Here's the substructure as moulded to fit around the vents and various bottles, wires, etc. under the hood (still needs sanding, but you get the idea). Note the integrated hood latch bar.

 

Ooohhh sexy.

 

Very nice!!!!! Looks like it is coming along. Any ideas on weight yet? BTW......the hood latch is awsome


Also, is that the plug or is the part on top of the mold, looks like a pretty thick part?

 

That looks great D'arcy, it's cool how you've retained the stock look for the underside of the hood, makes it look more refined.

 

It's thick around the hood latch rod (for obvious reasons). Actually the rod is welded into a metal plate, which is then sandwiched between layers. Last thing I wanted was for the rod to come out, leaving only the hinges mounting the hood as you drive!

This one is also attached to a cut-up version of the hood (if we'd photographed the underside you'd see not hollow C-channels but smooth hood material) because we had to ensure it fit accurately around the vents. Once sanded, this will become a buck to cast the final mold from. The attached and cut-up hood skin ads thickness in the photo.

That said, we're making the substructure thicker than the top skin, because the 3-d shape makes it more rigid and it uses less material than the top, so this is the ideal way to preserve rigidity while decreasing overall material used and therefore decreasing weight.

My goal is to have this look like an OEM part once painted and bolted on, hence the rounded sculpting of the substructure and moulded recesses for the windshield washer fluid bottle, etc.

 

man... these hoods are going to be awesome when they are done. Everytime I see a thread about them it makes me a little more excited.

 

I just need a new hood!

 

good, i'm happy to hear you decided to try to reduce the total weight overall.
the channall running down the middle is also a good design factor, not to preach
but check fitment on a car(s) at each stage just to make sure. of coarse your going to fabricate the sub-structure in fibre-glass while the top skin in both carbon and fibre-glass. how many layers for the sub-structure ? 3.

 

Thanks for once again posting things I've already stated we're doing, or have done, as 'advice'.

 

Hey man, you mean by vented hood as in like air dams or something on the top of the hood? It looks nice BTW.

Just curious are these hoods for a group buy or is it going to be part of your shop's stock item?

 

$299 - Fiberglass

$499 - Carbon Fiber

Shipping $150-$200

Is this correcct?

Either way good job Manntis

 

$700 for a carbon fiber hood? You're not serious right!

 

Damn...expensive. But...good quality = good money

 

For $700 it better be DAMN good quality.

 

I love my rx so much. It needs one of these hoods, prior to getting a paintjob, to be complete =)

 

Like this:



I plan to do a run of about a half dozen FRP hoods and see where it goes.

 

Well,

Here's a brain teaser...what about a carbon fiber peice in front of the lights (I've forgotten what they are called) to match the hood?

 

That's a nice hood. Hopefully when you start selling I will have the cash That would be a good investment.

 

You guys think $700 for a hood is EXPENSIVE? I must still not be used to the Rotary community

Check prices on hoods for something like a 64 GTO and feel the burn.

EDIT: Right now, I found one on Ebay for $450 + shipping. I wish they were that cheap when we were buying mine. We spent $600 + shipping (around $250) for a stock, fiberglass hood.

 

.

 

and i thought i was stupid

 

will you be able to make other style hoods with that sub structure, or are you just going to make the style pictured?


So far looks like its going to be a great quality hood!

 

The intent is to offer this as a functional, attractive alternative to the stock hood for road-going cars. Style is of course subjective but I've made every effort to make the hood appear to be a stock design, in that the lines etc. closely match the stock lines of our cars.

If I receive several requests for a different style, I'll look into pursuing the alternate design.

 

I just want the carbon fiber look, that’s all I ask, with my candy blue paint I've got planned it'll set it off!