UKDRN

Discuss anything to do with modern day drag racing here

Moderators: timetravel, ukdrn

 #38506  by ahensman
 
Yep, that's it Cruz!!! LOL

Actually it's a whole more technical than that because it's a composite of various materials, one of which happens to be the reinforcing carbon fibers.

A body made completely of carbon fiber would be extremely interesting, but also extremely fragile as carbon fibers tend to splinter very easily. And those splinters are extremely painful if they pierce the skin. They are like fishing hooks with little barbs on them and need to be cut or ripped out of your flesh.

The technology of these carbon reinforced bodies is quite old as both Corvette replaced their older very thick bodies with it and the European Formula One boys have been building racing tubs using it for a few decades. Basically it's vacuum infused resin impregnated fiberglass with integral carbon fibers as strengthening. The vacuum ensures no air bubbles while keeping the whole structure really thin and even. Even the slightest wrinkle in any part of the build up will be a source of failure.

To get the same strength with just fiberglass would need layers and layers of heavy glass fiber laid over each other in criss-cross ways. Replacing the many fiber layers with carbon means massive weight reduction, but retaining or improving strength. Wind turbine blades are built using the same technology and those things are running at over 300 mph at the blade tip. That gives you an idea of the strength of the system.

But hey, most race fans aren't into that kind of technology so Cruz kept it simple.