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Installed a super easy, nice looking "Carbon Fiber Look" interior

Iflylower

Registered User
Memphis, TN
When I finished my Experimental Cub a few years ago, I used what was "new" at the time - Kydex. I bought what was available to me at the time with local suppliers, a 4'x8' sheet of white .060 standard kydex. Mike Scup was doing lots of cool work with the Kydex. I thought it looked good and used it. No regrets - but, I was never excited about the white. And, there are pluses and minuses to the flexibility. Easier to install, but lacking in rigidity in place. Now I have a system that's worked with and around both issues....

This year, I thought I'd order a new sheet with a better color Kydex for the plane. Lot's of colors available online....in 12"x12". I had a difficult time finding a 4'x8' sheet of Kydex that I'd like. Somewhere I came across a youtube video of Vinyl Carbon Fiber wrap being applied to a Sportbike, then a Porsche 911's roof, then interior accents....then.... whatever you can dream up. Lot's of youtube video's have basic tutorials of installing the wraps. Hell, they're wrapping entire cars, even Ferrari's with it. A Sqeegee with a felt bottom, a heat gun, and a knife and you're set. Frankly, a cubs panels couldn't be simpler with few complex forms. The wrap is flexible, easy to apply, Super-super light weight, sticky background, easy to remove/dispose and could be added to Kydex, aluminum, wood, plastic - whatever. There is Lot's of black available. I've seen Silver carbon fiber, Brown, tan, green, orange, red, blue..... Incidentally, I ordered 60"x90" and did all my interior panels to just behind the rear seat.

Best of all to me besides price, real carbon fiber is a danger in cockpits during a crash event as carbon fiber splinters and turns into thousands of knives. No danger of that here. This has a bit of a soft, rubbery, vinyl texture.

This is an off the cuff post, and I didn't plan this, so I apologize for the pics beforehand. I should have pulled the plane out of the hanger and taken more and better pics. Maybe later I'll take some more. You'll get the idea. I'm quite pleased with the results..... I spent around $50. I bet there isn't 10 oz of material in the whole interior. Durability - that's a question. People are installing it to interiors and exteriors of cars. Will it take rubbing and scrubbing? I expect so. Will it take abuse from screws or screwdrivers, knives, antlers, fishhooks? I have my doubts. But, it's cheap and patches easy. Good luck.


Please don't tell my wife I was working in the living room again;)

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Some youtube install vids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv7-X8pMwMw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qGPN7vhRiA



Some ebay listings.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qGPN7vhRiA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7FT-X-5FT-C...Parts_Accessories&hash=item20e3bc5858&vxp=mtr
 

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Looks nice.

Am am I following this correctly that you applied this material over the top of your Kydex interior?
 



Wow, cool links! I had no idea they were wrapping the exterior of planes...and cool graphics too. I'm wondering about a lifetime of bug and rain impact.

I wrapped over my Kydex interior panels.

Not sure what the detail on service life entails. Does it break down? Lose stickiness? How long to fade?? I had same questions and watched a video of a Toyota Tundra truck wrapped bumpers a year later and they looked great, car washes, bug removal and all.

I think normal abrasion and rubbing are fine. I'd stay away from sharp, scratchy type abrasion. I don't think it'll take it.

I have about 1.5 hours and little money invested on the install. In some amount of years, I'll probably be ready for a rewrap or a change.

For exterior, I think the black anti-glare pad on top of the engine cowl might work. And, some Makey Slats might look good in Carbon wrap too.
 
Wow, way cool! Nice to know you can upgrade you interior without having to fab new panels! Great post!
 
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