Carbon Fiber Intakes (Con't).

[HeinGer at aol.com]

As a guy who works with composites for a living (major aerospace company), let
me add my $.02 to the string...  First of all, fiberglass cloth will handle
ANY heat that an auto engine can throw at it.  I wrapped my header tubes with
it.  The problem with heat is the resin used for the laminate.  If you use an
epoxy resin like Hysol 9396, which has high strength up to about 350 deg F,
you can easily make an intake from fiberglass.  In fact, fiberglass is
preferable to graphite (carbon fiber), if you are making the laminate without
vacuum bagging it.  Why? Because graphite fibers are much more slippery than
glass fibers and will tend to delaminate more easily.  By vacuum bagging, you
force the fibers into much more intimate contact with each other, and greatly
reduce the chance for delamination.  I know, because I've tried both ways.  I
recently completed a graphite manifold for my 66 GTO, powered by a roller-
cammed Pontiac 428. I also machined a 2-bbl 60mm throttle body for it (I was
too cheap to buy Lingenfelter's).  As soon as mr. postman brings my Accel
computer, I'll let you  know how it works.