealed the new panel in with silicon, the biggest item is the subframe that is also a drainage tray. This item is significantly heavier than the outer skin, and if replicated in carbon would save significant weight. I\'m in the process of acquiring an extra one for replicating purposes. The skin would be great, but replicating this in addition would be HUGE.
The last bits are the sliding rails (aluminum) and the motor/mechanism. I\'d toyed with the idea of eliminating the motor, and installing an aluminum hand crank permanently affixed to the "emergency" manual open mechanism, but need to acquire the 2nd mechanism to work on this, as it\'s a pain to do it on the car.
If there\'s interest, I know Atomic would do a great job, but a few other folks besides me with interest/money on the table would help significantly I suspect, even if it were just 2-3. I\'m new to this forum, but will check this thread, and continue to try to reach Jon @ Atomic. You can PM me here or by the same screen name on the RX7Club forum.
Peter
I\'ve had trouble reaching him back of late on it (maybe interest in Europe would help), but I believe if made there would be significant interest in this, provided it\'s done right for maximum benefit (and not simply cosmetic).
It\'s striking when you look at the non-sunroof car (which is essentially nothing up there, just plain sheet metal), exactly how much the sunroof adds.
The stock sunroof outer skin is framed underneath like a hood, and thus is significantly heavier than the plain piece of sheet metal that occupies that space on non sunroof cars. It\'s about 15 lbs. on my bathroom scale, so a well made CF version might save upwards of 12-13 lbs, right off of the very highest point on the car.
The other aspect is the mechanism. Unless you eliminated it and sealed the new panel in with silicon, the biggest item is the subframe that is also a drainage tray. This item is significantly heavier than the outer skin, and if replicated in carbon would save significant weight. I\'m in the process of acquiring an extra one for replicating purposes. The skin would be great, but replicating this in addition would be HUGE.
The last bits are the sliding rails (aluminum) and the motor/mechanism. I\'d toyed with the idea of eliminating the motor, and installing an aluminum hand crank permanently affixed to the "emergency" manual open mechanism, but need to acquire the 2nd mechanism to work on this, as it\'s a pain to do it on the car.
If there\'s interest, I know Atomic would do a great job, but a few other folks besides me with interest/money on the table would help significantly I suspect, even if it were just 2-3. I\'m new to this forum, but will check this thread, and continue to try to reach Jon @ Atomic. You can PM me here or by the same screen name on the RX7Club forum.
Peter
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