I don't know what happened

"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno) 09/21/2014 at 20:51 • Filed to: None

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But how about we just drop it on both sides and enjoy some cars?

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 20:55

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Fun fact: The 1999-2006? model year Silverado's were available with composite beds.

bob and john > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 20:58

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TL;DR

I posted something asking whether it was legit.

Many expressed outrage immediately.

Turns out it was fake.

Taken down by the original author on advisement.

Now questions over censorship.

Its all worked out now.

wabbalosthiskey > bob and john 09/21/2014 at 21:02

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Blame the French and immediately forget about everything else.

MyNoTypyhoonIsSlow > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/21/2014 at 21:02

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I'm guessing the step-side bed sides were plastic.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > MyNoTypyhoonIsSlow 09/21/2014 at 21:10

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Nope

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/21/2014 at 21:29

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Thats an interesting way to (presumably) save weight.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 21:34

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It was probably a sales thing. I would almost bet it was cheaper to make.

Philbert/Phartnagle > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 22:26

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I like this one best....

Philbert/Phartnagle > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 22:27

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....then this one....

Philbert/Phartnagle > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/21/2014 at 22:28

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....and this one is just too cool!

yamahog > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/21/2014 at 22:37

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Haven taken a composites manufacturing lecture with that exact project as a case... no, not cheaper.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > yamahog 09/21/2014 at 23:25

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Alright. How much lighter is it, and how strong is it? I've seen a few around and they seem to have held up very well.

Sweet Trav > yamahog 09/21/2014 at 23:28

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I made the bold statement to an econ professor who was also a car guy, right around the time that GM went bankrupt that they need to take a huge portion of the their tarp money and make a carbon fiber plant capable of mass production, he laughed at me saying that stuff was only for lamborghinis. With for going to aluminum, isnt carbon fiber the next step?

yamahog > Sweet Trav 09/21/2014 at 23:52

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This composites class was actually given by my employer at the time, and pre-bankruptcy era, the Big 3 had been given funds to work on joint composite studies (the truck bed being one of them). The expense of making mass-produced composites is the limiting factor, and it is also more difficult to analyze and model composite structures with consistency than with predictable standard metals and plastics. It is the next step, for sure, but something no one is willing to pay for right now as it would be a huge investment with considerable risks (technology maturation) and a long time to pay off. The whole class basically had the same reaction you did, lol.

yamahog > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/21/2014 at 23:55

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I don't recall the exact numbers, but the cost is still the limiting factor, unfortunately. That GM truckbed was the result of a Big 3 joint collaboration on composites funded by Uncle Sam, and then no one was in the position to pony up by 2008.

Sweet Trav > yamahog 09/21/2014 at 23:57

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I mean it seems now that the body panels of a car now are made out of paper thin steel and aren't structural, how far are we, do you think from a hydroformed/printed chassis with plastic or composite panels just stuck on?

yamahog > Sweet Trav 09/22/2014 at 00:05

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It's not my area of expertise, but still a ways to go for the Big 3, IMO. Obviously fascias are already plastic, but if you imagine all the ZOMG HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MANAGE about Ford going to aluminum and multiply it by about 100, that's the significance in manufacturing costs and methods.

Sweet Trav > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 00:08

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I mean i understand the complexities of the material, but it seems like you could hang carbon fibers from a current chassis no problem, not quite sure what the weight savings would be. Granted moving away from steel and aluminum would hurt my company and kind of like my job sooo.

Anyways I look forward to the carbon fiber unibodied 2032 Ford Focus.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 00:11

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Tacoma beds have been composite since 2005, so if they implemented it as standard and retooled during a redesign, wouldn't that cut down on costs long term?

yamahog > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/22/2014 at 00:15

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Yes, but Toyota is good about taking risks like this (the Prius was at the time as well), as I hear they budget a lot more time for new technologies to pay off than the Big 3 does.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 00:17

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So the big 3 hasn't caught on to the reason for success yet basically?

yamahog > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/22/2014 at 00:25

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Not sure what Ford's gameplan is, but (still just my opinion) Chrysler is so far behind that they're just trying to catch up (lack of popular crossovers, hybrids, the whole Fiat leeching off of them, etc) and GM is still trying to get themselves out of the recall/bailout hole that is seems like they are both sticking to their bread and butter: trucks (and in Chrysler's case, Jeeps) and performance cars. The Viper is basically all carbon-fiber (hand layups, ooof) and look how well that's going for them :(

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 00:35

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I think the cost and the C7 was the downfall of the Viper. If they started out with the lowered price, I think they would have done better. IMO Ford and Chrysler just need to not fuck up like GM and they should be okay. Chrysler needs to continue shoving the Ecodiesel into things along with keeping their current quality up and Ford needs to start offering better packages with certain engines.