How to Install Performance Carbon Fiber Doors and Grills on a Car

Due to its strength, rigidity and low mass, carbon fiber is an ideal material to reduce the weight of a race car without sacrificing structural integrity. By installing performance carbon fiber door panels and grills on your vehicle, you can eliminate unnecessary weight.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Putty knife
• Drill and drill bits

Install a Carbon Fiber Door on a Car

1. Search for premade performance carbon fiber panels that are made specifically for the doors of your car. Carbon fiber is very difficult to shape and manipulate, and you will need to find door panels that will fit the precise size of your car door, with predrilled holes already present for installation purposes.
2. Remove the interior door panels of your car. This involves removing the locks, the casing around the door handle, the armrests and any wiring associated with electric locks or windows. Most of the door panel can be removed with a simple screwdriver designed for all mounting hardware and a putty knife to pry under the edges of the panel.
3. Secure the door window if it has been supported by the door panel itself. This may require the installation of an additional brace. Note that this will make the window permanently shut, which is why some dedicated racers opt to remove the glass completely for competition.
4. Install the carbon fiber doors on your car. If manufactured correctly, the holes on the carbon fiber panels should align with solid locations on the outer door frame, so you can use the fasteners of your choice to affix the panel.

Install a Carbon Fiber Grill on a Car

5. Find a performance carbon fiber grill that is the same size as the stock grill by purchasing a premade piece. Due to the expense and difficulty of machining carbon fiber, you should always use a grill that has been designed as an exact replacement.
6. Remove the stock grill. Depending upon the make and model of your vehicle, the grill will probably be fastened to the interior of the engine compartment with a combination of clips and screws. Save the old hardware as you remove it, and reuse it with the new carbon fiber grill.
7. Install the new grill using the existing hardware. If the holes no longer match with the new grill, you will need to drill new holes in the interior of the engine compartment. Without the use of precision drill bits, you will damage either the carbon fiber grill or your drill.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared for the high cost of using carbon fiber in your vehicle. The addition of carbon fiber door panels and grills can easily cost you thousands of dollars.