I'm lookin to buy a hood from Vis Racing. Should they last as long as OEM hoods. What about snow and rock shipping? does the fiber hold itself together fairly well.

 

are the hoods you are looking at 100% c/f or fiberglass and c/f anyways carbon fiber is saposed to be industructable so itl last as long as your car but it will scratch and may have to have a new clearcoat but your oem hood will have to do that if scratched but carbon fiber is the way to go so i recomend you go for it and if it gets scratched just go to someone who does c/f work and they should be able to fix it

 

 

....i dunno what the crap you two guys just said, but go take some grammar classes.

Anyway,NO, the CF hood will not last longer than your OEM hood. the 'structure' itself will, but the look--- the clear resin in the hood will become faded and look very cheesy WAYYYY before a basecoat/clearcoat paint job would do. Every single person I know that's ordered a C/F hood, regardless of brand/price etc, has seen the clearcoat (just resin really) go yellow and fade within 3 years....even with tip-top upkeep.

Now, maybe some of you people in a mild climate like S. Cali or elsewhere will have a long lasting hood, but here in Texas....no freaking way-- Unless you keep your car garaged daily...the sun in Texas is brutal on C/F.

 

would having a shop spray a clearcoat on it help stop that?

 

yes it probably would. My friend is currently having this done as we speak

 

someone posted pics of one with a clearcoat a long time ago, it looked so danged clean. i wonder what a clear with little metal flake would look like.

 

I dunno how metal flake would look...sounds like it might take away from the C/F look kinda. but beh.

My problem with C/F is this. You spend $500-700 on a HOOD...spend another $150-200 to get it clear coated...you're almost at a grand right there just on your HOOD. For that, I could almost get an entire paint job! I really don't understand the fascination with it all

 

Nah... not if you find a cf hood with some scuff marks on it for $100, then have it buffed & cleared for $50 (obviously hook up). You don't even want to know how much I pay for a full chassis paint job, show quality at that with good Dupont paint

 

beh. Poop on you David

Not all of us have access to that kind of stuff. lol.

 

Yes, clearcoat will help. The resin used in most carbon hoods is polyester, regular "fiberglass" resin, and is not UV stable. That means that it turns amber and gets nice and brittle and weak when left in the sun. Automotive clearcoats help a lot by acting like a sunscreen for the resin and protecting it. Plus, you can also care for the clearcoat like the paint on the rest of your car, and get a nicer shine on it too... And to answer the original question, most hoods are not 100% carbon, they are mostly fiberglass. Many even have a single layer of light carbon fiber and that's it. "What did I just spend a few hundred dollars on then?" you ask.. I don't know, but it sure isn't a pure carbon hood. Look to spend a few hundred extra for pure carbon, and this is on the good brands... Think $800 and up for pure carbon..

 

if you going to clear coat it save yourself some $$$!!!!!! go to PPG and just buy some decent clearcoat and give it 2 or 3 coats, then get some 3m polish and a buffer...... its real easy.... dont be too intimidated about doing your own work.....

 

I have had my hood for 2 years now and it still looks perfect . But my car is garaged at home and at work so that may be the reason. . My car is never in the sun unless im driving it.

 

I have hookups for paintjobs etc. I think a CF hood would last a good amount of time, if the investment is made for a clearcoat and either a clear space in the garage or perhaps a car cover. So the sun doesn't bake the S**T out of your paint.

~Chris who is waiting for his car to finish being repainted as we speak (mmmmmmmmmm fresh silver DuPont paint job with many many clearcoats)

 

A guy around here gave away a cf hood because he scuffed it up...it was worthless because it didn't look cool