carbon fiber hood for SC's!
 

checkout http://www.importfan.com/search.asp?7=lexus&6=4
they have a pic of the hood on an SC. However the price says TBA. Anyone know anything about this? Perhaps we can get the folks who were interested in the previous failed CF hood effort together on this and get a GP or discount going???

Double-sided CF hood for the SC's!
 

checkout http://www.importfan.com/search.asp?7=lexus&6=4
they have a pic of the double-sided carbon fiber hood on an SC. However the price says TBA (retail $750). Anyone know anything about this? Perhaps we can get the folks who were interested in the previous failed CF hood effort together on this and get a GP or discount going???
I just called them and they indicate 2 months until production. Currently, it is OEM style with openings for the washer fluid nozzels as well as provisions for the stock hood latch. Unfortunately, they require the hood fasteners to cover their "liability".
Unfortunately, I don't have the time/bandwidth to coordinate a group buy, but I am hoping someone would step in and carry this forward if there is enough interest. I for one am interested. Can I get a show of hands of the folks who would be interested as well as anyone who might be willing to step up and coordinate this?
TIA

Does anyone know about the saftey issues concerning CF hoods? I mean, our stock hoods are built with safety in mind. I wish I had money for a hood though...

BTW, I don't believe that the picture they have is of their own product. That picture has been floating around on the internet for a while.

Does anyone know the weight of the stock hood that would be removed? How about the weight of the new piece? Is it any harder for the body shop to paint (ie will they screw it up)? If I haev a frontal crash is it going to slice my head off or anything? ;-)

If it turns out to be a decent weight saving, and shipping isn't too bad (eek)...

80 lbs is the stock hood. most cf hoods are 15 lbs.

but are they any good?? does anyone has a CF hood from them?????I'm curious

I would compare Import Fans quality to VIS. They pretty much compete against each other. It says the hood is a C-Wings. I think that is the company's name for their cf products, but don't qoute me on it.

Not only is it not their product howie, but the b@stards photochopped it too. I've spoken with the CEO of the company in Japan that actually makes those bonnets, if you call it speaking, his English is frightening, but one day we'll work out a way to get a few of these, unless someone in the states comes out with a quality product and saves me all the translation...

shady company?
 

I saw the pic of that hood a few weeks ago, the just filled the vents from the original pic!

Lex Luther, I was wondering if you had followed up on our discussion about that hood? I know that at least three other members other than myself, would be up for the purchase.

Jimmy

I'm in as well. Officially. Would like to help organize, but can't get the time now. The funds are available.

Please contact the group buy coordinator about bulk purchases. We try to get involved to make your group buy safer and that the product purchased is of quality.

Thanks

MW

Same "quality" as VIS??? Judging from the stories.. eeww.

But it's actually made in Japan? That could make it ok... made by a company called C-Wings? Any ideas on the price in Japan (closer to me than the US..)

65 pounds... not bad. My car is currently very front heavy. Shipping slip says 910kg front 750kg rear. Only going to get worse with the turbo/IC/piping :(

maybe getting decapitated in a front end collision(metal bends...carbon fiber???)??? scary thought.

i'm just speculating though...not trying to scare anyone..

From my experience and what I've seen....

A bad thing about CF hoods is that you can not use the stock hood shocks and they are too strong (due to the weight difference)...I don't know if anyone makes lower pressure shocks or if a stock one can be modified...

Also, some CF do not have "U" for the stock hood latch so you would need hood pins to keep it down...which means it's easy to get under your hood (there are way to make it secure though)...

Another bad thing about CF hoods is that it has to be REALLY WELL LAID...a "kink" in the CF sticks out like a sore thumb....

A lot of CF hoods don't have a nice finish...very few have "car paint" level finishes....but you can clearcoat and colorsand to fix that in most cases.

A lot of CF hoods have very bad edges (not rolled edges) so you'll need to paint a small strip of black (or some other color) to hide the ugly edges...no big deal because then you can always just have the entire hood clearcoated too...but a extra cost on top of the CF hood...

Now if you have the $$$, you could get a "Dry" CF hood which looks incredible (but still has some of the bad points of a CF hood)...

Anyone know where you can get lower pressure hood shocks?

Its about 12,000 (msrp) in japan and is made of Fiberglass, Cannot use stock hood shocks and requires a goofy latching system that is no where close to OEM. ...not really sure why they are using that pic because that hood isnt CF.:egads:

Carmake T&E sources custom parts and can do it for about 1600.00-1800.00 will NOT accept factory shocks. I'll be able to see all of their stuff in person later this summer...camera in hand :)

I think theres one coming out from another kit maker in Japan (MM) that said they could do it....but my 'gut' says that they have not looked into it and just threw it out there since they make hoods already.

There are LOTS of reasons why these hoods are not made.......not the same as a CIVIC. I wish that it were, but it simply is not. which is why there are so few around. . :(


shocks can be custom made.