CF Sm Kidney Hood?

[Jehu]

Did anyone say they wanted one (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-CARBON-FIBER-HOOD-M5-535-540-525-530-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33646QQihZ009QQitem Z190116490879QQrdZ1QQtcZphoto)

[Dr. evil]

600 dollars is a lot for something you could make in your garage

[Jehu]

So let me see . I guess you could get a junk hood and remove the skin and fit your cf to that because i don't actually have a foundry in my garage to form the under frame . Now how do you get the skin made? Would you make a cast of the original hood then form the cf on the underside of that acting as your mold or what? I've never worked with it before but of course seen it in auto parts stores for rust patch repairs. I suppose you could get large enough sheets of it somewhere to make a smooth surface. Alright then, now all i need is a Garage.

[Dr. evil]

didn't say if they use an autoclave but i guess you could use a big vacume bag to help the resin cure

[Jon K]

Honestly - I have CF here... raw, unlayed, and the effort to set up a bag, lay, wafer, etc., it's not worth it to me. I'd rather pay the $600 and get a premade hood which is honestly probabably $400 in materials. 1.5 - 2 square yaards... multiple plys.... yeah.

[gamjohn2]

I swear that my 94 525 has a small kidney hood. Can anyone confirm this??

[Jon K]

Only 1995 525i's have wide.

[gamjohn2]

Only 1995 525i's have wide.

So this will fit???!!! If so, I am all over this. ;)

[Jon K]

Post a pic of the car Its hard not to know if you have narrow or wide.


But listen - I dont recommend the average user run a CF hood. Its not a cosmetic piece - its intended to be but its not. I would NEVER run a carbon fiber hood on the street unless I had hood pins at the front. I know our hoods are hinged at the front but I would STILL pin the hood down because I do not trust an aftermarket latch. I have seen too many hoods flip up due to poor design - it RUINs your car if it happens to you.

[gamjohn2]

Post a pic of the car Its hard not to know if you have narrow or wide.


But listen - I dont recommend the average user run a CF hood. Its not a cosmetic piece - its intended to be but its not. I would NEVER run a carbon fiber hood on the street unless I had hood pins at the front. I know our hoods are hinged at the front but I would STILL pin the hood down because I do not trust an aftermarket latch. I have seen too many hoods flip up due to poor design - it RUINs your car if it happens to you.

I guess that I don't know what you mean by "pin the hood down." Are you talking about those two pins with the cable attached that I see on civic aftermarket hoods?? I thought those were for towing the car in between runs at the track to allow the engine to cool down. Please enlighten me.

[gamjohn2]

Sorry, I found out for myself. Google is my friend.

http://www.hoodpins.com/