Weight of S14 metal hood vs. Carbon fiber S14 Hood?!?

[MarkEmark]

Hey...After washing my car yesterday I realized the hood really is incredibly paint chipped (damn new england weather), and was thinking maybe a carbon fiber hood may be in line. I've been thinking about one for a while, mainly for chopping off weight from the front, and every time I put up my hood, I realize how heavy of a sucker it is.

Anyway, does anyone know how much an S14 hood (95-96, although I'm sure the 97-98 hoods are similar in weight) weighs? I'm guessing around 40-50 pounds. Someone has to have been curious and taken it off when doing a KA-T installation or an SR swap---Cnichols, Orion?!?

Now, how much would your average carbon fiber S14 hood weigh? My friend has a really nice VIS-racing one for his Civic that is the lightest thing I've ever felt--feather light, probably around 6-7 pounds at most. My hood isn't that much bigger, so I'm thinking 10 pounds is a reasonable guess?

Ebay routinely has brand new VIS racing s14 carbon fiber hoods for only $357 (+ $150 shipping )

I figure if I could pick up one for a good price, make my front end look a lot better, and knock 30 pounds off the front it'd be worth it.

Anyway, thats my question=stock hood weight vs. a good carbon fiber hood.

ThankssssssMarc

[MarkEmark]

PS--Out of curiosity, does anyone use that "Paint Protection Film" that 3M makes or that other companies make, sometimes called the "invisible bra?" I want to get some stuff to protect my brand new, freshly painted bumper for the winter....this site has rolls of it, 2" x 40 yards for $84, and I could use it to protect a hood if I got one...It's a shame too, since the place sells full kits for the 95 240sx, and I had to go and get me a Nismo bumper....http://www.invinca-shield.com/...=3219

[midwestdrifter]

i think that sport compact car used that on their project wrx. they said it worked great but who knows. they used it on the rocker panels.

[D1SR240]

wow 30 pounds?, i guess i never really realized how light carbon fiber is, now is carbon fiber dtronger than the regular metal hood?

[GELLIS2586]

Yes much stronger and lighter.

[MarkEmark]

yes, but HOW MUCH lighter....?

[AceInhole]

Yes much stronger and lighter.

Well, REAL carbon fiber is much stronger. The fiberglass with 1 layer of CF with fiberglass epoxy is about as strong as..... well..... fiberglass.

And no, the VIS CF hood is not real carbon fiber. Real CF hoods go for over $1000 (within the $1000 range if you're lucky).

[TurDz]

Well, REAL carbon fiber is much stronger. The fiberglass with 1 layer of CF with fiberglass epoxy is about as strong as..... well..... fiberglass.

And no, the VIS CF hood is not real carbon fiber. Real CF hoods go for over $1000 (within the $1000 range if you're lucky).

I agree with that statement. Pure carbon fiber hoods are very very expensive, they take a lot of hand crafted labor.

[Nathan]

They also take a lot of Carbon Fiber...and that stuff isn't cheap, figure on it being around 40 bucks a yard for good 5.7 oz. then you have the price of epoxy which isn't incredibly cheap either, the cost of making molds, vacuum bags etc. and it adds up quick for a GOOD all CF hood.

[HolyShiznit]

My stock hood was around 50ish pounds and my Sunny Carbon fiber hood weighed in at about 8.7 pounds. Do the math......

[D1SR240]

man, thats more than 40 pounds less

[nolaws4evr]

basically when i tried to pick up my old hood, i couldnt. it took me and my buddy to move it, and id have to agree its right at the 50lb mark. however, when i first pulled my cf hood out of the box, i could do it with one hand. probly around 8-12 lbs, so yes, a 40lb weight reduction, plus the added bling factor... worth the money IMO.

[D1SR240]

how much was your hood?

[nolaws4evr]

i got it with my conversion kit, but the individual prics was 500 bucks. its not a vis, but I wish I had gotten one.

[D1SR240]

500 bux ain't that bad, considering how much weight you have lost

[Cold_Zero]

PS--Out of curiosity, does anyone use that "Paint Protection Film" that 3M makes or that other companies make, sometimes called the "invisible bra?" I want to get some stuff to protect my brand new, freshly painted bumper for the winter....this site has rolls of it, 2" x 40 yards for $84, and I could use it to protect a hood if I got one...It's a shame too, since the place sells full kits for the 95 240sx, and I had to go and get me a Nismo bumper....http://www.invinca-shield.com/...=3219

A lot of the Impreza guys locally use invisabra. It seems to work well to resist paint chips.

[MarkEmark]

Even if the VIS "carbon fiber" hoods aren't REAL carbon fiber, they're still INCREDIBLY light.

My friend's CIVIC hatchback has a VIS racing carbon fiber hood--you would NOT believe how unbelievably light it was--the metal mounting brackets weighed almost more than the hood--his hood weighed only about 6-8 pounds. So, 10 pounds is reasonable to expect from the VIS racing one, plus, they're still incredibly good quality. The fit and finish of my friends VIS hood was phenomenal-mirror glass finish, smooth as anything, PERFECT fitment, NO cracks in the alignment of it.

Ebay sells VIS ones for $357 + $150 shipping, or $507 Shipped. A local shop can get it for me for $470 shipped out the door. Does that sound like a good deal?

I think I want it---I'd save FORTY (40) pounds from the front--thats a lot of weight, and it'll balance out the weight distribution, if only a little. Plus, my hood has so many paint chips/blemishes; easily the most unsightly part of my car.

Marc

[HolyShiznit]

^^^ Just remember one thing:

They WILL get you attention. My car is white....combined with my A'PEXi N1 duals and the CF hood...whoa buddy I attract ricers like poop attracts flies. Just be prepared for that. :thinker

[nolaws4evr]

thats the beauty of my car, even tho its got an s15 face on it, the dark grey paint i had sprayed on matches the cf so well most people dont notice ever, untill they get real close and can see the fibres. thats the way I like my cars, nice and clean looking so as not to attract attention from normal people, but at shows it can stand out. im goin to either have to get sideskirts and valances, or a stock s15 front bumper to get the cleanest look, I just cant decide which to go with.

[HolyShiznit]

^^ hehe that's awesome. I would have expected the S15 front end to have people orgasming randomly when they see your car. I know if I saw it driving down the road I would turn a U and probably flag ya down hehe.

[nolaws4evr]

ive been hoping someone would do that for awhile. usually im stoppin or followin other 240s around, its wierd. but randomly people are just like, WTF!!! is that really an s15???? or just the random, 'nice car, what is it?' from random people. i really really need suspension worse than anything else, its still stock and since my car is so much lighter, guessing 2600, it sends the front end flyin every time i hit a smalla$$ bump. at night people think im flashin the hell out of em, its fukcing hilarious, but for some reason other people dont think so...

[MarkEmark]

Yeah, the front end is beautiful..but you're right, side skirts would make it look awesome...although I'd get rid of the chrome wheels if i were you...

Your S14 is only 2600 pounds? Damn, that's light!

Holy Shiznit--I'd probably end up painting it, my car is emerald green so it wouldn't stand out that much....Besides, I'm not worried about any ricers, I got plenty of power Actually, no one has EVER focked with me when I'm driving my car since I've gotten it (year and a half ago); although I routinely pass people, none of them ever seem to want to catch up....I guess it's where I live--ie, rural town....I actually kinda want a ricer to pull up to me, bc it hasn't happened yet

[fliprayzin240sx]

9lbs from what I remember is the weight of my carbon hood.

[MarkEmark]

Good to know--so basically, guaranteed 40 pounds weight saving with a c/f hood....That sounds pretty appetizing.

Flip, who makes your hood?I love the car...looks very clean

[midwestdrifter]

your car will look badass emerald green with a cf hood. especially if you have black/gunmetal rims.

[LiU]

hey I have a 96 240sx, red (not maroon) I too was thinking about a VIS CF hood - but I've heard that the quality is not as good as real CF hoods - also my exterior's stock, you guys think CF hood will match?? I do plan to get black or bronze rims in the future though - hmm also 1 more question I have is what about holding the hood down? I don'tlike the ieda of pins where some1 can just pull it out - I'm 100% sureif I do that, some1 will jack my pins or maybe somn else inside the engine bay - so my questionis 1. quality of VIS CF hood 2. how to lock CF hood so not any1 canjust pullit open

[MarkEmark]

The hood pins are in addition to the standard locking mechanism. No one can lift the hood without pulling the release button inside of the car. The pins are there for added safety. Why would someone want to jack hood pins?!?

[LiU]

well my friend jacked the hood pins of of a riced focus back in myhigh school days just for the hell of it. haha what about the quality overtime compared to OEM hood and stuff.

[Dattebayo]

CF HOOD? Bah, humbug. That's just more rice. Wow i dropped a whole 40 lbs and such. Its a weak, pretend CF hood. Hoods are designed to re-direct the impact of a crash, and with the fake hoods they put out these days, you can hurt yourself. But i do like the real ones.

[nolaws4evr]

I have to get hood pins for mine, theres no way around it. seeing as how the hood weighs right at 10lbs, at speeds over 60mph, the hood starts vibrating so much that it knocks itself out of the first latch. it has never fully come up on me, but I dont want to even think about that ever happening.

anyways, to answere your questions.

1. Ive never heard anything bad about VIS hoods, and I eventually will end up buying another one made by them.I would have to say I recommend their hoods.

2. even though you will HAVE to get pins, you still have to pop the hood from inside the car just like you always have. so there would be no way for someone to get it open unless they either cut the cable, broke into your car, or you left it unlocked.

also, its not going to match your car that well, but I dont think Ive ever seen a cf hood on a car I didnt like. well, except maybe this pos neon once.

hope some of this helped,

Josh