Carbon fiber parts makeup

[AwD4g63TsI]

First, I'm looking for answers from people who actually have carbon fiber parts for their dsm's.
I Recently picked up a "carbon fiber" hood for a steal and I notice it actually has a fiberglass frame, a fiberglass skin, and then a layer of carbon fiber layered on top of the fiberglass skin. So it's really just a 100% fiberglass hood with a layer of carbon fiber on top.
I recently got a fiberglass hatch in the CSL group buy and it has a fiberglass frame, but the skin is 100% carbon fiber. So it's more like a 50/50 hood I guess you could say. Very nice quality
I have zero experience with anything carbon fiber other than these two items. So my question is.....are aftermarket carbon fiber parts for our cars normally 100% fiberglass with just a layer of carbon fiber thrown on top for looks? I'd like to avoid that if possible and get the skins to be at least 100% carbon fiber with any part I put on my car.

 

[gabytech]

Only carbon fiber parts 100% carbon are used in real race cars, like Formula 1, etc... Normal Vis, Carbonetics, Carbon Creations, etc are usually 50/50 carbon/fiberglass as they are made as aesthetic parts only. 100% carbon parts are very very expensive.

 

[phunny]

Half my car is cf and the other half will be as soon I get off my duff and start making some molds so I have a little experience . You would pay 3 times as much if a part was constructed of cf only that's why you'll see the structural ridges made of fiberglass. Having a hood with only a layer of cf on the top is shady imho. A cf/fiberglass part is still going to be extremely strong and very lightweight.

 

[gabytech]

^^ Exactly.. Just call the carbon fiber manufacturer and ask them to make it 100% made of carbon fiber and wait for the price response, you going to fall back of the chair...

 

[AwD4g63TsI]

You guys aren't understanding what I am asking. I know 100% carbon parts are expensive, I know the manufacturers of "carbon fiber" parts use fiberglass for their frames. I'm not asking about what it will cost for a 100% carbon fiber part that is strong enough to be a structural piece.

I was under the impression however that the skins were 100% carbon fiber on most if not all of these mass marketed "carbon fiber" parts. But I have nothing to reference except for my two parts. One of which is fiberglass frame/carbon fiber skin(hatch). The other is fiberglass frame/fiberglass skin/one more layer of carbon fiber skin(hood) just for the sake of saying there is carbon fiber in the product I guess. I'll call one a 50/50 and the other 50/45/5 for their respective carbon fiber content. Is a 50/45/5 hood the norm?

 

[phunny]

You guys aren't understanding what I am asking. I know 100% carbon parts are expensive, I know the manufacturers of "carbon fiber" parts use fiberglass for their frames. I'm not asking about what it will cost for a 100% carbon fiber part that is strong enough to be a structural piece.

I was under the impression however that the skins were 100% carbon fiber on most if not all of these mass marketed "carbon fiber" parts. But I have nothing to reference except for my two parts. One of which is fiberglass frame/carbon fiber skin(hatch). The other is fiberglass frame/fiberglass skin/one more layer of carbon fiber skin(hood) just for the sake of saying there is carbon fiber in the product I guess. I'll call one a 50/50 and the other 50/45/5 for their respective carbon fiber content. Is a 50/45/5 hood the norm?

Ah, I see what you're asking and you are correct. What if you have is a piece overlayed in cf and should not be sold as a cf product. You can overlay steel in cf but that doesn't mean it's a cf piece. Hope this helps.

 

[AwD4g63TsI]

Ah, I see what you're asking and you are correct. What if you have is a piece overlayed in cf and should not be sold as a cf product. You can overlay steel in cf but that doesn't mean it's a cf piece. Hope this helps.

Ok, seems like my impressions of most carbon fiber hoods were correct in that they are 50/50. I didn't pay anything for this 50/45/5 hood so I'm not out anything.....maybe this is why I didn't pay anything-

 

[lowell]

You can usually tell it's real carbon by the price tag.
AMS Nissan GTR R35 Carbon Fiber Hood

 

[gabytech]

you can usually tell it's real carbon by the price tag.
ams nissan gtr r35 carbon fiber hood

praise the lord that price tag !!!!!!!!!

 

[91-GS]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgKvDw1E60E[/ame]
This video is first one of three. The fellow is making a carbon fiber hood (or "bonnet", if you'r from England). This will give you an idea of what all goes into making a true carbon fiber part.
Due to cost of the materials (as others pointed out) some companies use fiberglass and cover it with CF. I do think they should call it a "carbon fiber covered" part in the ads, but they usually don't.