Well, yesterday I went and picked up my Mazdaspeed Replica carbon fiber vented hood. Let me say it's beautiful. Long and Huey did an excellent job orchestrating this. My only beef is with the shipping company. I got the box and saw a part of the cardboard caved in and knew it would be interesting inside. Well, there's about an 8 inch scratch right in the middle of the top, and what looks to be just a HOLE about 3mm wide toward the front. I'll probably just get some clear-coat on those spaces and call it a day. But the craftsmanship is very good. The lines are straight, but one side does seem to be angled a bit more to one side...but very tollerable. I'll get some pictures up later when i'm done cleaning it up. It DOES vent hot air VERY VERY well. I put my hand above it and the heat was just flowing out. Thanks guys!
~Tom
PS- HOOD PINS! When you get those in could you ship 'em to:
103 E. Daniel St. #11
Champaign, IL 61820
I didn't get a reply from my email, so there's the address. Thanks!

 

Where did you get the hood?

 

LongRX7 set up a group buy. I physically picked it up from a shipping depot in aurora, IL. Here's some pictures!

 

Does your hood come with a latch and does it cpme with pre-drilled holes for the stock hinges. Mine come with the stock latch and has holes for the stock hinges so I guess it is just bold on like the stock hood. But I am still concerning if I should use hood pins for safety. Do I need it since the hood has the latch already which should secure the hood in place. Do you use mesh grilles for your vents or you just leave it opens. How do you deals with the vents and rains.

 

Came w/ latch and holes, but one of them just wouldn't screw in so i'm just using 3. I'll use pins when Long sends 'em to me. I will eventually put wire mesh over the vents, and use magnetic strips to prevent water when i need to.
~Tom

 

If it helps the rain from entering the engine bay it will be great and where can I get those magnetic strips. Do i need to do any custom fittings for it.

 

Just get a sheet of magnet (like refrigerator magnet material) and cut it to your liking. Hardware store should have it.
~Tom

 

Ok! that will work. Thanks.

 

Hyperite,
Can you take some close-ups pics of the hood lines where it meets the fender? I am debating on getting the FG or CF. The CF looks to be better quality than the FG. Are ou going to paint to match?

-Mark

 

I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow (no time during the day today). EVENTUALLY (like, in 15 months) i'm getting the whole car repainted. At that time i'll have the hood painted red, but for now i kinda like the carbon weave. The lines are pretty good, I did notice it comes closer to one side than the other, but seriously it's hard to notice
~Tom

 

What size bolts did you use to put the hood on? I want to put mine on, Thanks

 

That would be some helpful information since I'm about to put mine on. I couldn't find any bolts in my stash that would fit. So whats the info if you don't mind on the ones you used. Length, width, etc or any data would be helpful.

Tim Benton

 

I used 5/16 x 3/4 on mine. It's about as close as you can come to perfect.

 

Use reverse engineering. Take one of the nuts off the stock hood and go to the hardware store ie...Lowe's, Home Depot and test fit your nut on their bolt. That last part sounded kinda funny, huh. I used metric with an allen head top found at Lowe's. I think it is either an 8mm or 10mm.

 

Yeah, i don't remember exactly, but i think it was 10mm x 3/4". just take any piece from the stock hood to the store and match 'em up. That's what I did, and the main reason i don't remember Hey Long, what's the scoop on my hood pins?
~Tom

 

Damn my luck. I went to Home Depot Sunday looking for an 8 or 10 mm bolt, even took the nut off my hood to test fit. Tried the 5/16, wouldn't fit, so I look for the metric bolts, not a damn one..not 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, of any size length. Going to lowes monday, boy this sucks since the hood looks great but I can't get it on the car yet.

Tim

 

I got mine at menards, if that helps.
~Tom

 

I know I can't solve the rubic's cube back in its day, but finding the right size bolt is almost as hard. so far I've tried - 5/16th (to large) 1/4th (to small), found some 8mm (again to large) so 10 mm will be to big, going to get some 7mm and 6 mm and pray to the rotary gods for it to fit. I took one of the bolts off the stock hood to do like Long said. The 8mm bolt fit it like a glove, bought 4 of them thinking my problems are over, go over to the hood that is keeping my hallway from building up to much heat and test fit it, and like I said earlier, to big.

Tim

 

Tim,

If it fits the stock nut off the hood, then the bolt that fits that nut, should fit the CF hood. There might be some excess fiberglass insde the bolt hole. If there is, trying clearing it out. Just my experience.

 

Here they are, pictures!
















~Tom

 

Long and Huey are you guys going to have another group buy on these hoods anytime soon?

Hyperite...that hood looks really hot on your FD.

 

Yeah, If you guys are going to get another buy together I'd definately be in for a CF hood.

`S


P.S. My fastpac CF hood is up for sale if anyone is interested

 

The fitment looks really good. I have been waiting for another group buy on that hood. That looks very very nice.
94 rx7 blk r2

 

Well, I finally found the right bolts, and put the hood on. It fit fine and looks great. I'm going to have mine painted, so the shop is going to make it fit like stock, smooth out any uneven areas, etc. I did do some high speed runs to check turbulence. Got up to 140 a few times, with about the same or even less flex than my stock hood, plus at the end of the straight was a railroad crossing. Hit the tracks at 120 or so, thinking if its going to come off , it'll do it now. Not so.

on a scale of 1 to 10 based on cash spent, performance gain and looks, etc....I'd rate the hood as a 9 to 9.5. Thanks again Long and Houy.

Tim Benton

 

Hey everyone,
Well since i dont think Long or Huy will add to this thread, even though all the hoods look AWESOME, i wanna clear somehting up, Huy's name is Spelled HUY haha, its common to get it worng, ive gotten HUG, HOY, HUEY, HOUY, HUOY... etc.... but for Huy's sake, its HUY. Just makin sure you guys give credit to the right people and not Huey the little duck from donald duck... ok enough of that
Huy Nguyen ( yes, his and my name are the same. First name at least)