how do CF hoods hold up in cold weather and snow?

[slider85]

I am thinking about getting a VIS CF Hood possibly next spring or summer but I want to know if the cf holds up well in cold weather, rain, and snow? because I live in Vancouver where we get all kinds of weather. I am not very familiar with the properties of carbon fiber compared to metal so please let me know. And, I thought I would go with a CF hood because my hood right now has a lot of hail damage and would almost be cheaper to by a CF hood rather than fix the stock one.

 

[partymonster975]

ya, It should hold up well but dont just leave it outside when there is like hail or a storm when you can park it inside.
post some pics if you get it.

 

[HighPsi92GST]

hail will damage a stock hood too

As long as you dont buy a cheap knock off hood you should be fine.

 

[eclipsh]

For what it's worth carbon fiber is 10x stronger than steel lb for lb. Carbon-fiber cars can get into accidents at 30 mph without any damage as opposed to steel ones that are totalled.

 

[bkruahnndon]

For what it's worth carbon fiber is 10x stronger than steel lb for lb. Carbon-fiber cars can get into accidents at 30 mph without any damage as opposed to steel ones that are totalled.

this is true, but you must realize how much a lb of carbon fiber is compared to a lb of steel. now if you used enough carbon fiber to make the same weight of a steel hood (or other body part) it would hold up to more stress in an accident, but think about the size...


but to the original poster, yes it will hold up fine in weather variations but pick a nice quality hood. some people take the cheap way and dont use a UV resistant resin and after a few months of sunlight you'll have a yellowing CF hood.

 

[leet]

For what it's worth carbon fiber is 10x stronger than steel lb for lb. Carbon-fiber cars can get into accidents at 30 mph without any damage as opposed to steel ones that are totalled.

Carbon fiber is strong, yes, but when impacted it has a tendency to 'shard.'

Formula 1 wrecks are a testament to this effect (Granted, the speeds are higher, but I have seen low speed impacts wreck their body panels as well.)

I'm willing to bet that if I had a carbon fiber front end, and I impacted into a pole or other similar structure, damage will be done. Even at 30 MPH.

 

[gsnoturbo90]

theres a kid a couple of houses down from me who has a 95 eclipse with a carbon hood for at least 3 or 4 winters and it still looks good, and weve had some pretty nasty wheater here, so i think you should be fine

 

[slider85]

cool. and I think this topic has been covered, but what are the opinions on painting the cf hood? I'm leaning both ways because it would kinda stick out but that is also part of the appeal of a cf hood, that is I know lots of people like the look of the cf instead of the painted hood.

 

[gsnoturbo90]

I've seen hoods that are painted to match the car if thats what your talking about, i think its alot more money but i have seen it, i say just go with that classic carbon fiber look, that always looks good on cars.

 

[eclipsh]

I'm willing to bet that if I had a carbon fiber front end, and I impacted into a pole or other similar structure, damage will be done. Even at 30 MPH.

Some damage, but minor.

"The strength of ultralight carbon-fiber autobodies was illustrated in November 2003 in Capetown, South Africa, when a Mercedes SLR McLaren was rammed by a VW Golf running a red light. The SLR... sustained only minor damage despite being hit on the driver's-side door (the photograph shows a carbon side panel popped off). The unfortuante steel Golf, roughly one-fourth lighter than the SLR, had to be towed." - Winning The Oil Endgame, pg 82 of the PDF file available free at http://www.oilendgame.com/ if you want to see the photo.

I'm just a big fan of carbon-fiber bodies I'd do my whole DSM up like the HKS Evo widebody if I could.

Regardless, everyone is right, the hood will hold up and just leave it unpainted until you decide if you like it that way or not. You can always paint it later.