6speed

Maybe if i'm really really really careful and take the doors off? maybe ill try contacting mazdausa for a mold...doubtful tho

mike1324a

Id like to see it. I do know that the aftermarket roofs for the bmw M3 is a total replacement. Infact you actually more or less destroy the roof panel so once you go you cant go back. My guess is this would be a similar thing. Would be cool to see it done tho.

kwescott

save time and money...go buy 20 dollars of carbon fiber vinyl and call it a day. As far as weight savings, don't you think it would be better to figure out if this is even worth trying...with all the bracing you're talking about, the fact that your thinking of 4-8 layers of carbon fiber.

It is well known that a carbon fiber hood offers very little savings over the OEM hood. On other cars, hoods are much heavier. Mazda already did a good job of lightening the 8.

You have the idea right, save weight, and add power....go buy some carbon fiber vinyl and focus your time and effort into the power portion of your equation.

I think this is a wate of time, but if your still interested in going down this past, maybe get some information from the aftermarket company making the BMW replacement. Do you have a link to pics of the BMW roof?

6speed

The bmw M6 comes with it, figuring out if its worth it is the point of this thread, notice the ? after carbon fiber roof? i did question the weight savings ofCF vs stock hood

XDEEDUBBX

Dont mind the negativity from above poster, if thats what you want, then go for it. This is your chance to make it happen and prove people wrong. Mazda did do a great job about keeping the car light. There are many other alternatives you can do as well to lighten up the car. Race seats, light weight battery, carbon fiber trunk, my hood (carbon fiber) is only 1 pound lighter than stock but I only did it for aesthetic looks only. Not to mention lighter wheels, and a lighter exhaust. With all those mods you can come close to a 50 lb weight loss if not more. I for one would like to see dry carbon fiber door panels for the front doors. If they can be made light enough that might help a little.

mike1324a

Check this out. Its the Vorsteiner cf roof for the M3. Maybe there is some kind of info that is helpful.

http://www.vorsteiner.com/vcsl-roof.html

6speed

well for the BMW it only cost $1300, so there is cost-effetiveness in sight. from the RX-8 cut-away pics way above it seems like the rails between the roof panel and the body cover the bolts to the panel itself, just need to spend some more time looking at my car to figure out how to pop those off w/o breaking them. I would probably keep those plastic covers and just make the panel out of CF, as thin as possible with bracing where i can fit it. also, i could try and put some small scoops towards the back to direct air to the rear brakes or even differential...the possibilities are endless, look for another post in a few months, maybe i'll have a finished product. thanks so much for all of the positive feedback guys; it's nice to know there are plenty of open minded forum guys, and, yes, i do have a big budget

N rider89

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...39#post1716739

he'll sell you a roof.

6speed

THANK YOU! looks like the first one i make will have a sunroof

jmerc

Alright this link will help out for anyone wanting to do this kind of project as far as getting the part to mold. As far as weight a stock hood is around 16-17lbs, and a cf is around 14.5-16lbs roughly, so sometimes the weight savings is very little over aluminum but is the 8 roof panel aluminum?, if so there is only the cool factor, if not there is a real weight savings to be had.

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...05&catalogid=2

6speed

That website is amazing...ouch as far as getting a new(?) one

John Corbitt

I had a friend use my FD back in 1993 to make fiberglass bodies for race cars. You do not have to destroy the roof. You use a "mold release wax" on your car first. I would not use a salvaged roof as it might not be straight. I suspect the roof panel is bonded to the crosmembers with an epoxy. the front and rear are probably spot welded under the glass. to get a good mold you would have to remove the front and back windows.

The roof is steal. The hood and trunk are aluminum. Most cf hood and trunks weigh more that the factory aluminum.

John

6speed

very valuable infromation, however im hoping its not the truth this would make selling an item like this nearly impossible, however im going to try and get as far as i can with it anyways. im fearing i may have to take it out anyways so i can be exact with where the new roof will bolt in (seemingly in the front and rear now...bond in?) And that's pretty funny about the CF trunks/hoods. Thanks again

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

the CF trunk lids I've seen for the RX-8 are lighter than OE

John Corbitt

Iwould be supprised if Mazda spent the extra time and money to make it bolt in. There is a drill bit you can get from snap on or some similar truck that is designed to remove spot welds.
Bonding is what they have done in my previous RXs I have not had my 8 apart yet.

John

cooldriver88

dude it would totally be worth it. my friend who has an e46 m3 just got a carbon fiber roof and you can tell the difference for sure. he saved 50 lbs and his new carbon roof weighs only 8 lbs like the CSL M3. His stock roof did have to be destroyed when getting it off though, because they have to break all the welds around the roof. It cost him about $1000 dollars just for the labor. Even if you have to add extra bracing underneath the car that doesnt matter because what makes the carbon roof so good is that fact your moving weight from the top of the car, to the bottom. This gives you a lower center of gravity.

EZZY

and do you think there will be enough demand to get this thing started....? dont think so

kwescott

+1

XDEEDUBBX

the CF trunk lids I've seen for the RX-8 are lighter than OE haha

Romeo

I want a CF windsheild.

N rider89

xX CF VOLKS Xx

XDEEDUBBX

he needs some braille products..

kwescott

CF exhaust
CF fuel pump
CF windsheild wipers

d j

cf undies = no need to diet

EZZY

thats possible because the trunk/boot lid is part of the car structural... its more of a "dressing" component.