d#mn aluminum hood!

[mgb4tim]

Originally Posted by qbee42

Do Prius in the U.K. have an aluminum hood, or do they come with an aluminium bonnet?
Tom

They'd have an aluminIum or alloy bonnet. No hood, since it's hoods are generally for dropheads.

[mgb4tim]

Originally Posted by josh2008

Hello,

If you would like to make a carbon fiber hood for the 2nd gen Prius I would be willing to allow you to mock it up using mine (since we live in the same state). I also believe my shop foreman toyotechwv would be interested as well.

Take care,
Josh

Josh - I'm in Fairmont, about 3.5 hours away. I'd need your hood for a few days to make the mold. The gel coat and fiberglass are so thick, that I like to let them stay on the part a couple days before I pull them from the plug.

Were the 2nd gen Prius hoods steel or aluminum? I don't think there'd be much of a weight savings over aluminum, but it wouldn't dent so easily, and would look cool.

[josh2008]

Originally Posted by mgb4tim

Josh - I'm in Fairmont, about 3.5 hours away. I'd need your hood for a few days to make the mold. The gel coat and fiberglass are so thick, that I like to let them stay on the part a couple days before I pull them from the plug.

Were the 2nd gen Prius hoods steel or aluminum? I don't think there'd be much of a weight savings over aluminum, but it wouldn't dent so easily, and would look cool.

Sounds good, we can work something out. The 2nd gen also has the aluminum hood. Any estimate on price for you to make a carbon fiber hood? Also, would this destroy my factory hood? No big deal if it would, I'm interested in the look of the carbon fiber hood on the Prius.

[mgb4tim]

Originally Posted by josh2008

Sounds good, we can work something out. The 2nd gen also has the aluminum hood. Any estimate on price for you to make a carbon fiber hood? Also, would this destroy my factory hood? No big deal if it would, I'm interested in the look of the carbon fiber hood on the Prius.

If I prep the hood properly, like any of my mold, it won't damage the hood. I scrub it, affix a flange around the perimeter, apply a few coats of mold release wax, fill any paint chips with clay, spray a few coats of a water-soluble mold release, spray a couple coats of tooling gel coat, the lay up a layer of veil, a couple layers of chopped strand mat, then a couple layers of non-woven biaxial cloth, then another layer or 2 of chopped strand - then let it set a few days.

Then, I pull the mold, clean up the plug, and start polishing the mold surface - much like wet sanding and polishing paint.

I do it all over again for the hood frame underneath.

As for cost,the 60"-wide fabric is $38.50/yard. I'd use 3-4 layers. I'd bet I could use the salvage from the hood skin to lay up the frame. Probably use 2.5-3 yards

A quart of good epoxy resin is $35. Peel-ply/breather, tape & bagging would add another $35 for both parts of the hood.

So, materials only is about $180, probably closer to $200. I'd also need to embed steel for the hinge and latch assemblies. Then put it all together.

Lots of labor, and would you be able to go without your hood for a week?

[josh2008]

Originally Posted by mgb4tim

If I prep the hood properly, like any of my mold, it won't damage the hood. I scrub it, affix a flange around the perimeter, apply a few coats of mold release wax, fill any paint chips with clay, spray a few coats of a water-soluble mold release, spray a couple coats of tooling gel coat, the lay up a layer of veil, a couple layers of chopped strand mat, then a couple layers of non-woven biaxial cloth, then another layer or 2 of chopped strand - then let it set a few days.

Then, I pull the mold, clean up the plug, and start polishing the mold surface - much like wet sanding and polishing paint.

I do it all over again for the hood frame underneath.

As for cost,the 60"-wide fabric is $38.50/yard. I'd use 3-4 layers. I'd bet I could use the salvage from the hood skin to lay up the frame. Probably use 2.5-3 yards

A quart of good epoxy resin is $35. Peel-ply/breather, tape & bagging would add another $35 for both parts of the hood.

So, materials only is about $180, probably closer to $200. I'd also need to embed steel for the hinge and latch assemblies. Then put it all together.

Lots of labor, and would you be able to go without your hood for a week?

For that price I can't pass up the offer. Especially considering it sounds like you do very thorough work. What I'm thinking of doing is picking up a salvage hood in good condition to let you use. One question, will the carbon fiber hood have the shiny (can't think of the proper word) coat like most aftermarket carbon fiber hoods?

[mgb4tim]

Originally Posted by josh2008

For that price I can't pass up the offer. Especially considering it sounds like you do very thorough work. What I'm thinking of doing is picking up a salvage hood in good condition to let you use. One question, will the carbon fiber hood have the shiny (can't think of the proper word) coat like most aftermarket carbon fiber hoods?

The $200 is just materials. With labor and other expendables, it would be normally be closer to $450-500 - especially if you aren't in a big-big hurry. But, since you are offering the plug, I would make it really fair to you. Right now, it's my time that is at a premium, so not having your car's hood allows me a more liberal time line.

The shiny coat is the epoxy, it's all one application. It would most likely be best wet sanded, polished, and waxed.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by qbee42

Do Prius in the U.K. have an aluminum hood, or do they come with an aluminium bonnet?

Tom

Bonnet, just like us colonials in Australia.
A soft top would be a hood. The lining of the roof is a hood lining even if the car has a hard roof.
I'm happy with my aluminium bonnet.

[SW03ES]

Originally Posted by cossie1600

MGBs are like Corvairs, only their owners can seriously enjoy them. As we approach 2010, I can't believe people are still hanging onto their old 1950s car given they are not safe or fast. I guess it's cool if you are into that kind of stuff.

A-hole much?

Seriously...don't be a jerk.

I don't think a lot of people would argue that a classic MG is a very cool collectible. Nobody with taste anyways.

Anywho, the aluminum hood definitely dents easier than steel and its harder to reshape using PDR than steel...

[F8L]

Originally Posted by patsparks

Bonnet, just like us colonials in Australia.
A soft top would be a hood. The lining of the roof is a hood lining even if the car has a hard roof.
I'm happy with my aluminium bonnet.

Agreed! I had this hot girl crawling on the hood err bonnet of my Prius last weekend and it didn't even leave a mark. Well there were two rather round impressions left in the dust of the hood but whatever.

*edit* to keep this clean I will have to state that I was in the car at the time!

[SW03ES]

That must have been terrifying!