The Advantages of a Carbon Fiber Hood
A carbon fiber hood not only gives a car an exotic sporty look, but also has many advantages over the stock hood which is generally made of steel or aluminum. Replacing a hood with a fiber one can save up to 25 pounds in weight! This weight reduction is of significant importance to drivers as the car can now perform relatively well in terms of acceleration, braking and cornering. Carbon fiber is perfect for car enthusiasts who are looking to spice up their ride without the performance reduction of extra weight. They are particularly popular within the aftermarket ‘tuner’ scene, commonly seen on Honda and Toyota cars.
These days, the use of carbon fiber is almost endless. In automobiles, it can be used as a replacement for stock hoods, roof scoops, bumpers and side skirts and many other small parts. But out of all these replacing the hood offers the most significant weight reduction due to its large size as well as giving extra strength and better looks at same time. Another advantage of using custom fiber hoods is that these are manufactured as moulds. Occasionally, this means the customer can order them according to his needs. Most of the time, these hoods have a scoop on the topside which provides the engine with cooler and denser air from outside the vehicle. This increases the efficiency of the engine and subsequently its performance. In high speed racing, the scoop sucks in air at very high speeds creating a supercharging effect and giving the car an extra boost of energy.
Racing cars have to take a lot of harsh punishment which calls for parts that are strong and durable. Since the hood is one critical part that is likely to be exposed to lot of hazards, it should be able to withstand impacts. Also, the fiber is coated with a UV protective layer to protect it from prolonged exposure to sunlight and allows it to retain its strength. The very tight weaving of fibers guarantees its strength and durability over time.
Carbon fiber is a cutting edge technology and is used today in many industries like aerospace and construction due to its light weight and strength. Benefits of carbon fiber hood are quite obvious; they are lightweight, strong and importantly just look sporty and exotic making them irresistible for any car enthusiast. So if you are thinking of modifying your car the addition of a carbon fiber hood has lot to offer you.
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