Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Re: carbon hood
Originally Posted by ric.cfs
Hey i have a carbon business and we are in the process of makein a center consol with cup holders, but we do all sorts of projects small or big. If you want to have a carbon hood made we can do that for less then $7000 if a hood was supplies to cust cost on the mold design. Contack me for more info
Ric R
www.carbonfibersolutions.net
703 589 7182
Ric R
www.carbonfibersolutions.net
703 589 7182
Ric, If I sent you my hood, could you make a mold of it, and not damage it?
I've heard from a number of forum members in the past year asking me to reproduce it, and CF seems to be the material of choice.
I've been reluctant to take a chance on having it done for fear of it being damaged during the mold assembly process.
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Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Ric is actually not the guy I was referring to, I was unaware that Ric was not an active member of the site, I thought the fact that he had not replied to my PMs or posts was a bad sign. I will try to give him a call when I get a chance.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Niles (right by Chicago)
Age: 37
Posts: 81
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Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Alright guys, exciting news. I finally have some solid numbers and this thing looks very do-able. First off let me say that the design we are going with will be the OEM hood in carbon fiber with the regular ribs and also the SL vents. Here is a picture of it that Uncle O photoshopped towards the beginning of the thread.
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...8&d=1209038412
The only thing about the hood is that because our hood is 57" wide the material will need to be spliced together in the center rib making the carbon fiber weave form a "V" (Just the weave pattern). I along with the company who will be making this actually think that would look good.
That being said my original investment will be somewhere around $5000 so I have a few options with that.
A)Either I scrounge up the money (which might delay the process a little)
B)One or more people help financially back the process
C)About 10 people purchase the hood under blind faith for $1000 each hood.
I understand giving someone your money without seeing the product first would be difficult so I really don't expect an amazing response to either option B or C.
I really need to make sure there is still enough interest in this so if the hood described along with the $1000 price tag is ok with everyone please make some noise and let me know.
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...8&d=1209038412
The only thing about the hood is that because our hood is 57" wide the material will need to be spliced together in the center rib making the carbon fiber weave form a "V" (Just the weave pattern). I along with the company who will be making this actually think that would look good.
That being said my original investment will be somewhere around $5000 so I have a few options with that.
A)Either I scrounge up the money (which might delay the process a little)
B)One or more people help financially back the process
C)About 10 people purchase the hood under blind faith for $1000 each hood.
I understand giving someone your money without seeing the product first would be difficult so I really don't expect an amazing response to either option B or C.
I really need to make sure there is still enough interest in this so if the hood described along with the $1000 price tag is ok with everyone please make some noise and let me know.
Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
If all you're going for is the Mercedes "look", why not simply order those two vents from Mercedes and have them installed? It really shouldn't be that hard to do. Installed correctly, I'm sure there would be some underhood cooling happening if that's the real reason for using them.
The stock hood only weighs about 45 lbs., yet I'm sure a CF hood would weigh a fraction of that. But even at a cost of $500, I think it would be very expensive for that small of a weight loss.
Just my $.02.
As for keeping the hood strakes, the Mercedes vents would definitely be the way to go. But as you can see from these photos that Andrew took of my hood:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=17372
Keeping the factory hood strakes simply wasn't an option.
I've heard from several forum members chastising me for eliminating the "signature" grooves, and even though I personally had nothing against them, I wanted a scoop more.
The stock hood only weighs about 45 lbs., yet I'm sure a CF hood would weigh a fraction of that. But even at a cost of $500, I think it would be very expensive for that small of a weight loss.
Just my $.02.
As for keeping the hood strakes, the Mercedes vents would definitely be the way to go. But as you can see from these photos that Andrew took of my hood:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=17372
Keeping the factory hood strakes simply wasn't an option.
I've heard from several forum members chastising me for eliminating the "signature" grooves, and even though I personally had nothing against them, I wanted a scoop more.
Last edited by +fireamx; 06-11-2008 at 07:03 AM.
Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Originally Posted by +fireamx
Has anybody considered just having their "stock" hoods Louvered?
The louvers could be placed in between the original factory "hood strakes", and would probably go along way in lowering under hood temps. This would work well in unison with a "Needswings" style intake.
If saving weight is the primary goal of a new hood design, then of course a CF copy of the original XF hood would be all that's needed.
But to attain a "Ram Air" effect from a custom design, then a scoop that sits a couple of inches "higher" than mine would be necessary. Something on the order of a 440-6-pac, 69 Road Runner, a 70 Trans Am Challenger, or a 1970's Formula Firebird style.
I had to spend a lot of money to have my all steal hood fabricated, but I've never regretted it for one moment. So if any of you are simply not sure if ya want to change from what's "Factory Stock" all I can say is, "Go for it". Anything that makes our cars look less like a Sebring sedan (
) is a good thing.......Right?
The louvers could be placed in between the original factory "hood strakes", and would probably go along way in lowering under hood temps. This would work well in unison with a "Needswings" style intake.
If saving weight is the primary goal of a new hood design, then of course a CF copy of the original XF hood would be all that's needed.
But to attain a "Ram Air" effect from a custom design, then a scoop that sits a couple of inches "higher" than mine would be necessary. Something on the order of a 440-6-pac, 69 Road Runner, a 70 Trans Am Challenger, or a 1970's Formula Firebird style.
I had to spend a lot of money to have my all steal hood fabricated, but I've never regretted it for one moment. So if any of you are simply not sure if ya want to change from what's "Factory Stock" all I can say is, "Go for it". Anything that makes our cars look less like a Sebring sedan (
) is a good thing.......Right?great idea get your old hood louvered and SELL ME YOUR HOOD,, I love your hood... sell it now. before i change my mind lol like i would do that your hood is the best looking on ANY crossfire i have ever seen. now sell it to me. 100.or 500. whitch is greater. jim
Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
i dont think 1000 dollars is steep. i think people are kind of cheap on this forum. originally people were willing to pay around 3 grand to get into the 12s and people arent willing to spend a third that to get a carbon fiber hood
Last edited by Voyager; 06-11-2008 at 11:38 AM.
Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Originally Posted by +fireamx
If all you're going for is the Mercedes "look", why not simply order those two vents from Mercedes and have them installed? It really shouldn't be that hard to do. Installed correctly, I'm sure there would be some underhood cooling happening if that's the real reason for using them.
The stock hood only weighs about 45 lbs., yet I'm sure a CF hood would weigh a fraction of that. But even at a cost of $500, I think it would be very expensive for that small of a weight loss.
Just my $.02.
As for keeping the hood strakes, the Mercedes vents would definitely be the way to go. But as you can see from these photos that Andrew took of my hood:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=17372
Keeping the factory hood strakes simply wasn't an option.
I've heard from several forum members chastising me for eliminating the "signature" grooves, and even though I personally had nothing against them, I wanted a scoop more.
The stock hood only weighs about 45 lbs., yet I'm sure a CF hood would weigh a fraction of that. But even at a cost of $500, I think it would be very expensive for that small of a weight loss.
Just my $.02.
As for keeping the hood strakes, the Mercedes vents would definitely be the way to go. But as you can see from these photos that Andrew took of my hood:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=17372
Keeping the factory hood strakes simply wasn't an option.
I've heard from several forum members chastising me for eliminating the "signature" grooves, and even though I personally had nothing against them, I wanted a scoop more.
would be good to knw if perhaps that is not possible and i am heading down the wrong path.
Re: Anyone interested in an actual carbon fiber hood?
Originally Posted by Violenteer
why couldnt you keep the orignal strake and groves. the only reason i ask is because i am geting a shop here in oz to do a scoop for me...lower and wider, and they are going to cut out a piece of the orginal bonnet and use that as the top of the scoop.
would be good to knw if perhaps that is not possible and i am heading down the wrong path.
would be good to knw if perhaps that is not possible and i am heading down the wrong path.
My only option would have been to leave one strake on either side of the scoop, and I didn't think that would have looked very good. I think the hood would have simply looked too cluttered.
Your idea of cutting the hood strake area out and using that "skin" to actually build the scoop out of, sounds very interesting. I'll be looking forward to seeing photos of the finished product, and I'm sure many others will be too. Good Luck with your project.
I couldn't be happier with how mine turned out, and even though not everybody cares for it, it's what "I" wanted my car to look like.
"MIYO"....(make it your own) you'll be glad you did.
Last edited by +fireamx; 06-12-2008 at 07:45 AM.