GM uses clear coat for exposed carbon fiber costing $60,000/gallon

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jsottile

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Altoona, PA
What do you guys think of GM's process for clear coating exposed carbon fiber on the new Corvette ZR1. How do you guys thinks this differs from standard clear coat used by some aftermarket companies?

Quote from MotorTrend:
"The fenders, hood inner and outer panels, roof panel, and C-pillar roof bar are carbon fiber, the tooling for which caps production at 2000 per year. The fibers are visible on the roof and hood inner, and to prevent ultraviolet light from degrading them a special additive costing over $60,000/gallon (!) is added at three-percent concentration in the thin clear-coat layer ($2000/gallon)."
 
jsottile said:
What do you guys think of GM's process for clear coating exposed carbon fiber on the new Corvette ZR1. How do you guys thinks this differs from standard clear coat used by some aftermarket companies?

Quote from MotorTrend:
"The fenders, hood inner and outer panels, roof panel, and C-pillar roof bar are carbon fiber, the tooling for which caps production at 2000 per year. The fibers are visible on the roof and hood inner, and to prevent ultraviolet light from degrading them a special additive costing over $60,000/gallon (!) is added at three-percent concentration in the thin clear-coat layer ($2000/gallon)."
Click to expand...

Probably good stuff whatever the additive is. Likely lab tested to the Nth degree for long term UV protection or what have you.

Amortized over their customer base... it is likely cheap insurance for them, as the alternative is customers making warranty claims from UV damage; and those parts are significantly expensive. All the stuff they shoot out of a nozzle is going to be expensive, but one thing to know is that the auto manufacturers waste very, very little product in their booths.

On the recommendation of more experienced composite guru's on the forums I just use PPG Omni Clear. Shooting a basic clear will offer some degree of UV protection and is better than nothing. Many of the big name aftermarket hood vendors employ a basic auto clear on their parts before they go out the door as part of their process.

Cost: $30/quart tops.
 
Wonder of that is ready to spray, reduced?

If it is, like most high quality clears they are 2:1 reduction or higher, 3:1.
(clear to reducer: 3:1= one gallon clear makes 4 gallons ready to spray. That would bring down the cost down quite a bit and be more of the norm for high end clears in terms of cost.

I've been pitched very hard the past 3 months by BASF(RM,Diamont,Glasurite), DuPont(DuPont, Nason, Spies Hecker) and PPG(PPG, Omni, ICI). The reps are always stopping in and trying to get me to commit to their products. I'll have to ask about this clear additive. Sounds interesting.

Nice find Jsottile!

PS: Omni is a low end,bargain quality clear and though the company is owned by PPG(like ICI) it does not carry that product name or PPG'S warranty.
Similar products are Nason made by DuPont(Who also makes Spies Hecker) and Limco which is made by BASF which also makes Glasurite.
 
John@Microsoft said:
On the recommendation of more experienced composite guru's on the forums I just use PPG Omni Clear.
Click to expand...

Hey John sorry about the noob question(s). How do you like the Omni Clear and how long have you been using it? Been kinda holding off on a CF hood because of concerns about UV fade on the CF part. Granted my car sits in the garage most of the time, but im still paranoid.

Can the Omni Clear be used to go over a paint job of some sort? Or does it have to be mixed in? How long is it supposed to last? etc etc...

Thx
 
NSXrunner said:
Hey John sorry about the noob question(s). How do you like the Omni Clear and how long have you been using it?
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As mentioned, Omni is PPG's cheap-o line of auto finishes. Used by poor racers because the line is 'good enough' and 1/3 the cost. I've even been known to go the extra step and raid the sale shelf on occasion. :wink:

They make a wide range of products like any autobody line...

For primer I use their MP170 Epoxy with MP175 catalyst. I'll shoot car interiors, roll cages, wheels, fenders, center consoles, under pans, you name it...

For paint I'll use their MBC Acrylic base coat. Again, good enough for wheels, interiors, misc parts, fiberglass sub boxes, etc...

For clear... MC161 High Solids Urethane... durability is ok. For carbon parts like canards, hoods, wings, etc.... I'll add a flattening agent to achieve a flat, egg shell, or semi-gloss appearance. My experience is that a really high gloss doesn't look right on carbon so you'll probably want to tame it down.

Now obviously if you are shooting a whole body and are after a show quality finish, sure then break out the good stuff (glasurit or PPG or whatever tickles your fancy).

But for the most part... for club racing... I've been using the Omni stuff for several years now on a wide range of parts with good results.


NSXrunner said:
Hey John sorry about the noob question(s). How do you like the Omni Clear and how long have you been using it? Been kinda holding off on a CF hood because of concerns about UV fade on the CF part. Granted my car sits in the garage most of the time, but im still paranoid.

Can the Omni Clear be used to go over a paint job of some sort? Or does it have to be mixed in? How long is it supposed to last? etc etc...

Thx
Click to expand...

It's just a generic auto clear.

From what I've learned from online videos and on the composite forums most hoods from VIS and others are shot with generic auto clear before they go out the door. Even high end pre-peg will often get that one last nice finishing coat. I suspect they are doing absolutely nothing special.

Personally, I typically prep and re-shoot carbon hoods once they start looking a little ratty (or... whenever I forget to latch it and it shoots off 20 feet into the air, LOL) :rolleyes: :biggrin:

If it is really a part I care a lot about, maybe use the better stuff? The PPG DCU 2060 Flexed "N" Flat Clear added to their DCU 2021 Concept clear with DCX61 harder I've found does quite well on CFRP hoods and such. Like most any auto clear they claim some degree of UV protection. I often shoot in the cold so I'll add a cap full of DX73 fisheye eliminator.

Again, I can't really say on the UV... I know sun block lotion just has zinc oxide in it. I suspect their are further additives available as well if you wanted to really investigate...

We don't get that much sun and when we do I always make an effort to park out of the sun.... so I never cared. However, I can see how fade would be a real issue for those of you whom live in the middle of the desert. :wink:

I may be doing a light weight carbon fiber targa plug this winter, so I'll have an opportunity to re-visit and ask around.
 
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TY for the food for thought. Stuff to think about on my end. This actually explains why some of the CF parts I have seen look a little "off" when painted. Though some look really good, and yet some have been faded to pretty much black or yellowish (saw this effect on an S2K not an NSX).
 
I heard the the entire car only uses about a 10-12 ounce can of that stuff. They wont use a gallon !!:rolleyes:
 
tjobeid said:
I heard the the entire car only uses about a 10-12 ounce can of that stuff. They wont use a gallon !!:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

1 Gallon is 128 ounces.

You are saying they use ~$6,000 of special clear paint to keep the CF looking good?

Paint the top black and give me some nice leather recaro seats or something.
 


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