So from what I have come up with the stock aluminium hood weighs between 15-21lbs. I just took a lot of hail damage and its not a whole lot more to go carbon fiber. So I was wondering where you guys recommend to buy one. I saw one on mazdatrix. It doesn't tell me the weight though.

What do you guys recommend? I just want one thats stock looking but carbon fiber. Also I want it to fit :D.

 

if you want stock looking, buy stock. CF hoods arent going to save you weight, some/most even add a little.

If you're serious about finding a hood then pick out one you like and start emailing and calling vendors. When I bought mine I went in with another forum member and we saved a bunch not only on the hoods but on shipping.

 

^ that and some of the cheaper CF hoods warp at high speed

 

^ and a legit carbon fiber hood that actually saves weight and is functional will run you at least a grand

 

actually 2 grands...

 

Get it colooorrrrr

 

and when he says 'saves weight' he's talking about maybe 1 to 2 pounds.

 

I have one from VIS racing. they do usually run about 1200 dollars but you can sometimes find them on sale. They do save weight. Mine from VIS is vented which helps some with cooling, about 10-15 degrees on the track. It gives the radiator a way to flow air out and not trap hot air under the hood. It also weighs less than 15 pounds. Again though it cost over 1200 dollars. That is UV coated with a true skeleton system to keep it rigid at speed.

Dry carbon which is lighter and more costly will be around 2000.

Wet carbon which is a little heavier will be half the cost of dry carbon but a little heavier. Were talking about only a couple pounds.

If you want to save money you can do a lexan windshield and a wet carbon fiber hood for the same cost as a Dry Carbon Fiber hood and have a lighter stronger windshield. You will make up the couple pounds with the lexan windshield.

 

until the lexan windshield gets damaged.

 

Luckily they are much harder to damage than a glass windshield. Lighter and harder to damage. The drawback is they require special attention when cleaning and for maintenance.

 

(ZUMN) Yes Wet Carbon Fiber is usually heavier than Dry Carbon fiber but if you have direct connections to someone who makes both carbons they can make a wet carbon hood as light as a dry carbon , As far as Strentgh, like jumping up and down on the hood, well thats a different story. But lightweight can be possible.

 

what you mean usually, its ALWAYS heavier than dry carbon. (assume both piece are the same size)

to get the "dry" status it takes a lot of baking/extra work to it that's also why it cost more. but the final product will be much harder/stronger and will last much longer(if not forever)

A company in Japan made a FD body frame out of Dry Carbon. the weight was only like couple hundred lbs. and its much stronger than the stock steel frame (obviously) but cost? well they use it to race I think. I forgot the company name now.

 

Buy another stock one.

or just check and see if anybody parting out their 8 or just look for it at junk yard for 1/5 of the price.

 

Get a stock one and paint it black, if you want the look of the carbon fiber.

 

scratches