Carbon Footprint

How To Dress Up Surfaces With Self-Adhesive Carbon Fiber Sheets
Story by Jim Youngs, Photos by Steve Graber and Jim Youngs.

The unmistakable look of woven carbon fiber just screams high performance. It also typically screams “pricey” and “difficult to work with” properly. Well, we found a way to get a carbon fiber look and do so rather easily without breaking the bank. Called Performance Carbon, the minute Sly Machines told us about this stuff our minds went into overdrive imagining all the applications we could use it for.

Available in five colors (black, silver, red, blue and pink), Performance Carbon sheets are either real carbon fiber or glass fiber with a strong adhesive backing. The sheets are available in three sizes (7.87” x 9.45”, 18.90” x 23.62, 18.90” x 47”) and are flexible enough to conform to curve surfaces, feature automotive-quality adhesive and can be trimmed with scissors and razor blades. And as you will see, can be put through a computer-operated vinylcutting machine for intricate designs and even coated with clearcoat or other paint.

Though we considered a bunch of ideas for using Performance Carbon, we settled on two projects, (though there will surely be other uses with the leftovers)—a Cobra dash and some slick graphics on a Grabercars La Bala...

This is only a taste of the story, for the full story and all the how-to photos, check out the December 2008 issue of Kit Car Builder magazine, or read the article from the new "Articles" area of the Kit Car Builder Web site.

Roush & Valvoline Collaborate on High Performance Motor Oil

It’s no secret that Jack Roush knows how to make power out of engines. It’s also no secret that Valvoline knows how to make oil, the lifeblood of an engine. So it makes sense that these two giants in their respective fields would collaborate to create Roush Motor Oil for performance vehicles.

Roush Fenway Racing exclusively uses Valvoline oil in their stock cars, but always the innovator and continually looking for ways to improve engine performance, Roush down with the Valvoline technicians and posed a simple question, “What can we do to improve the oil used in high-performance street engines?” The answer led to the development of ROUSH Motor Oil, a line of six new motor oils for performance vehicles old and new.
“Any brand of inexpensive motor oil might work fine for the average consumer, but owners of high performance vehicles are extremely proud of their car and are willing to do whatever is necessary to maximize their driving experience and take care of their investment,” Roush said.

Inspired by the racetrack and formulated for the road, the Roush Motor Oil is sold by the quart for a suggested retail of $7.99. The six blends available are: SAE 5W-20 full synthetic; SAE 5W-30 full synthetic; SAE 5W-50: full; SAE 10W-30 & 10W-40 high zinc, full synthetic for classic high-performance; Break-In oil (SAE 40) high zinc, conventional formula.

For more information, or to find your nearest Roush Motor Oil dealer, visit www.roushoil.com.

Green Classification Added to Carlisle Shows

Carlisle Events is going green in 2009, by introducing a green classification for the showfield participants. Carlisle Events hopes to encourage enthusiasts of green and high-mileage vehicles to show off their passion for green machines. The green classification was created to give a home to green vehicles utilizing new fuel efficient technologies including hydrogen fuel cell, electric, gas-electric hybrids, biodiesel and clean diesel vehicles. Awards will be given to the top three vehicles registered in the green class at Carlisle.

Carlisle Events hopes to build upon the green classification by teaming up with automotive manufacturers, colleges and universities and new technology developers to utilize the select shows as an educational platform to showcase new products and models to the over half a million automotive enthusiasts from around the world who travel to the Carlisle, PA Fairgrounds each year. An educational platform that Carlisle Events has successfully used in past years to introduce green technology to the masses has been seminars that take place during events. It is the goal of Carlisle Events to build upon their current seminar schedule with presentations and roundtables discussions that cover building, buying, customizing and maintaining fuel efficient cars and trucks.

Carlisle Import/Kit-Replicar Nationals this year runs May15-17. For more information, visit www.carlisleevents.com or call (717) 243-7855.

The Kit Car Builder crew will be there for the Carlisle Import-Kit/Replicar Nationals, so stop by our booth and say "hi".

FFR Introduces Its Own Wheels

Factory Five Racing recently introduced proprietary Halibrand-style wheels in 15” and 17” models. These wheels are cast aluminum, extremely strong, and lightweight and include an innovative cosmetic cover and machined knock-off and spinner design. This feature gives an extremely authentic and quality appearance while maintaining the safety of a modern DOT design. The centers are painted a beautiful metallic grey and the rims are polished. The entire wheel surface is then clear coated to protect the finish from oxidation. They are one-piece wheels designed exclusively for FFR. The knock-off adapter, spinner, and cosmetic lug cover are also included. These wheels have backspace that optimizes the depth of the wheel dish while providing adequate clearance for Ford GT calipers and rotors.

The 15” models are available in eight-inch wide fronts (with five-inch backspace) and nine-inch wide rears (with 5.48” backspace) and fit the company’s Mk I, II, III Roadsters and Type 65 Coupes using 1979-93 8.8” solid axle or FFR standard-width IRS. The wheels will fit ‘87-93 and ‘99-02 Mustang GT 11” rotors and calipers up front (they will not fit ’03-04 calipers) and 10.5” and 11.65” disc brake kits.

The 17’ wheels fit the Mk III Roadster and Type 65 Coupe outfitted with rear ’79-93 Ford 8.8” live axles, IRS with the fitted with 10.5” and 11.65” brakes plus 13” Mustang Cobra calipers and rotors. Up front they will fit the same 11” brakes listed above and the 13” Mustang Cobra calipers and rotors (they will not fit ’03-04 calipers). Check Factory Five Racing’s website for more details and pricing. www.factoryfive.com.

And the Award Goes To...

As is customary at car shows, awards are given; this year at the Knott's Berry Farm Fun Under the Sun car show, there were many strong contenders. However, only one car can receive the Kit Car Builder Magazine's Editor's Choice Award.

This year the Editor's Choice Award went to this Porsche Type 1, a faithful recreation of Porsche's original car, built by Thunder Ranch and being offered by Vintage Replicar (www.vintagereplicar.com). It will initially be available as a turnkey.

Jim Youngs, Editor or Kit Car Builder magazine presented the award to Mark Gomez, owner of Vintage Replicar, at the awards ceremony at show's end.

For the full story about the car as well as Knott's show coverage, check out upcoming issues of Kit Car Builder magazine.

289FIA Bodies

In searching around the Internet recently, looking for tools, we came across this offering from DCS Performance Engineering, among other things the manufacturer of frame jigs.

DCS offers something slightly different for Cobra replica enthusiasts; an FIA 289 Cobra body shell that is hand-laid fiberglass with reinforcement panels throughout. The kit includes two-piece body (joined at the rocker panel area front half to rear half) plus hood, deck lid and doors. Special attention has been paid to symmetry and finish detail in creating this unique body application.

The 289 Cobra paved the way for the better known and arguably less capable 427 SC that is so often reproduced. “The subtle differences between the FIA 289 racecar body we’ve patterned from and the 427 car are what we think will make our racecar body a treasured alternative to the 427 for years to come,” company spokesman said.

All panels are additionally marked for correct placement of the windshield, mirrors, and trim. Bodies can be ordered at a cost of $3,695.

For more information contact DCS Performance Engineering at 888-UNIJIG7, or visit www.unijig.com.

Keyless Ignition

KIL Products has introduced the new Keyless Ignition Lock for specialty cars. This innovative system uses a push-button code with an ultra secure four-digit pin code that completely does away with the need for keys of any kind. It’s a clean and simple system that takes about an hour to install. The unit can custom fit most anything with a 12-volt ignition system.

Simply insert a four-digit code, press the green button for “start” and press the red for “off.” The two extra buttons in the kit are “reset” buttons. If someone tries to pick your lock and hits a reset button the code is “reset.” It’s virtually impossible to pick. The introductory price for the KIL Car Kit is $190.

For more information contact KIL Products at (612)251-6366 or visit www.thekil.com.