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Basically the process we used was to develop a shape and cover it with layers of material. The side pods were around 4 layers of heavier fiberglass, the seat was 4 layers of glass between two pieces of carbon. It was on a giant roll and there was no limit so I can't tell you how much sq footage we used (gotta love school funding). I designed the pod in Solidworks, and unlike the nose cone, these pods were not the shop's priority. While the nose cone's designed shape was replicated in real life with many layers of stacked foam cut on the 5 axis machine, the side pods geometric faces were split into a single plane, which I cut into a large piece of cardboard. I folded the pieces to assemble the shape, and covered the entire outer surface with packing tape. From there, you drape the fabric over the shape and begin to blot it with a paintbrush full of mixed resin. Coat the whole shape evenly, then trim off the excess (as depicted). Repeat however many times you desire. After 4 layers, the product is very gooey, and wants to lift off hard edges. Once dry, we trimmed and sanded the surface, and primed it. The carbon fabric was much less malleable than the fiberglass, and would require vacuum method (which the engines team did for the plenum in one of the pics) which makes sense. Obviously you wouldn't sand the carbon if you wanted the carbon finish. I'll look for a picture of the seat, the shape of which came from taut tape wrapped around the frame rails and attached to a skinny central piece of metal (in the shape of a seat back).
What immortal Hand or Eye dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
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