Hi guys, my sister recently backed into my car the other day and basically gave the front of my hood a cleft lip. I found out it was going to cost 600+ just to get the hood repaired. Since they won't even be giving me a new hood, I figured I could just go the carbon fiber hood route. Can anyone give me some tips, advice, and/or links on what or where to buy them from. My brother is very mechanically inclined and so I was also wondering if the installation process is hard. Is there anything i should look out for or stay away from ? BTW, I have a '98 Black SE 5-speed. Any help would be much appreciated, guys !

 

Carbonefx.com

Don't forget the hood pins.

 

yea definally carbon fiber hood! I got a carbon fiber hood and trunk on my Max

 

Can we install the hood ourselves ? Also, this might sound like a stupid question, but do the carbon fiber hoods have holes for the windshield spray nozzles ? Any other places you can suggest as to where to get one.

 

I believe ALOT of the good name brand CF hoods do have the holes pre drilled, i have only heard of a handfull of people that have had to do it themselves, but this was a LONG time ago...So im pretty sure they all have the holes, Ive personally never seen one in person that DIDNT have holes for the spray nozzles...

Regardless, with a little masking tape, a dremel, and some free time to measure the placement of the nossles, its nothing you cant do yourself....

 

Are the hood pins ABSOLUTELY necessary ? I really don't want to be drilling holes in a new hood, so I was wondering how much it would cost to install hood pins ?

 

How much are the hoods ?

 

Search about this, I wish it wasnt necesary cause i hate the look of hoodpins, but as far as the hoods available for the 4th gens you need to have em unless you want the hood flying up on you...haha

I have only heard of a few people with 5th gens (VIS i believe) that dont use hood pins...i think its something that they do to reinforce the hood latch so you dont need the hood pins...

again, i might be wrong...and ive always been curious about the necesity of these...

 

I never put pins on either of the CF hoods I've owned, no problems other than the fact that they "bulge" a little at speed.

That said, I am going to be installing hood pins on the one I currently own just to keep that bulge down and for that added bit of security. I really don't like them though.

The old FiberImages hoods didn't have nozzle holes. I don't think FI even makes hoods for our cars anymore though. My current hood (Supra brand) did come with nozzle holes.

 

How much?

At some point I'd like to get one and paint it... I think the paint will be more than the hood though. :\

 

Correct me if im wrong, but wasnt the main reason some 4th gen hoods needed hood pins (or were recomended) was simply because the latch on the CF hood (steel) didnt bond good enough to the materials used to make the CF? I think the reason VIS hoods on the 5th gens didnt need the hood pins were because they somehow managed to reinforce that latch enough to not need any hood pins? I remember someone explained to me what they did exactly to reinforce the latch, but i cant remember....i just remember that it was a VIS hood

 

If you don't like the look of the regular hood pins, you should check out the Aerocatch. It's definitely much more attractive.

 

how much does carbon fiber hoods go for?

 

Anywhere from about $350 to $600 depending on who makes it. Ebay is probably your cheapest bet.

 

Are they all pretty much the same ? Is there anything I should look for in particular ?

 

I have no idea about other brands besides what I've owned. Both of the brands I've owned had steel plates that were bolted through the underside of the hood for the latch, no bonding of any sort going on.

EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, I think my Fiber Images hood did have some bonding going on, fiberglass or something. There were also bolts and nuts on the underside inside the frame as well.

 

Yea, some hoods have the latch bonded to the hood. Others like most of the VIS hoods that i have seen have the plate you are reffering too.

Without that plate i would highly recomend getting hood pins. I have a friend with a 97 here in sacramento that had his fly up on the road. Completely messed up the Hood and the windshield...His doesnt have that plate to reinforce the latch...

as for good looking hood pins, they make some CF ones that lock with a key, and look pretty good.

They are made by NRG = http://www.modacar.com/products/Honda/Civic/MODAHPL/

 

Certian brands may have certian features. Some will have rolled edges vs. beveled edges. Some brands have a better weave or less flaws in the weave than others. Some have a better gel coat than others. Im not excatally sure who has what features for the maxima hoods, but generally you get what you pay for. If your not sure just ask the seller and they should know.

I used to work at JSP who makes carbon fiber hoods among other things...I might try to swing by there and see some specifics on the maxima hood and see if I cant get some deals on them as well

 

Carbon EFX and ViS are what most people get. They have very good quality hoods (both companies) I personally have only seen ViS hoods in person and they are very nicely made, however i have heard carbon EFX is pretty much the same.

These companies both have rolled edges, reinforced hood latches (as nealoc mentioned), and i believe both companies also have double sided CF.

 

I saw an aerohatch on a G35 carbon fiber hood recently at the stillen meet (had never seen or heard of them before). They look 10x better than regular hood pins IMO.

 

i have 2 brand new carbon creation CF hoods for 4th gen coming around the end of june/ beginning of july if anyone is interested....they are back order as we speak....pickup only and will be in NJ...

 

Does anyone have any info about the ionic dynamic cf hood? I was looking at buying 1 from someone.

 

The Carbon EFX hoods I have seen in person do not have rolled edges nor do they have double sided CF.
I have an older Import Fan hood, it has the rolled CF edges. The Redline hood I had before my current one also didnt have the rolled edges. I havent seen too many hoods that do hae it other then the VIS hoods.

 

Those locking hood pins will not work. The curved hood doesnt allow the post and T bolt latch to line up. I, as well as others have tried.

 

Ionic Dynamics DOES NOT make a CF hood. If your refering to the FS thread in the 4th gen FS forums that features the hood and trunk, check it again. Its a Carbon EFX hood.

 

Incorrect. EFX does not have rolled edges. Can't speak for VIS.

 

Oh thanks for clearing that up. He told me it was a hood from Ionic.

Can someone like provide a picture of what rolled and nonrolled look like? I was just curious. I want a good looking hood.

 

I wish there were more designs for our cars in terms of carbon fiber...

 

If enough intrest was shown Im sure JSP would do something, generally all they want to see is 10 orders / pre-orders and they will do pretty much anything. Hardest part is getting everyone to agree on one thing.

I see your local do you ever go to nyirp?

 

Hmm, thats interesting...I havent seen them in person but i always thought that the redline hoods were the only CF hoods that didnt have all that...Well in that case, i would def go with ViS, they seam to cost about the same amount as the EFX hoods (on ebay at least....) they are a bit more expensive but not that much more considering all the extras compared to the EFX hoods...

And that sucks that you can put those CF hoodpins in! i thought those were pretty kewl lookin...oh well...

 

My current Import Fan hood has the rolled edges, the older Red Line hood did not.

 

I just ordered a CF hood from Deft racing. I am planning on doing a little review of it when it arrives next week...
The deft hood cost was 485 shipped to my door. I heard it was a really good hood.
http://www.deftracing.com/carbon_fib...san_maxima.htm

 

I don't really care to much about the looks of hood pins. But I was just concerned about the security of it. I don't want the hood to fly off while driving down the freeway. So I'm assuming the stock latch will be suffice in securing it ?

 

Only if the latch is attched to soemthing other then a plate that is bonded to the fiber glass underside. Most CF hoods are done this way and it doesnt take much force to rip away the hood section from the latch assembley since its just bonded together by FG.

 

No one really likes the look of hood pins. I sure as hell don't. Just do it for security and peace of mind. Just try and imagine what would happen if the hood flew up and smacked the windshield..........

 

I like the look of hood pins, adds extra character. I have no problem with it at all.

 

haha, been there done that...its a lil bit more scary with a stock hood...since it weighs ALOT more than a CF hood...yea smashed my entire windsheild in and put little dents on the top of my roof by the sun roof...

My windsheild got bashed in so hard, shards of glass hit me in the face INSIDE the car (just little fragments of the glass inside breaking)

Dont ask how this happened...haha...oh well it got me my new paint job!

 

if you go with the cf hood get hood pins, and make sure that the rubber grommets under the hood are raised high enough to make the hood sit flush.

 

I honestly want to get a CF hood and paint it. Then go for some flush hood pins.

Wonder how that'd look.

It's in the books..

 

It would probably look like your stock hood with hoodpins....