Carbonfiber body parts as of when?

[EGLITOM]

Hi,

I´m building a new race bike for the classic bike event i´m participating.
THe rules allow technology available up to end of the 70´s (´79 -´80).
Now i´m planning to do the fairing, tank and seat out of CFR ( Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin). Of course parts will be painted ( very lightweight) and no CF structure would be visible.

Some of my competitors complain that this is not period correct.
Taking in account the information that the late Le Mans Gt40 used carbon fiber reinforced body parts ( and that´s end of the 60´s) it should be indeed period correct.

As of when CFR parts where available and used in racing ( cars or bikes)?

If you have examples, pictures other proofes would be even better.

Thanks

TOM

 

[EGLITOM]

Anyone ?

 

[Thierry B]

on a 917 book "the winning formula" by peter morgan
there are some pics of the Gulf version rear body work open and we can see carbon fiber reinforced patchs.... page 74

 

[David]

It was the Embassy Hill GH1 which featured the first use of carbon fibre in an F1 car.

"The Gulf-JW sports car team were toying with carbon filament stiffening in ultra-thin lightweight GRP body panels while Gordon Murray was toying with flat carbon insert panels for lightly-loaded areas within Brabham monocoque chassis where weight could be saved. In parallel Andy Smallman and the Hill team tried carbon as a rear wing mount, an application for which the material was not suitable. It fractured and Rolf Stommelen's Formula 1 Hill careered into - and over - the barrier at Montjuich Park during the 1975 Spanish GP - with fatal consequences amongst onlookers. q.v".

 

[EGLITOM]

Thanks

Besides reinforcing purposes, any idea when the first full CFR bodyparts has been used in racing ?

TOM

 

[Fred W Ballinger]

Try asking/looking here, the guys their know their stuff

http://www.ten-tenths.com/


Google found this, but does not help the cause? Structural Composites in Cars

 

[Thierry B]

I was awake last night (don't know why), and i've read one of my favorite book : "Porsche Excellence was expected"....

the first kevlar body work came with Erwin Kremer in 1978/79 with the 935 K3
the first kevlar with carbon fiber reinforce bodywork came in 1981 with Porsche Motorsport with the 956

I don't know about other builder, maybe Mclaren did it before as they where the very first to propose a carbon fiber frame.