I thought I would share my recent experience with a product that allows you to “skin” your own parts in real carbon fiber.

(Thanks to SlimJimTell for emailing me the link since he tried it first)

The product is sold by http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Default.aspxand

Delivered to the USA it cost me about $90 and came in a week. The kit contains all you need and I only had a minimal sheet of carbon left over, so its about perfect for the two door handles and dash pieces.

I ordered the red/black carbon to be different, but they offer blue/black and also standard gray.

I have a 2011 MCS with Piano Black dash colorline pieces that I wanted to do in carbon.

Basically the instructions are very good and very easy to follow. You only do about 20 minutes of work a day, over about 6-7 days.
You start out by sanding all the parts lightly so the black epoxy base coat will adhere to it. After about 2 hours the basecoat will be tacky and then you lay the carbon weave over the part. Be careful not to pull or distort the pattern, but if you apply even pressure as you lay it down you should be fine. Do yourself a favor and BUY A NEW PAIR OF SCISSORS!.....That carbon is a pain to cut and a new razor blade just floated across it when I tried to trim it out!

Next you begin the process of applying 6-7 thin coats of the epoxy resin. I was worried about running out of hardener/resin but the kit had a bunch left over. I actually was mixing too much so I cut back after the first 2 coats.

I used a digital scale to get the right 2:1 ratio

I lightly sanded between a few coats and after the final coat I let it all dry for 24 hours. Then using the included sandpapers I wet sanded all the parts starting with 240 grit and finished with 1200 grit.

Today I started applying the top coats of clear lacquer. This is optional but I wanted the gloss to be extra deep. The kit includes final polish that buffs it up to a high sheen. After I buff it all up I’ll post final pics after install on Saturday.

If I were going to do it again I would make sure that I left extra material at the edges so that the rounded corners and ends could be secured with tape before the resin is applied. I have experience with fiberglass cloth from model airplane building, but unlike the fiber cloth, the carbon gets stiff when wet and wants to stand out straight instead of following the curves.

I used a dremel cut off wheel to trim the perimeter of all the parts after it all hardened.

The finished ends of the door pulls are not perfect in the pics, but they will be hidden under the armrest and speaker dome.

I’m sure there will be a few flaws in the final product, but hey…..I’m only into the kit for $90 verses almost $700 for the JCW stuff?

And its unique to MY MINI cause I havent seen red carbon anywhere.

More pics to come…..

 

Pics

Laying down the Fiber over base coat

Applying The coats of Resin

 

Here are the pics after 3 coats of spray on clear Lacquer.

I took one with and without the flash.

The red color did get a hair darker than I had hoped after seeing the raw material arrive in the box, but when It hits the sun and goes in the car it should be nice.

I already have custom red punched leather in my dash and armrests, so too much red might have been overkill if it were brighter.

It doesnt look all that fancy now, but trust me when the final part is buffed on a 6" felt wheel the gloss gets 3x as deep and rich.

The Middle pic is with flash, the last pic is without flash taken indoors.

 

Awesome work!

 

Thats looks really good!!

 

Very nice. I'm gonna have to get me some and mess around with it.

Looking forward to the the final pics after buff and install!

 

Looks great! I have a BUNCH of Carbon left over from a job, I may have to put it up in the marketplace to see what I can get for it.

 

Nice! Looking forward to seeing them in the car.

 

Nice!

 

Beautiful work. Can't wait to see it on your MINI.

 

I just got done final polishing and waxing the parts and installed them in the car. I think they look good for my first time working with carbon. If I did a second set I know how to make them almost perfect.

I think they add a little bling to the car. I may remove the hidden compartment door and try to buff it a bit more. I can see some tiny pits in the clearcoat and they are bugging me....

Too bad its a cloudy day and I can't see how they look in the sun.

 

Looks great and sounds like a great DIY project. Regarding the secret compartment door, how difficult was it to remove? I recall seeing a video one the panel removal don't recall seeing how to remove this piece. Thanks in advance for any insight/direction you can provide

 

Secret panel removes by 2 screws and then flex 3 small tabs and you will pop it off. I had no problems removing it. Look under their with a light and you will see the recessed area and the tabs.

 

Whistler NC - I just looked at the door on the secret Dept. I removed the 2 screws but then could not figure out how to remove the door/lid. ( I am trying to replace the secret dept door that came on my car with one I bought from someone on this site who had an S model.

Any advice is appreciated.

ron

 

Nice work Thanks for taking the time to detail the procedure .

Randy
M7 tuning

 

Whistler, Thanks for the info. Very helpful!!

 

SODA66,

If you are looking at the lid in the open position while seated in the car you will see 3 recessed tabs along the front edge. Two on each side of the front edge and one in the center.

I took a small flat head screw driver and in the middle of each tab is a slot about 1/4" across. I inserted the screw driver and gently flexed the tab until it "pops". When you do all three the lid will diusengage from the front and you lift it off and towards the front of the car.

there are two longer tabs on the opposite side that hook in place as well.

To re install, just hook the side closest to the bonnet on the big tabs and then snap down the front. you can use the screw driver in reverse to re seat the tabs in their slots.

Its a lot harder to explain than to do...
Larry

 

Looks Great, Larry!

I see that you're still carrying the motion sickness bags...

 

Wow that looks awesome!! I want! Damn I hate these forums. It puts me out of money so fast. Well it actually confuses me because I dont know which item to buy first!!

 

Looks really good! I'm seriously considering doing this now myself.

 

You are 100% correct. If it were not for NAM, I probably would not have done anything to my car. I must have spent well over $10,000 modifying my car in the past 2.5 years.

 

Money well spent, I'd say

 

Agreed. I lied. I love spending money on my car!! Ohh I love itt have to add this to the list

 

ive seen this is person and it LOOKS GOOD!!!!! Good Job Larry

 

You *do* know, of course, that the female Black Widow bites the head off the male after mating with him? Hence the name.

I'd be VERY careful in the boudoir if I was you...

BTW, the car looks *fabulous*! I hope to see you at the Fontana shindig...

BTW, I noticed the black plastic center dash pieces and buttons. Where did you get those? I would love to do a black treatment like that for Monty. As the saying goes "Black is beautiful!"