Carbon fiber gauge hood
 

I broke the damn hood of my gauges four weeks ago trying to fix my tach. I received the carbon fiber that i ordered. I purchased this without seeing review anywhere. I have not installed it yet, but here are some pics.

Neat! Where did you get it from? How's the fit?

I know the LHD and RHD gauge hoods are different, the tabs that hold it in place are at slightly different angles, which ROYALLY sucks.

Dale

Comparing side by side with the oem looks spot on. I got this one from napol products. I havent installed it yet, but by just setting it in place looks 9/10. I am planing to work on it tonight.

I knew it was you, who took it.

I started on the cluster hood. The studs need to be drilled to accept the screws with the clips, but it is easy.
the fitmen so far its incredible. I only have to put it nack in the car and take a last pic. Here are some pics.
I am very pleased with this.

Sure looks the part. Pretty cool.

Finally the gauges with the hood are in.
final observation: i broke the studs that come on the hood, i admit, i forced it a little bit. They are easy to glue them back, but i am not going to do that now. Other than that if you have all the screws and studs it will fit perfect, better than mine with the gap.. :(

Found a link to the vendor -

92-02 RX-7 RX7 FD3S FD LHD CARBON FIBER INTERIOR INSTRUMENT DASH SPEEDO COVER R1 - Mazda

About $200.

Dale

Yes, thats the link. If i would recommend this product, yes. Just go easy putting it back in place... i am not a fan of carbon fiber interior pieces, but damn it looks good.

It doesn't look half bad!

Looks great.

any glare while driving with the glossy finish?

Oh cool. I grabbed one of these through Ebay last year because the OEM one that came with my car was about 10 years past done. They ship them down from Canada if I remember right.

They take a little bit of hand fitting if you want to use the stock mounting system. I remember having to do a slight amount of drilling to open up the holes and such for the all the mount points/clips.

I had the same issue as OP with one/some of the studs breaking. I wish that I had just attached it via strong magnets like I have seen some other people do, and I'll probably make that change next time I'm in the area, or if the cluster gets too shifty the way it is mounted currently.

I don't have a great picture of mine right now, but you can kind of see it here. I did go ahead and paint mine to match the rest of the interior as best I could.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...31edea3f7d.jpg

You notice some glare, but no to the point that interferes with driving. I might paunt mine too. It looks nice painted.

@Red94fd @SpinningDorito

Thanks for this.... was removing my cluster to send to Michael for repair... and wouldn't you know it, my meter hood crumbled lol. I was just researching Napoli, before I found this thread.
Curious - do you have photos that can point to the tab that broke when you were placing the meter hood? I want to watch out for the same thing when I get to put everything back together for mine as well.

Thanks again guys!

Napoli have been selling those for quite a while, I ordered one the other day.



They were a bug importer of JDM FD for a long time. They began importing after they could not find OEM replacements.

Their site says they have sold a ton. Very interesting to hear that they can be adapted to fit LHD!

I am hoping the piece matches with the Type R Bathurst R factory CF replica set.

Napoli also sells the metal FD door handles. They are skookum!

(I ordered mine several weeks ago and it has not come yet. Maybe demand is high!)

Not sure I have a picture of it, but you'll know them when you see them. At least on the part I got they were pretty much just cylinders that came out perpendicular to the hood.

Tracking shows my hood will arrive tomorrow.

Napoli in the Box
 

Napoli Hood arrived intact. Wrapping could have been better, but it did not have far to travel.

Looks like it will match well enough with my Type R Bathurst R instrument sorround.

Not keen that I have to drill out the posts and drill holes for the attachment screws.

But I guess that keeps the costs down!



https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...879259f7dd.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...1787d313d6.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...63874f82ab.jpg

My concern with a lot of the CF interior parts is fit, finish, and how all the little things attach to it. That's the kicker. A lot of it looks good outside the car but is a disaster to install.

I would also be concerned about the resin they used on the CF yellowing with age/UV.

Dale

I would recommend to re inforce every post with something like JB weld or something of the sort. I removed mine to wire some gauges and i manage to break one of the post.
good luck..

Yeah. The posts pretty much crumble once you touch them. I will probably use a professional shop to put in my Bathurst R CF set. Although I am afraid they may not have "the knowledge". I always recommend people have back pieces in hand, before venturing to remove existing.. The CF hood I have is essentially a backup of my backup. Pulled it in because , how long will Napoli be there?

looks great @Redbul - Napoli is on backorder rn so Im just waiting, but Michael just fixed my gauges and I cant wait to install them.
@SpinningDorito will watch out for those tabs and probably reinforce as well.

I did manage to piece by piece glue my crumbled old meter hood. Added Fiberglass tape and will JB weld soon. I know its cracked on the outer part, but I read someone here glued a black felt cloth to the CF hood to make it match.
Will probably do the same to the glued meter hood. If anybody remembers the thread for that one, would be great if you can link!

Have not got mine installed yet as th shop is moving carefully and deliberately. Perhaps I will pre-reinforce the posts as has been suggested. My comment above about the posts crumbling was referring to the old pieces being removed. Every time I handle those pieces I find little bits of post on the floor!