nukblazi

Any takers over here who aren't on the other site?

Basic deal is this, we can have a limited run of 10 hoods made if we have 10 confirmed, prepaid orders. This is hopefully going to be a no bull***** thread. No, it will not fit the sedan. Yes, it would use all OEM latch and attachment points. No, we can not add special scoops or vents. Just a stock replacement hood. Please C&P the following and add your name IF you are serious;

I am willing to pre-pay for one CF hood for the 2002 - 2005 Sport Coupe (cl203). I understand that the quote of $550 - $600 DOES NOT include shipping.

1. taylor192 (mbklasse)
2. Byroll01 (mbklasse)
3. nukblazi
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vadim

What is the weight gain? And how about safety? This thing surely is not going to crumple the way the original one would when you'd need it...

Outland

The hood has NOTHING to do with crash safety. Its not a stressed member. The only safety issues you have to worry about is the bolts coming loose around the CF over time when it cracks. If you autocross, the wieght savings might be worth it.

brabusCcoupe

Would it be available in silver CF or just black? Thanks

BlackC230Coupe

Well, on all production cars all hoods have crumple zones on them. This will certainly not crumple. If ever an accident, u will hope the hood just brakes off and detaches from the car, or stays open and does not come threw the windshield.

vadim

As was stated - it sure does! Any element that crumples under impact absorbs its energy, the hood included. In all modern cars they are designed to buckle upwards, thus providing additional safety barrier to the occupants.

Outland

Bull****. THe hood does nothing. Its the structure that's underneath that saves your hides. A latch in the front, no points connected on the sides, and two chincy struts in the back....its not doing anything. You could destroy the hood with your bare hands.

vadim

Energy required to deform the hood is the energy absorbed from the impact - less of which will be absorbed by other parts of the car *or* passed on to the occupants. Physics 101. But you are free to believe what you want.

BlackC230Coupe

I don't think that what were talking about. Its obvious the hood is not going to save your life. Its a matter of "what will happen to the CF hood in an accident" i am sure you are aware of the visible crumple zones on the hood when you open it that were specifically designed so the hood crumples and does not go thew the windshield.

With that said, I would still get a CF hood if I wanted, it would not stop me from getting one. Just pointing out that the safety of the vehicle can change.

vadim

Ok, we have dealt with the safety issue. :p Now: What is the weight gain?

Capt Nemo o2

No, the hood does not supply any signifigant safety in an accident. It does absorb some energy, but not much. The hood is designed to crumble upwards so that it doesnt get pushed back through the windshield. And as far as carbonfiber hoods go, they will just turn to dust in an accident. Any "fiber suspended in resin" cracks and shatters when a force is loaded from which it was not designed to handle. Ever see a boat or Corvette in an accident and you will know what I am talking about.

nukblazi

Net weight; Can't figure that out because all we ever do is debate, never build. It is going to be a little less then half the lbs. of stock.
Safety; like Nemo said.

It's a black hood. No options. Period. If we could stop being such wus' and build the damn thing we could get more information. If I have to pay out of pocket to build ONE, I will take to my grave or burn it. 10 people, 10 hoods, then there would be a mold. If you want a CF hood, go in on the black one, you could resell on eBay and make a profit, then request a Silver CF hood since the mold will exist, it will be obtainable.

If we don't pull our ***** together, and actually commit instead of deliberate, we will never have anything. Page two, and no takers. This isn't the way it is supposed to be.

taylor192

Just change your page/post count to 50 and all will seem better again.

Any luck contacting Fiber Images? If we could only get ahold of them, they have the mold, do they not want more sales? Seems like a strange business model to ignore customer requests for an item they have fabricated beforehand.

Jim Banville

I thought carbon fiber was supposed to be as stong as aluminum, but much lighter? I don't think it turns to dust when broken, but breaks into sharp pieces. I see shards of carbon fiber puncturing tires during F1 races quite often. Due to this 'fracturing' nature, is there ZERO chance that if during a high speed frontal impact, the hood, or a significant piece of it, won't slice through the windshield and cut your head off, or otherwise injure someone? I see "safety" as a key selling point for these cars on this forum pretty frequently. It doesn't seem to make sense to monkey with it for the sake of saving the equivalent weight of a full sized spare tire.

nukblazi

I am sure that if some ricers (we all know they are constantly wreching their cars) head was cut off it would have made the news, and their parents would have sued the company making the Hood (VIS) and it'd be off the market. I am honestly about to give up, and I will pay the premiums from now on and not tell you people where I got it. I swear. I'll make it my little secret.

mypantsaretorn

LOL

taylor192

NO!

Do you really need 10? Do you already have a frabricator contacted? If we only had 5, and the price was a little higher, screw the rest of them, lets get it done!

nukblazi

We don't even have 5 lol! The faricator gave us his requirements- min 10 people, 550 - 600

Jim Banville

You hit the nail on the head
You think CF hood and "rice" comes to mind!

taylor192

Sweet, I didn't know you already had a fabricator lined up. I'll post something on MBCanada to see if others are interested (yet most post on MBKlasse anyways).

nukblazi

Not in my mind. Rice immitates race. A lot of road race cars are nearly all composite consisting of Carbon Fiber, valances, fenders, hoods, decks, anything to save weight.

It's not my problem a bunch of low lives slap VIS hoods and incomplete body kits. Immitation is the most sincere form of flatery, and I am sorry but I race my car, and I have no objects to lossing 50% of the weight of the hood. Mine would likely be painted cilver unless the black hood flows nicely into the black pano roof top. Next I want to replace the glass panels of the pano with Carbon Fiber or a black painted steel roof.

Think what you want though!

Jim Banville

Not to nit-pick, but it was you who first brought up ricers & their CF hoods as a response to my questions about the safety of CF hoods. So apparently you do associate CF hoods & ricers in your mind

808_230K

if it deleted the hole where the hood badge sits, I'd consider it... and it would give me a good, removable spot to leave those car-show-requisite stickers and make the shop happy

Capt Nemo o2

Strength is relative. CF takes compression and tension really well, but does not have a good moment strength. (moment = bending) If the force of an acident was applied to the hood at its edge and parallel to the hood, theoretically it could shear at its connections (the bolts) and be sent aft into the ****pit. The probability of that is next to zero being that the hood is angled and comprised of a complex curve and a collison applies the force in multiple directions. As far as the shards, remember, the quality of CF used in F1 are much better than almost anything available on the market. They have the fiber/resin ratio down to a science to make it strong in places and flexible in others. It is also thicker. And the more resin that is used the more likely it is that it will shard. Likewise, with less resin it will turn into dust, to a point, then too little resin and the CF becomes very flexible. I assume in this application, the CF should be allowed to flex some since hoods tend to flex quite a bit. So will it turn into deadly shards? I doubt it, but then again, kids in the back seat have been decapitated by the cover of the front airbags in a collision... Anything is posible!!!

nukblazi

Jim, don't forget to use my comments in their original context. I am just going to have a fiber glass hood built requiring hood pins. It's less weight anyway, and this isn't working.

"Screw you guys, I'm going home."