Questions About Composite Body

[dgruis]

Rumor: The body panels will be made from new-not-used plastic bottles. Apparently Coke had bottled a New Coke that had Super High Fructose Corn Syrup (SHFCS). Being more like rocket fuel than soda, the new bottles were emptied and will be compressed to make Elio body panels.

As part of early Elio marketing efforts, the SHFCS will fuel the tanks of new Elios picked up at the factory. Millions will stare in awe (shock & awe) as they watch the new Elios return to earth's orbit at 84 mpg. Ferrari, Porche, and Corvette owners will run to buy 10 Elios, for less than the price of their current cars.

 

[zelio]

Rumor: The body panels will be made from new-not-used plastic bottles. Apparently Coke had bottled a New Coke that had Super High Fructose Corn Syrup (SHFCS). Being more like rocket fuel than soda, the new bottles were emptied and will be compressed to make Elio body panels.

As part of early Elio marketing efforts, the SHFCS will fuel the tanks of new Elios picked up at the factory. Millions will stare in awe (shock & awe) as they watch the new Elios return to earth's orbit at 84 mpg. Ferrari, Porche, and Corvette owners will run to buy 10 Elios, for less than the price of their current cars.

Do you, by any chance, get paid for this kind of crazy thinking? Z

 

[Jim H]

Wow. This is proof that all questions get answered eventually. I asked this question on August 9.

Goofyone, that right rear panel won't be cheap--it's a big one. Well, maybe. I don't know how expensive SMC is.

There are so many threads on the forum that I am amazed questions get answered as fast as they do. Some of the lesser accessed threads obviously take longer but someone will ultimately respond because they care.

 

[evboy]

Why are the wheel skirts black. If they paint the car, why would it cost much more to finish the complete job. I'm confused??

 

[Karg]

Good Question.
If you take off the front rear tire shirts , how will the vehicle be affected?

 

[BillZ]

Money; it's all about the money. The can offer you color matched skirts just like the big dealers can offer you color matched bumpers, etc.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Styling. It was done for styling reasons. The cost difference is minimal.

Removing the skirts will have a significant negative impact on highway mileage. Ask any Gen 1 Honda Insight owner.

 

[trock59]

If the body is composite panels the color would be molded in and not "painted" no? Theoretically one could switch panels with another Elio and have any combination of colors. With all the buzz about wraps I think paint is on it's way out- The Elio is your blank canvas yet to be a work of art.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Why are the wheel skirts black. If they paint the car, why would it cost much more to finish the complete job. I'm confused??

Here's a possible reason... if you look at the vehicle from above and slightly to the side, you can see the resemblence in the black portion on the front and black portion on the rear. Never occurred to me until now. So yeah, styling may be the reason, trying to get a consistent clean look.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Nei...rt=3&o=4&_suid=141098372818807048859907819349

 

[AriLea]

If I'm up on current processes, a process facility is simpler to do paint finishing. There is a tendency to inconsistency in texture between molded color vs painted. So if any part is in the mold, they all have to be.