Does anyone else find Carbon fiber hoods a$$ ugly?

[Itzallstock]

If your going for an all out street/track machine I would say get cf. Or even jsut a fiber glass hood.

I have subs that are pushing 60 a piece in thier box.. I'm not a weight loss guy

 

[Denji]

I am new to the whole weight saving thing, is 22 pounds really that much in the great scheme of things? How much will that save in the quarter, thousandth maybe hundreth of a second?

i'd agree its not much weight, but as far as handling aspects go, it shaves off some pounds in a very crucial area.

i think they look pretty good, but i agree not much of a difference in the 1/4.

 

[DGajre777]

I personally like carbon fiber hoods especially the one with the center vent

 

[quiksilver38]

wow i learned a lot on CF hoods in this thread, i never knew they sandwhiched\ backed them with fibergalss, what a scam ! you do still get the CF look though... and still save 22 lbs. I guess the full CF ones cost hundreads more than the usual $400-$500 I always see, o well i still want to get one

 

[baxsom]

the biggest thing i hate about mine is that it faded

down here in the san antonio sun
it faded and cracked in a year

now it looks like total crap but i dont want to drop another 500 bucks on another hood
so i am thinking about having it painted to match the car
since the cracking goes through the clearcoat into the carbon fiber i dont know if it can be done or not
but still
i am replacing my 96 bumper with a 97 so it fits the hahn fmic better
and my sideskirts are faded almost to the point of being white

i was quoted 300 for the hood, skirts and bumper
so its not bad

i just hate the fact now that it is going to look ricey with hood pins and a stock color hood

 

[Stapl3]

100lbs = 1/10 sec faster in the qtr mile. Your 500 dollar hood made you not much faster. Not enough to notice, that's for sure. Truth is, this weight thing is just a way for people to justify the rice part. They think they look cool because Nopi and Import Tuners says so. In reality, these cars look like the ghetto beaters I used to see daily driving around in deroit with mismatched body panels. It's like a big black spot in the middle of your car. Matches nothing surrouding it. Maybe I should get a CF right fender, that'll be cool. Same concept.

Not painting a CF hood is like painting all the walls in your house but the big one in the family room to show everyone what type of drywall you used. No one cares, it looks like crap.

 

[apgeclipsegsx]

i personally love the looks of carbon fiber

 

[paranoidTSi]

The only cars that look good with CF hoods are two-toned vehicles with black tops. Specifically a 2G White Talon with Black Roof.

 

[bigemrich]

I like the basic look of carbon fiber, and especially a two tone white/black. Also, it may not be much weight, but it is weight taken directly off the front of the vehicle, which is inherently heavier. This helps balance the whole car a little bit.
Bottom line is that it is still personal preference IMO. If you like it, go for it, if not, look the other way.

--Kyle

 

[Logue]

if my whole car was white i don't think i would have gotten one but since the roof is black i think it flows nicely. Carbon looks good when done tastefully. And there are a lot lighter than the stock cow. Its a personal opinion.

 

[Ludachris]

I don't care too much for CF hoods on cars except maybe the all black cars. I'll be looking to get a hood later this year for weight savings - fiberglass or CF, depending on what I find at a good price. Whatever I get, I'll paint it to match the car. And as one guy asked earlier, 22lbs. isn't really a big difference, unless of course, you add it into the rest of the weight savings you're doing - I've removed plenty of parts from my car and 22lbs is a decent amount for one part. If you're only going to swap out your hood, you're wasting your time and money (unless you're doing it for looks). But if you're dropping your A/C and removing carpet padding/rear seats/lighter wheels/etc... it adds up.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd get a CF hood (painted with no hood pins), a lighter driveshaft, some Sparco Roadster seats (lightweight, non-adjustable), fiberglass front fenders, and some SSR wheels. That would drop a shitload of weight savings combined with what I've already done... ohhh how nice it is to dream.

 

[mavisky]

....
If money wasn't an issue, I'd get a CF hood (painted with no hood pins), a lighter driveshaft, some Sparco Roadster seats (lightweight, non-adjustable), fiberglass front fenders, and some SSR wheels. That would drop a shitload of weight savings combined with what I've already done... ohhh how nice it is to dream.

Don't become a statistic, as ugly as they are, that set of hoodpins might save your hood, windshield, and roof.

 

[97GS-TSpyder]

Or we can see the infamous thread...Put my carbon hoob and IT FLEW UP ON ME? WHY?

But i think the Site Admin is much smarter than that....go with the pints Luda...youll love yourself later for it

 

[lrseclipse]

my first cf hood weighed 5 pounds if not less and you could see the daylight through it (definately had hoodpins)... thats weight reduction

my car might be almost completely cf a year from now, thats the goal. mine is cosmetic but also for weight reduction as i spend alot of the time on the track

you know... i dont understand why people murder other people, i dont understand why people have sex with animals, i dont understand why people would spend $1 million on a piece of jewelry... people have their obsessions... mine is carbon fiber, maybe not to the extensity of the afor mentioned but i definatly find it alluring...

the origin of my attraction to carbon fiber... i was detailing the 1987 prototype F40 (full cf body), laquer red paint, t-25's in the engine bay, and a roar that'll make you shit your pants... doing the interior, i couldnt step onto the floors, because they are made of cf... next thing i am ZFXing the passenger side door... there is maybe a 4 or 5" fan bout 5 feet away from me...it blew the door of the car wide open, gently coming to a rest as i watched in amazement. carbon fiber was made for racecars as weight reduction, and now doubles as a cosmetic addition that might even be an "acquired taste".

carbon is the basis of all life on this planet... i know this sounds corny but yes this is true... if you completed nay science class u should know. carbon fiber is a fabric, fabric is delicate right, then molded with a resin, forms a lightweight sturdy material. carbon brakes, carbon driveshafts... they're all the way to go, do some research kiddo. i know this is just about cf hoods... but i just had to jump on my soap box

u like you 13" 100 spoke gold daytons, i like my bronze 19's
u like 10 second civics, i like 10 second DSMs
i like likeweight track cars with over 600 whp ... do u ?

my point being... voice your opinion... but dont be an idiot about it.
"To Each His Own"--- i dont know who said that... but they are right

maybe you should think before you post... and dis probably a good 48% of this board (people that own cf hoods)


*stepping off my soapbox*

 

[SpYYder]

Well, honestly, if you want to know the attraction, it falls into a few categories:

1. Weight savings
2. Image (of your own car)
3. Image (as others see your car)
4. Show points
5. Street cred
6. You wanted to (and dont give a #### what other people think, such as, people on DSMtuners that start threads about why other people do it)

 

[0to60in5]

Well, honestly, if you want to know the attraction, it falls into a few categories:

1. Weight savings
2. Image (of your own car)
3. Image (as others see your car)
4. Show points
5. Street cred
6. You wanted to (and dont give a #### what other people think, such as, people on DSMtuners that start threads about why other people do it)

I'm buying one for my Talon when i get the money for reasons 1,2, and 6

 

[Masakari]

i dont really care for the look but i dont find it offensive either...everyone has diffrent tastes, i can respect that...

but when it comes to aftermarket hoods there isnt much out there...cf is lite, and somewhat inexpensive as far as aftermarket body parts...add a few hundred more to the price and it can match your vehicle color and be 1/3 of the weight of the original hood as opposed to fiberglass which is close to the same weight if not heavier and takes alot of work to make it look good painted

 

[GSXTCY]

Remember this thread does have a topic here. End the bs!

 

[karbon]

I think that from far off it looks like you wrecked your car and couldn't find or paint a proper body piece. On the other hand I kinda like them on black cars. It keeps the continuity of the black without being overstated like it is on any other color. On yet another hand if you painted it like stock and installed hood latches, I still think it'd look wierd. I guess there's no way to win? I've also not seen one other than the stock-looking CF hood that doesn't ruin the car's looks.

 

[iowaboostin]

My hood was 12lbs in the package, I like it

 

[Mr96GSX408]

Just for some actual data for you guys to get an idea of how much time you're going to cut off with some weight savings. Its not a DSM, but in the new Motor Trend mag March 2005 they compare the three Evos. Here are some of the results.

Evo VIII MR RS

0-30 1.4 1.5 1.3
0-40 2.3 2.6 2.2
0-50 3.5 3.5 3.3
0-60 4.7 4.7 4.3
0-70 6.5 6.4 6.0
0-80 8.3 8.0 7.7
0-90 11.0 10.5 10.0
0-100 13.5 13.1 12.6
1/4 mile 13.5@100 13.4@102 [email protected]
Brake,100-0 322 316 341
brake,60-0 111 111 112
600ft slalom 70.9mph 70.1mph 69.3mph
200ft skid pad .94 .95 .95
roadcourse lap sec. 92.07 91.80 92.15

Look at how much faster the RS is when there is an 81-pound difference with the VIII and 95-pound difference on the MR. So if you save 22lbs with just the hood alone, then consider all the other savings that Ludacris mentioned above...you'll be a bit faster.

 

[tobbern]

My hood was 12lbs in the package, I like it

where did you get yours and is it fully cf or fiberglass skeleton?

Best regards
Tobias

 

[mavisky]

Just for some actual data for you guys to get an idea of how much time you're going to cut off with some weight savings. Its not a DSM, but in the new Motor Trend mag March 2005 they compare the three Evos. Here are some of the results.

Evo VIII MR RS

0-30 1.4 1.5 1.3
0-40 2.3 2.6 2.2
0-50 3.5 3.5 3.3
0-60 4.7 4.7 4.3
0-70 6.5 6.4 6.0
0-80 8.3 8.0 7.7
0-90 11.0 10.5 10.0
0-100 13.5 13.1 12.6
1/4 mile 13.5@100 13.4@102 [email protected]
Brake,100-0 322 316 341
brake,60-0 111 111 112
600ft slalom 70.9mph 70.1mph 69.3mph
200ft skid pad .94 .95 .95
roadcourse lap sec. 92.07 91.80 92.15

Look at how much faster the RS is when there is an 81-pound difference with the VIII and 95-pound difference on the MR. So if you save 22lbs with just the hood alone, then consider all the other savings that Ludacris mentioned above...you'll be a bit faster.

That was a good article. Also remember that the difference between the rs and mr would've been greater, but the mr comes with the short ratio 6 speed. The rs pulls off those times with the 5 speed.

 

[GSXTCY]

Just for some actual data for you guys to get an idea of how much time you're going to cut off with some weight savings. Its not a DSM, but in the new Motor Trend mag March 2005 they compare the three Evos. Here are some of the results.

Evo VIII MR RS

0-30 1.4 1.5 1.3
0-40 2.3 2.6 2.2
0-50 3.5 3.5 3.3
0-60 4.7 4.7 4.3
0-70 6.5 6.4 6.0
0-80 8.3 8.0 7.7
0-90 11.0 10.5 10.0
0-100 13.5 13.1 12.6
1/4 mile 13.5@100 13.4@102 [email protected]
Brake,100-0 322 316 341
brake,60-0 111 111 112
600ft slalom 70.9mph 70.1mph 69.3mph
200ft skid pad .94 .95 .95
roadcourse lap sec. 92.07 91.80 92.15

Look at how much faster the RS is when there is an 81-pound difference with the VIII and 95-pound difference on the MR. So if you save 22lbs with just the hood alone, then consider all the other savings that Ludacris mentioned above...you'll be a bit faster.

Great reference for others to see.

 

[1320i]

Everyone is talking about the hood color and that it looks like you wrecked it and can't afford to fix it. You can get custom color CF parts made for your car. Go to Seibon's website. They are going to make a silver hood for my car.