I just shot off an email to Maverick Man Carbon regarding getting into the Fiero game. For those who don't know, MM is big in the GTO/G8 world and does first class work with carbon fiber. He does spoilers, hoods, radiator covers, valances, and a ton more stuff. Some ideas I floated to him:
GT tail light solution-- potentially something like what PISA has, or a solid piece like I've seen floating around. Would be molded to accept lights from a different application, potentially Corvette or something along those lines.
Interior-- modernized center console to better use some of the available space and provide for modern things like cup holders, multiple power ports, double DINN stereos, and different sized gauges to get rid of the awkward GT pod. Also replacements for the OE bezels around the existing equipment.
Sail/quarter windows-- I haven't seen him do clear stuff, but could potentially come up with something nice to fill that space
Body panels-- probably way out there, but imagine having a complete CF body on the Fiero... that would be a weight savings that you probably couldn't get anywhere else.
Now, the catch is you get what you pay for. His work is top notch, and you pay for it. As an example the lip spoiler for the GTO runs $420. I wouldn't be surprised if the price for any sort of GT tail light solution was at or above the price for a set of NOS lenses-- the difference would be that they would be available more or less on demand.
So am I way out there in thinking this may be a good avenue? And yes, I realize my post count is low. I'm not a troll, I don't work for MM in any capacity other than being a repeat customer who admires his work. I'm not trying to sell anyone anything, and doubt I ever will.
Unfortunately the Fiero community is unanimous upon one thing - being ridiculously cheap, so even small CF items that would not cost much would probably be considered waaaayyyy too expensive for the Fiero world.
Now a Fiero hood in CF that has a well styled vent in it to help exhaust air that has passed through the radiator would have my attention (would also have to accommodate stock headlights/headlight doors).
Originally posted by lateFormula: Now a Fiero hood in CF that has a well styled vent in it to help exhaust air that has passed through the radiator would have my attention (would also have to accommodate stock headlights/headlight doors).
lateFormula is right. You have to remember that a lot of people with Fieros only paid $400 for the whole car, so $1000 for something in carbon fiber isn't likely to happen for a lot of owners. When you've paid $30K for a new G8 though, the $1000 price tag doesn't seem so bad.
So unless this person has a Fiero as well, and plans on doing the research/design work on his own car to produce a single part anyway, it's probably not going to be worth his time to try and develop parts for a car that has a bad reputation in the general public, and has an ever-dwindling number of devoted owners/enthusiasts.
I'm definitely interested in carbon fiber parts, as I plan to make some for my own car. I may offer some of the items I end up making for my own car, as products for purchase afterwards, but I'll see when I get to that if it's worth my time/effort to do so. Designing and producing such items is a lot of work, especially for wet layup products, so anyone who does decide to offer such products for a Fiero, may need to be willing to take a loss for some time.
Unfortunately I agree with everyone else... Not a chance in hell to sell much stuff like that to fiero owners. Been there, done that... Come up with an idea, pitch it to the forum, see tons of interest in it, so you invest in producing said product, and then it comes to market and everyone holds open their empty wallets. Very few products ever reach the point of profit around here. Just ask many of our vendors...
Good idea, wrong audience. I would guess there to be less than 10 owners here that would ever consider dropping that kind of money in their fiero
[This message has been edited by Nebiros88 (edited 09-08-2015).]
Dobey, Nebiros88, and lateFormula are correct. I have made many one-off carbon fiber/ kevlar parts for Fiero owners ranging from headliners, gauge surrounds, front emblems, sunvisors, decklids, quarter windows for both notchback and fastback, all the way to simple interior pieces like the cigarette lighter plate. The big issue is that EVERYONE goes bonkers when a new item is introduced in production. When it is released, you can hear the crickets. Thats why all of my past work is word of mouth....no advertising. I don't want pending orders and have people pull out of the deal after the part is made. Nowadays, I manufacture 1 specific part for a particular vendor on here since that is all I have time for.
AND......I don't agree with the general "accepted" industry rule that carbon fiber parts should be 200 times the price of basic fiberglass. Carbon fiber material costs about $20 more per linear foot ( on a 60" roll) than fiberglass cloth and the vacuum bags are cheap so to charge $1,100 for a hood because it looks cool is bullshit.
[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 09-08-2015).]
I have to agree with what others have said. The typical response will be expecting you to sell the finished product for less than the raw material cost. You'd have a hard time selling hoods that are just carbon fiber over an OEM hood, let alone an actual solid CF part.
You might find a market for small items - carbon fiber mirrors, or dash gauge trim. Maybe a carbon fiber wing, but that's probably pushing it. GT tail lights, coupe or GT sail panels - another possibility since OEM parts are harder to come by.
Expect maybe 1 out of 5 people who express interest will actually pony up money, if that.
Point being? I've been in the GTO world since the car was new, just getting into the Fiero. I am aware of a vendor in the GTO world who does good work and wanted to see if there would be interest in him providing products for the Fiero. Like I said in the OP, I am nothing more than a customer of this guy. I don't know him personally, I don't work for him, and I'm not repping his products. My vested interest in this would be to get some nice CF parts for my own car if there were enough like minded Fiero owners to convince him to create such things.
Maverick man's work is absolutely incredible! I've got a few of his pieces on my TBSS and they are by far the nicest pieces that I have ever seen come from the aftermarket. His prices are probably not high for what you get, but they may be a bit too rich for some of the tastes around here though. I would definitely be all over this if he does decide to make us some bits!
Point being? I've been in the GTO world since the car was new, just getting into the Fiero. I am aware of a vendor in the GTO world who does good work and wanted to see if there would be interest in him providing products for the Fiero. Like I said in the OP, I am nothing more than a customer of this guy. I don't know him personally, I don't work for him, and I'm not repping his products. My vested interest in this would be to get some nice CF parts for my own car if there were enough like minded Fiero owners to convince him to create such things.
That's all I wanted to know.
Welcome aboard! What Fiero have you got?
As far as CF parts - most Fiero owners fall into one of two camps - poor or cheap. Not intended as an insult guys - but as mentioned earlier, nobody will buy a $1000 hood for their $2000 car. The numbers of guys that don't fall into those two camps may not be enough to support it unfortunately.
anyone who has watched an episode of "How its made - dream cars" will tell you that making CF parts is FREAKING EASY, but you have to be in the business of making CF parts first. Can the average guy do it at home, no. Can the average guy work with fiberglass, yes.
To me its not the material that cost money, its creating the molds that will be used (or whatever you call them). Also having the bags and the Autoclave, and people who know what they are doing helps.
We all want CF parts, and know that they are expensive.... why? I still don't know, because again I say that its not the cost of the materials so it has to be because of demand.... CF is "dream car" stuff, so lets make it expensive so people can brag about how much money they spend on their cars.
I'd love some CF parts, hood - decklid - fenders - door skins - interior door panels, center console, radio surround, headliner etc... and I'd pay for them too.
I may have paid $1400 for my fiero, but i've put tens of thousands into it and i'd pay for high quality CF parts.
So is anyone making them? or is this another pipe-dream that pops up on the Forum every 3-4 years?
Originally posted by qwikgta: So is anyone making them? or is this another pipe-dream that pops up on the Forum every 3-4 years?
It's a pipe made of carbon fiber dream.
While there are a few of us willing to spend money on quality parts, most Fiero owners aren't. The time and money required just to get a good mold that can be used to make 100 quality parts in carbon fiber, just isn't worth it to match the lack of demand, especially when they're made by one person doing wet layup in a garage.
