TexasSteele

Anyone have a source for carbon fiber or even fiberglass hoods for a w211 e55?

How about a good place in Texas (even a junkyard?) to find an obsidian black one?

TexasSteele

Has anyone used the VIS offering? Comments on quality/fitment?

Jakpro1

I still can't believe NOONE has come up with a hood for our cars with air inlets for venting or even possibly a hood down to TB closer connection.

Tuner showed one off awhile back at Sema wasn't it?? White car with black inserts in the hood.

We all freaked and were ready to buy and never heard another word.

chiromikey

no kidding! imho, there are several items that "tuners" are missing the boat on. oh well...

MB_Forever

I think Evosport has one. But you're right, we never heard anything about it since SEMA show a couple of years back

Jakpro1

Found the pics. Guess it wasn't as pretty as I remember, but bet she blows that heat right out!!

jangy

Hmmm, I dunno about the CF hood thing. Yes, i like the vent idea, although those are out of place (visually and for performance).

What does the OEM hood weigh anyways? I think I remember it being just over 20lbs, is that true?

Also, what happens in a head on collision when the thing doesn't crumple like the OEM hood would. I don't want my head cut off for looks. IMO this whole CF thing is getting waaaay out of hand and useless. There are very few truly CF products out there. Most are heavy overlays on fiber glass or the OEM part.

blackbenzz

I see a Vorsteiner sticker on that hood posted

obsidian05e55

Thats is he Vorsteiner prototype hood.. Think the idea was scrapped.. If i remember correctly, the one on the car in the pic is actually a modified OEM hood, not CF

hooleyboy

I think hood vents are almost a must for cars out here in AZ, Like mine, Mikey's and others. I'm going to a body shop and have them bust out the saw and start cutting.

Does anyone know of any good vents or a place that sells vents that can be molded to the hood?

Autoscope

I will get you an OEM Price in the morning! Then compare it to a CF hood (if one). You know, you might as well go lighter. Where are you in Texas?

TexasSteele

Central TX/Austin Area but will be in DFW for DMB (and hopefully some Gumball3k) on 5.1.

I like the CF idea, as with the TB location the car is begging for a cowl induction/ram air setup.

Remove the air boxes and inlet tubes and free up a bunch of space. A simple filter and air box integration that grabs the nice cool dense low pressure air at the base of the windshield and pick up a bunch of power.

So many ideas, so little operating capital. AND i wanna drive the damn car everyday.

I'm afraid OEM is going to be $$$$, I can get a CF from VIS (decent experience with BMW parts) for under $1000 without negotiating yet...

CF would be for weight and workability, but I'd probably end up painting it obsidian. I like a nice quiet stock looking car. I even have the CF trunk lip sitting in the bedroom as I'm torn on whether to install or leave it off.

Car is debadged on stock chrome split 5 spoke 18s.

jangy

If you guys end up cutting, please make sure you hit a high pressure spot, like OP said. By the windshield is the highest on our cars, not where Vorsteiner had them. Also, check for fitment before you commit. The OEM one fits perfectly. The CF hoods I've seen don't. Dunno why BMWs have good luck and our parts suck. My front lip is a $1200 piece of CRAP.

TexasSteele

Seems the stock TB location is just about centered in front of the OEM "vent" in the rear of the hood...close enough that stacking two of them back to back may cover and give the inlet we're looking for. Now to filter and weather proof that air

chiromikey

keep in mind that the vorsteiner hood has venting to remove engine heat so their choosing an area of low pressure was the right choice.

TexasSteele

Right-I'm thinking a high volume cold air induction would be worth more than heat extraction. Amazed the car breathes through the two snorkels.

blackbenzz

Like this?

TexasSteele

Nice...but I still think getting it closer to the throttle body would work better...and theoretically gains would increase exponentially with a larger throttle body.

blackbenzz

You have to remember that some people like to drive in the rain. And where would you fit a filter? Is there enough space? If you have an opening right before the TB you will suck in water when it rains.

Oh I know all about the TB gains. Mine will be done by this weekend

TexasSteele

Definitely fit a filter...

Think more along the lines of a slight cowl induction hood...like the muscle cars used to have.

And there are definitely ways to prevent water ingestion...a bowl under the inlet with drain holes and the filter sucking up.

I have a few ideas-just need time and a daily driver :-)
Unfortunately aesthetics come into play on the exterior portion of the car

blackbenzz

Great ideas, good luck

storm

going with a CF hood makes alot of sense,, it saves about 21 lbs

add a CF trunk and thats another 19 lbs saves

40 lbs would give you equiv of about 5 add hp, general rule of 7 lbs shed = 1 hp equiv.

lose your spare tire and took kit thats another 40 lbs,,

change out the resonator and mufflers and thats another 55 lbs..

so around 140 lbs can be shed, which lambo and ferrari,
and aston martin all so on their sport racing models and charge $40,000 more.. for

its a great way to get more speed and lighten the car..

I have done all the above and more and can tell you the car handles better and is about 3/10 a sec quicker.

total cost less than $2300, not a bad tradeoff..

Speedn' Island

What about sound systen weight loss. Any ideas for that?

Or frame work? Shaving?

Yacht Master

How can that be? I am interested in the source of your information. Have you weighed a w211 hood and trunk lid?