3rd Gen General Discussion The place for non-technical discussion about 3rd Gen RX-7s or if there's no better place for your topic

Carbon fiber gauge hood

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-06-18, 11:41 AM
  #1  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
FL 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.
Attached Thumbnails Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_120814.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_120833.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_120844.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_121149.jpg  
Old 02-06-18, 11:53 AM
  #2  
RX-7 Bad Ass

iTrader: (55)
 
DaleClark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 15,399
Received 2,437 Likes on 1,508 Posts
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
Old 02-06-18, 11:58 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Mikelivi91's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Youngstown, OH
Posts: 258
Received 27 Likes on 24 Posts
CF hood looks really good. I ended up snagging an OEM one last week on the classifieds or else I was in the same boat with the CF. Let us know how it fits and who it came from.
Old 02-06-18, 12:09 PM
  #4  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
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.
Old 02-06-18, 12:09 PM
  #5  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
I knew it was you, who took it.
Old 02-06-18, 01:12 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Mikelivi91's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Youngstown, OH
Posts: 258
Received 27 Likes on 24 Posts
Originally Posted by Red94fd
I knew it was you, who took it.
Hahah. Jumped on it quick or else it would have been gone. Waited 4 months for a decent one to pop up
Old 02-06-18, 04:34 PM
  #7  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
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.
Attached Thumbnails Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_153039.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_153100.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_154700.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180206_153049.jpg  
Old 02-06-18, 04:40 PM
  #8  
Rx7 Wagon

iTrader: (16)
 
Narfle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: California
Posts: 6,988
Received 875 Likes on 548 Posts
Sure looks the part. Pretty cool.
Old 02-07-18, 09:44 AM
  #9  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
FL

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..
Attached Thumbnails Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180207_085135.jpg   Carbon fiber gauge hood-20180207_085159.jpg  
Old 02-07-18, 10:55 AM
  #10  
RX-7 Bad Ass

iTrader: (55)
 
DaleClark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 15,399
Received 2,437 Likes on 1,508 Posts
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
Old 02-07-18, 11:49 AM
  #11  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
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.
Old 02-07-18, 04:44 PM
  #12  
Don't worry be happy...

iTrader: (1)
 
Montego's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 6,846
Received 787 Likes on 463 Posts
It doesn't look half bad!
Old 06-30-19, 06:24 AM
  #13  
Rotary Enthusiast

iTrader: (3)
 
MILOS7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: los angeles
Posts: 761
Received 22 Likes on 10 Posts
Originally Posted by Red94fd
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..
Looks great.

any glare while driving with the glossy finish?
Old 06-30-19, 12:06 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
SpinningDorito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: TX
Posts: 482
Received 80 Likes on 68 Posts
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.

The following users liked this post:
MILOS7 (06-30-19)
Old 06-30-19, 01:21 PM
  #15  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
You notice some glare, but no to the point that interferes with driving. I might paunt mine too. It looks nice painted.
The following users liked this post:
MILOS7 (06-30-19)
Old 07-25-21, 04:51 AM
  #16  
Full Member
iTrader: (1)
 
chrxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: CA
Posts: 77
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
@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!
Old 07-25-21, 10:31 AM
  #17  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (26)
 
Redbul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: B.C.
Posts: 5,008
Received 1,205 Likes on 937 Posts
BC

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!)



Last edited by Redbul; 07-25-21 at 10:35 AM.
Old 07-25-21, 12:32 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
SpinningDorito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: TX
Posts: 482
Received 80 Likes on 68 Posts
Originally Posted by chrxx
@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!
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.
Old 07-25-21, 06:56 PM
  #19  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (26)
 
Redbul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: B.C.
Posts: 5,008
Received 1,205 Likes on 937 Posts
Tracking shows my hood will arrive tomorrow.
Old 07-26-21, 01:50 PM
  #20  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (26)
 
Redbul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: B.C.
Posts: 5,008
Received 1,205 Likes on 937 Posts
BC 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!






Old 07-26-21, 03:25 PM
  #21  
RX-7 Bad Ass

iTrader: (55)
 
DaleClark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 15,399
Received 2,437 Likes on 1,508 Posts
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
Old 07-26-21, 11:25 PM
  #22  
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
Red94fd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 809
Received 94 Likes on 75 Posts
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..
Old 07-27-21, 01:27 AM
  #23  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (26)
 
Redbul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: B.C.
Posts: 5,008
Received 1,205 Likes on 937 Posts
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?
Old 08-16-21, 04:06 AM
  #24  
Full Member
iTrader: (1)
 
chrxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: CA
Posts: 77
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
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!
The following users liked this post:
Redbul (08-16-21)
Old 08-16-21, 10:25 AM
  #25  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (26)
 
Redbul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: B.C.
Posts: 5,008
Received 1,205 Likes on 937 Posts
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!


Quick Reply: Carbon fiber gauge hood



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:19 AM.