"Quick" update. I wrapped the tire blockers in CF vinyl and love how they look. They match the fenders significantly better.
I also ran some test lay ups of CF on foam core samples in preparation for the splitter and was surprised by my results. My test block was a 4"x8"x1" block of 4lb/sqft closed cell foam with a 1/2'' radius on the top edges. I put 2 layers of 3K 2x2 twill weave CF fabric on both the top and bottom of the block. The block was placed on sheet of glass to get a mirror finish on one side.
The goal was to try out different lay up and vacuum bag processes and see 1. How easy it was, 2. How successful it was, 3. The weight of the final product, 4. What extra considerations I needed to take into account.
Trial 1. I tested using resin infusion and quickly realized the glass side was not getting sufficient resin flow. The resin essentially race-tracked around the edge of the part where the edge of the foam/CF met the glass. the infusion mesh ensured the top got resin but the bottom did not. I tried to fiddle with it while it was infusing and accidentally broke vacuum next to the feed line. failure all around.
Trial 2. Resin infusion again. this time with perforations through the foam every 1.5" and infusion mesh only over ~half of the block. This infused much more successfully. I thought an air pocket was still getting trapped but it filled in better than I thought. I 3D printed a port for both inlet and outlet and those proved much more robust than just gum tape on the lines. I had the feed line above the part and that led to gravity pulling too much resin into the corner. Final results were cosmetically sound but the mesh definitely left a pattern. Final weight was about 100 grams after trimming. A little heavier than I was expecting but a good result. I was still worried on how well the bottom of a large panel would infuse.
Trial 3. Wet lay up and then vacuum bag. The layup is a bit more frantic and messy since you are on the clock as soon as you mix the resin. but once its wrapped the bagging and such is a little easier. cosmetically this was an improvement over the infusion since there was no mesh to cause an imprint and the final weight was about 60grams. I was very surprised how much lighter it was.
Both block 2 and 3 felt equally solid but I was curious why the infusion was so much heavier. I had perforations on both but maybe the infusion filled those holes in more completely? I grabbed a hack saw a chopped both test pieces open. the infusion block was significantly more saturated with resin despite the closed cell nature of the foam. and the perforations were full.
I was expecting the infusion piece to be lighter, and maybe if I got the process more efficient, it would be. but for simplicity and reliability I think I'm going to go with a wet lay up for my final splitter build.
Materials ordered and templates cut. Hopefully I can post the results in a couple weeks!!