How do fix my carbon fiber hood?
 

My Carbon fiber hood looks like crap. It has sun damage like crazy, short to replacing it how can I make it better. The hood is a cheap eBay hood which I plan on replacing for a hood better suited for a V-mount setup. However I am tired of looking at when it is this way.

this is what it looks like

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...6-30132745.jpg


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...6-30132803.jpg

throw it in a fire

I didn't even know CF would do that! Crap luck friend.

Check with a body shop to see if it can still be sealed and reshot body color. Price shouldn't be too bad if you take the hood to them. I guess whether it's worth it or not depends upon how soon you plan on replacing the hood.

Easy fix, block it back with some 400 and clear coat it. Shit resin doesn't like the sun

I think that would make my issue worse. I think?

I learned the hard way. this was never clear coated.

I will give it a try and post the results. I wonder if I should use a plam sander?

I bet it would be over $200 I paid $300 for it shipped. That was about 3 years ago. I am looking for a quick low cost. soltuion.

Up to you but I wouldn't sand too deep as I suspect that it's a fiberglass bonnet with a layer of carbon on top, I'd just block the shit off and clear coat it

like using a sanding block?

Just a flat block with paper wrapped round it so your sanding with a flat surface

If you want the best results possible i wouldn't use a block. Id use a dual action sander instead. that way it will make smaller, less visible scratches. Unfortunately there isn't a lot there to sand off so the advice posted about using a fine sand paper is good. Id start with 500 grit personally.

Shooting clear on it may not work out as well though since it looks like almost all of the gel coat is gone. Chances are you'll end up sanding parts of the actual carbon fiber. Priming and painting body color is a good option too.

As far as i know (and this could be partially false) most carbon fiber hoods I've ever seen don't actually come with clear coat on them. Some will come with a better quality uv protective coating than others but to my knowledge they don't actually come cleared from the factory.

*Edit... also if you choose to go with the dual action sander route use a sponge pad on it. That will help keep you from sanding too much off. :)

mine looks the same, PR sun did it :( I plan on having it painted body color.

Carbon fiber vinyl wrap it?..
LOL, it'd still be Carbon Fiber looking ish, I saw a white skyline do it,
it looked really cool, it was partially white CFV and partially black CF.
It was totally great looking.

Don't throw it in a fire though.

I really should put it out of its misery with fire, it has bubbles in some places, I may just paint it black. If I ever get another CF hood I am going to make sure I clear coat it.

IF you do paint it make sure you give it a good sanding and prime it first.

Here is a little update. It is after light sanding and one coat of clear coat. I know it needs more work, but it looks better then what I started with. I haven't had the, time oe weather or really work on it more.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...7-21181609.jpg


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...7-21181556.jpg

Save your money and get a new one, cause that looks like crap. Sorry :(

It looks a little better but it looked like some of the "carbon fiber" faded away. Dont know if it'll get better with more clear coats, so i'd consider blacking it out like you said.

This was with one can of spray paint while I was outside on a windy day. I need to try to work on it. I plan on resanding do to my crappy spraying. I am going to try 1000 grit.

I have re-cleared a carbon fiber hood before it wasn't this bad but it had some sun damage.

Wet sand it with 600-800 grit sand paper, then move up to 1K grit sand paper wet sand. blow it off get all the dust off the surface to be sprayed. You can go to a body shop, sherwin williams get them to mix you up some clear coat to use in a spray gun (which you can purcahse a decent one form home depot that will do the job). with the hood off and on low stands lightly coat the hood with the clear should take bout 2-3 good coats, let it dry for at least a day then buff it with a high speed buffer keeping the speed at 1k to 1,500 rpm light compound, last just wax it and boom.

Unfortunitly i don't have any pics of the hood i did i will see if can get them from the kid i did it for but it wasn't really hard just take your time.

I don't have any air. I would have to use battery powered tools

All the people saying to throw it are retarted, it's only the clearcoat that looks fucked, and would only be the top layer of the carbon. Came up ok, sand it until it looks nice and your going to need a few coats of clear on it. 1k is unnecessary, I did my whole car with 800.

You would be better off getting someone to spray it in a booth if you wanted it 100%, would be a better option then getting a new one

I am wrapping mine, saw a Camaro with it and the finish looks unreal!