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d#mn aluminum hood!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by mgb4tim, Oct 30, 2009.

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  1. hptsang

    hptsang Member

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    I heard of a few friend's friend die from driving a Miata
     
    #21 hptsang, Oct 31, 2009
  2. concertinajohnnyboy

    concertinajohnnyboy Member

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    I'm happy that it is aluminum. Thank you Toyota.
     
    #22 concertinajohnnyboy, Nov 1, 2009
  3. cossie1600

    cossie1600 Active Member

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    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.

    I have driven them, my Prius can lap faster than a regular V6 MGB at the track (which I did do). If you like those cars, that's fine. Let's not go so far as to say how great they are...

     
    #23 cossie1600, Nov 2, 2009
  4. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    Lord only know how hard you'd criticize my TR7.
     
    #24 mgb4tim, Nov 2, 2009
  5. DetPrius

    DetPrius Active Member

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    Living where salt is used on the roads in the winter, I'm grateful for the aluminum hood and of course the weight reduction is nice. I have received two paint dings on it that are only a quarter of an inch apart. No dent in the metal and I don't know when it occurred as I was never startled by the loud sound of a rock hitting the hood. It could have been intentional (vandalism) but I don't think it was.
     
    #25 DetPrius, Nov 2, 2009
  6. iota

    iota New Member

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    #26 iota, Nov 2, 2009
  7. wvgasguy

    wvgasguy New Member

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    #27 wvgasguy, Nov 3, 2009
  8. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
     
    #28 mgb4tim, Nov 3, 2009
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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

    Tom
     
    #29 qbee42, Nov 3, 2009
  10. josh2008

    josh2008 Active Member

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    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
     
    #30 josh2008, Nov 4, 2009
  11. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    They'd have an aluminIum or alloy bonnet. No hood, since it's hoods are generally for dropheads. :D
     
    #31 mgb4tim, Nov 4, 2009
  12. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    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.
     
    #32 mgb4tim, Nov 4, 2009
  13. josh2008

    josh2008 Active Member

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    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.
     
    #33 josh2008, Nov 4, 2009
  14. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    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?
     
    #34 mgb4tim, Nov 4, 2009
  15. josh2008

    josh2008 Active Member

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    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?
     
    #35 josh2008, Nov 4, 2009
  16. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    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.
     
    #36 mgb4tim, Nov 4, 2009
  17. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    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.
     

    Attached Files:

    #37 patsparks, Nov 7, 2009
  18. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    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...
     
    #38 SW03ES, Nov 7, 2009
  19. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    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. :D

    *edit* to keep this clean I will have to state that I was in the car at the time!
     
    #39 F8L, Nov 7, 2009
  20. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    That must have been terrifying! :)
     
    #40 SW03ES, Nov 8, 2009
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