i have tried vacuum molds, they work very well in forming difficult shapes, however the finish on the piece comes out far from pleasing. it takes another layer over top of the molded piece to be able to have a nice shiny and glass like appearance. you will also be doing a whole lot of sanding and filling, which takes almost double the time. the honeycomb idea will definitely save costs, but it wont be anywhere close to as stong. and yes that much carbon does hurt the wallet, but i can sell a chassis of this grade for a considerable amount, and that is why people buy them from me, because its the real deal, no cut corners. it is expensive, but you get a part that is exactly what you paid for.......no joke strong as hell carbon fiber