jarod

Are there any that have side impact protection?

For example like this one:
http://www.gmgracing.com/porsche_aero.shtml (scroll down to the door part)

7gk20a

I looks like it still has the side impact beam...

AssassinJN

I may be wrong, but I believe for import cars when you buy "carbon fiber doors" your actually buying CF door panels. In other words the beams etc.. are still there and you are just replacing the metal skin on the outside of the door.

Would this be for a street or track car? Realize that carbon doors will increase cabin noise quite a bit and are usually quite expensive.

DerrS2K

Carbon fiber doors for the S2000 replace the entire door. This offers minimal side impact protection. C-west offers a carbon side brace for protection. BUT, the only real safe way to run carbon doors is with a full rollcage.


http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com/catal...ail.php?ID=2214

AssassinJN

All carbon fiber doors are illegal for street use btw. Just incase that's what you were thinking, so atleast make sure if you put them on, you need to paint them and not so for the all carbon look.

turbo_pwr

I don't know if that's true. You can drive around in a car with no doors (ie: Jeep Wranglers), so why would having a CF door be illegal? I'm pretty sure the law just states you have to be restrained (seatbelt).

Scott64

In jeeps it specifically says that the doors are there to protect against the elements only and not to keep passengers inside the cabin. I forget if it mentions anything about "in the event of an accident"...but they're not there for protection in a jeep.

There is a difference

AssassinJN

If you notice on both seibon and cwest doors, any site selling them lets you know that they are just for track use, not for road. Basically the idea is you can not legally change the impact guards of any car. So while you can replace a "bumper" you are not actually replacing the physical bumper bars that are part of the chasis, atleast you're not suppose to

For anyone who has looked into importing cars that weren't manufactured for the us (for example a nissan skyline) you learn that the reason it is so expensive to import them is that they first have to modified to comply with our national crash testing standards which means that they have to have 3 prototypes created and then sent through the crash testing procedures just to get them cleared.

However if you want to get away without having crash guards in your doors you can always have your car declared a kit car and not have to fall under safety or smog/exhaust regulations. But good luck getting insurance!

chuhsi

When carbon fiber faces major impact, doesn't it basically snap instead of bend like steel/alumnimum?

Pretty scary. I don't want my doors exploding carbon pieces upon a side impact.

AssassinJN

That is correct, carbon fiber is actually stronger than steel, but since it doesn't give/flex/stretch/bend it can't reduce the power of the impact and will just shatter/crack.