Is there something wrong with me for wanting this for my R? I've always been conservative regarding modifications that will significantly change the appearance of the car. I like the clean stock look and above all, I don't want to be associated with people who make their Honda's look tacky. I don't like stickers and I don't like body kits. The ONLY reason I'm considering the carbon fiber hood is because I have a black vehicle. If the hood is near flawless in terms of carbon weave, clear-coat, and fitment quality I think this would be a nice addition.

I did a search and the comments on this hood are very good. Can someone post some pictures (up close in particular) so I can get a better look at the weave? Surprisingly the official VIS website does not have any good sample pictures. Any comments or suggestion are welcome. If you think this is not a smart idea for my car let me know.

Like most everyone else, when you are "in the zone" and hot to buy a particular modification you sometimes don't see the entire picture - tunnel vision, you know? Thanks for you help guys.

-Josh


[Modified by itrsport.com, 6:12 PM 12/27/2002]

 

what is the point of a carbon fiber hood to save weight? and how much weight does it actually save sorry but i just dont uderstand why people buy them im not tryin to be a dick.

And i have also heard that they are good hoods i dont think i have heard anything bad about them

 

Yeah I think carbon is great, I've felt the weight of a carbon hood on a prelude (not a Vis one) and it's very light, besides it looks good.

Carbon for guys is like diamonds for a woman. But there's no perfomance gain with diamonds. i'm looking to get a Aerogear hood sometime.

 

Aren't VIS hoods not much lighter than stock?

If that's the case, they're not worth it at all.

If you're doing this for aesthetic purposes, get the hood if it is visually appealing to you.

I personally wouldn't get a VIS hood, but that's only because the weight savings doesn't justify the cost.

 

I seriously doubt a person smart enough to build that lovely page would be dumb enough to get a CF hood for appearance, especially on a black car....

I've heard the same thing as reid, VIS=not much lighter, and therefore worthless

There are other lighter brands


[Modified by Rob :190:, 9:23 PM 12/27/2002]

 

Yea they arent that light.

Yea same here. VIS would have one of the best cf hoods if they were lighter sigh....

 

I've seen 5 or 6 VIS carbon fiber hoods, and I must say they're very nice. Rolled edges, tight weave, very shiny, but they are heavier than most other companies hoods. You really don't save that much weight, but when I bought my Fiber Images hood a few years ago, I was in the "every ounce counts" state of mind, trying to shave pounds off my fat Si hatch. I still like the look of it and don't plan to get rid of it, but I notice alot of "over modified" or "ricey" cars in my area with carbon hoods, so that's not a good thing . If one more person at my office says "whoa, look at that graphite hood, Fast and Furious huh?!" I'm going to vomit.

 

I think that Josh is more interested in the quality than the weight of the hood. Personally, I would rather have a good quality hood that is heavier than one that weighs 10lbs but is flimsy. What other brands are out there that are on par in quality w/VIS? Also, I don't think he is looking for something w/out rolled edges. Food for thought, weight savings in certain areas(rotating mass) is more important than weight savings overall(hoods ext). How much is it really going to help you to loose 20lbs over your front wheels.

 

If one isn't interested in reducing weight, why purchase a CF hood in the first place? Yes, quality is important, but a CF hood's primary function is to weigh as little as practically possible.

 

CF Hoods look weird on the USDM front. They look good on the JDM front, and on Civics as well. The reason is (and this is obviously totally my opinion) that on civics/JDM Integras, the hood fully extends to the headlights. On the USDM front, the black hood only goes as far as an inch or two above the headlights, and you have this little orphan strip of PY or CW or Black that really throws off the look of the car.

Hence, I would not get a CF hood for a USDM Integra, were it my car. Looks too weird. And on black, you have to look twice to even tell it's there. Not high on the "wow I can feel a difference" scale.

 

Regardless of which hood one chooses, the hoodpins will hold it on.

Getting a lightweight body panel without hood pins is not a good idea. Hoodpins are much cheaper than buying another windshield and repairing body damage.

20lbs is a lot (relatively) and all of the weight you shed adds up. Then again if you don't track your car, it doesn't matter.

Maybe Josh needs to address whether this is a performance or aesthetic modification.

If it is the latter, the Appearance/Cosmetic forum can probably answer this inquiry better.

 

[cough] Expo Registration! [/cough]

C'mon join us, seriously.

 

i have HEARD the same as stated above about the weight not being much lighter than stock.

i have [/b]SEEN[/b] the VIS hood on my friends 99-00 Si and it looked flawless, felt the edges and they were rolled.

but again, going back to the weight issue, which is the primary reason for getting a CF hood. i heard the VIS hoods dont need hood pins, and from putting 2 and 2 together.. its probably because it weighs close to the stock hood (and of course you dont need hood pins for a stock oem hood )

however, I would like to find out the ACTUAL weight of the VIS hood compared to a stock oem hood. has anyone actually weighed any of these on a scale instead of the "arm dyno"

 

I find it odd that no one ever measures weight savings from their lightweight parts.

Also I find it odd that c/f hood manufacturers do not always give weights for their hoods.

 

The other part of the story is that my hood needs some fresh paint. My car has 56,000 miles and I do a lot of high speed driving. It’s got some rock chips and a few small ripples that my perfectionist ways don’t appreciate. I figured that if I was going to spend $200+ to get the stock one repainted then why not spend $400 to get a new carbon fiber hood.

Rob – I think you hit a nerve! If I don’t get the hood then it’s your fault OR I have you to thank (not sure which is correct yet)

My buddy Dave hit it right on the nail!

Thanks for your comments guys. I’ll sleep on it.

 

I know exactly what you are saying. The CF hoods look much better on the JDM front ends. Damn, it looks like I have a real reason to buy a JDM front end now!

I can pick up a VIS for about $400 including shipping so that's a pretty good deal.

 

most CF hoods are not lighter than the oem hoods.

and those which are, are so light, they are fragile, in the sense that you really do require hood pins to hold them down properly.

 

I think its just really up to the owner. Personally I like it. But everyone is entitled to there own opinion. Here is my CF hood

 

I wouldn't do it, but that's just me. Just an FYI, I saved 16lbs with the hood. This being with a 15lb hood. I've heard that the VIS one is around ~19lbs. I can't imagine the ITR hood weighing much more than a 6th gen civic hood, you'd be saving roughly 12-15lbs. Eventually you will get sick of the look. I did and luckily I had the old hood still. I put it on and it looks 100x better like that. I keep the CF hood just in case I ever have a use for it.

 

I absolutely love my CF hood. Its a VIS, and as far as how much it weighed compared to the stock one, it was less.

And no, I didn't weigh it... I don't own a scale.

 

not mine but this guy took alot of really good pics

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=298777

 

I would do it.

I was actually going to get a VIS hood to "save" my stock hood. But, I don't drive my car daily anymore, so $400 in my pocket is better than spending it on a CF hood.

 

you should check out bodykits nw hoods. he is a member on this board somewhere, and his hoods are probably the nicest i have ever seen! just more food for thought for you, im trying to help !

 

I wouldn't do it, the VIS hood is almost the same weight as stock. It's so close to stock that you don't even have to use hood pins or hood locks
It looks clean, but its a show hood. I would get a sunny stylin or fiber images hood. And I have to agree I don't like the way a cf hood looks on the USDM front but on the JDM front

 

Josh, I know the feeling. On my '00 fbp itr, I always got the opposite of the attention the PY and CW's get... it's like the black itr's are so sleeper, they're ignored... no, unnoticed! So to add a little bling (and lose a little weight) I got a VIS hood. I have never been one to skimp on the $ spending on my R, so I wanted to get the best possible quality. And spoon didn't make one for the usdm front end... so after seeing many different hoods in person, I finally decided on VIS. The weave is flawless, and the rolled edges and lack of gaps make it look totally stock. In the daytime it's hard to tell I have a cf hood. At night? Forget it.



Looks stock except for hood pins. I'll sacrifice a little weight, but not too much if I have to get a shitty looking hood like some I've seen... VIS was the best I've seen in person. And still is to date. OEM fit and finish. Excellent quality. Bolts right up, and uses the stock rubber gasket too. I give it 2


And now the pics:

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/we...ZmQzMXk1NDE%3D


Here's a link to some threads on the subject that I started a LONG time ago:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=180350

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=180350