tinvestor

Anyone seen a lexan hood? I would like to buy one because I know how hard it would be to make a proper one (correct contours and mounting spots etc.)

So anyone know a Lexan shop that could do it or know where to buy one premade? Just want to have the option you know, one night TII hood, the next night Lexan.

DragonRx7

Why would you want lexan? So you can show off your engine?

No real purpose for a lexan hood. I would think it'd be to soft and melt with the engine heat.

tinvestor

yes to show off the engine bay. Not sure about the heat factor not real sure about melting or softening point.

tinvestor

I have seen lexan hoods just not for RX-7.

DragonRx7

Damn....ok, I would want to show off that engine bay too.

Have you considered getting a plain FG non-turbo hood and cutting out spaces and affixing your own lexan windows? That way you still see the engine but, you have most of the support and shape of a normal hood.

tinvestor

yeah but the police will see that you have a hood like that and I tend to like f-ing with them. At night it would look like I didnt have one and they would pull me over and look stupid standing on the passenger side of my car wondering where the steering wheel is. Take a minute to check out the links to the pics of this car if you liked the engine bay the rest is just as impressive.

tinvestor

not that the police are really why I would do it just playin but I think a plain Lexan hood would be sharper but I like the idea of having another way to do it.

mycarisolderthanme

Dragon, thats a good idea. I think it would look better too.

Tin, did you theme your engine bay after your fittings? Haha that's all I could think of.. looks nice!

DragonRx7

Then, get the NA hood and cut out everything except the outer rim of the hood. Just enough for the hood latch and hinge mounts and lexan the rest of it. At least you'll have somewhere to work from. Do it right and it should look like theres no hood.

Oh, I know...get a life size picture of the new Corvett engine and tape it to the underside of the clear hood and confuse people.

tinvestor

The problem is I would still have to get the lexan contoured to match the shape of the hood or it might look really dumb with a flat piece of lexan stretched across the hood

tinvestor

Yes that really was part of the idea behind it the other part is the USA theme I tried to spend as much of money on american made parts as possible. I am a union guy and I get a lot of **** about driving a Jap car at all so every little bit helps.

DragonRx7

Well, you either have that, or get someone to make you a custom hood. I can't say I've heard of any lexan hoods for an Rx7. Maybe call one of the companies that make them for Civics and see how much it would cost for a custom one for the 7 or see if they even have one in stock but don't advertise it.

EDIT: Maybe we haven't flamed him becuase it's a damn clean bay and well done. He's building his car right and not half assed. It may not be your taste but you should appreciate the amount of work that he's put into it.

Jackass.

DragonRx7

Hmm...then I'm really out of suggestions about the hood then. How would a 240sx hood compare to a 7 hood? Do they have the 240 hood in lexan?

tinvestor

not sure I will have to look I am certain that the contour would be way closer than a flat piece so I might have to try that. Saw a guy at world of wheels with a lexan hood on an OLD car he told me you use some type of electric heat tape to heat it up to form it I just dont know how many pices I would need how close together etc.

chmercer

hahahahah

um yes, yes it is. same lock to lock ratio, no performance benefits. cool red water neck also.

DragonRx7

Since it's not like you'll be driving cross country with it, you could probably get away with the thin plexiglass you can buy at Home Depot and use your hood as a mold. It'll be off slightly but some trimming on the edges should work. You'll need to find a way to support the center so it doesn't droop on the engine. And the hinge mounts, I'm sure you could figure something out.

tinvestor

Yeah you can use thicker blocks where the mounting points are you just glue them on with some crap that is designed for lexan it is a chemical bonding agent of some type. As far as sagging goes once you put curves into a structure its strength is multiplied so sagging wont happen.

I did a search on that AHOLE Chmercer and he REALLY got into it with RETED and AARON CAKE I have no idea how he can even still be on this forum.

Chmercer it is not for added performance benefit. Not everything is about performance sometimes it is just about the pride of a job well done. It takes a lot of time effort and fabrication to convert a car to RHD.

DragonRx7

Considering he's one of the few 7 owners to actually do it earns him some leeway in non performance modifications.

Anyways, I don't think the sheets you can pick up at Home Depot will be big enough for one piece to cover the bay but, if you join them at an angle in the middle it'll add shape and rigidity. So, that might work out pretty well.

KeloidJonesJr.

iTrader: (8)

heh tell that to the ones who vent their hoods. RX-7's are water cooled.

alucardm4

not joking.... I never joke about vehicles.... b'sides I've driven a dozen cars and the rx7 has by my standards some reall interesting stuff packed into it. as far as most other "Ricers" I dont understand why they just mainly slap a resonator onto it and call it a racer...

tinvestor

+1 on that. All turbo cars can benefit from a vented hood.

jon0886

iTrader: (1)

lexan hood?!?!?!? are you out of your mind!?!?!?
those things are the ugliest things in the world - why would you want to ruin a beautiful car by putting some ricey crap on it?

just my 2 cents.

jk, im a nice guy

but seriously, they're ugly.

tinvestor

I dont mean a colored lexan hood (YES THOSE ARE HIDEOUS) I mean a clear hood just to show the bay off and not have to worry about some idiot scratching the fender or touching anything.

KeloidJonesJr.

iTrader: (8)

Aren't they?
Anywho, I'd just go with the stock scoop. OEM > aftermarket.
Where'd the poll go?

swbooking

Well no matter what i hope you get your lexan hood done and i think your engine bay is BAD ***! I wish i had the time an money to make mine look like that. Good job!