Body Kits and Carbon Fiber Hoods

Are carbon fiber hoods and body kits made just for those who consider themselves "Tuners"? By definition (if there is one), a tuner is someone who is an auto enthusiast, who drives some sort of compact import, and who enjoys modifying and customizing their vehicles. Can the average Joe get away with a body kit?
With so many styles of body kits out there, you can find one that suits your preferences. Many high end sports cars come with factory bumpers and side skirts to give them a low profile, sleek and fast look. Body kits are created to do the same for your sedan or coupe, depending on how extreme you want to go.
Body kits have received a little bit of a bad reputation over the past few years. They have been typically seen on cars with loud exhaust, loud stereos, and poor installation techniques or paint jobs. If that suits you, then more power to you, but a body kit is supposed to enhance the vehicles appearance. An inexperienced installer can make a body kit or a paint job look worse than the beginning product, so much care should be used when installing body kits, or have a body shop do it professionally.
The point of a body kit is to change the appearance and stance of a vehicle, and you can do this to varying degrees. An aggressive style body kit will have sharpened edges, very low clearance, and lots of curvature. Less aggressive kits look more factory with smoother lines, more ground clearance, and factory looking seams. Some kits replace the whole bumper covers while others attach to the existing bumper covers. There is a lot of variety for all kinds of taste, so adding a body kit that you like, installed correctly will really give your ride a new, sporty look. The end results are only as good as the time spent on the details.
Body kits are not just for compact cars anymore. You can find kits for sedans, trucks, and s.u.v.s. There are even aftermarket kits to create the resemblance of the factory "GT" or premium styling for some vehicles, so take a second look at body kits. There is more to be gained there than lost.

Featured Carbon Fiber Hoods

This Weeks Featured Hoods:

Real Carbon Fiber Hood (Colored Carbon Fiber available)


Different carbon fiber finishes available for special order
Made of 100% Grade A Real Carbon Fiber
OEM Style Carbon Fiber Hood
1 Piece Solid Fiberglass Bottom with original skeleton for extra strength and support
UV Clear Coat for Extended Protection from the sun
Rolled Carbon Fiber Edges
Use all stock mounting holes
Stainless Steel Hooks Riveted on with Fiberglass Reinforcement for Direct Bolt-On Fit, no modification needed to install the hood
Click HERE for more details and installed pictures, or read on for installation tips. Visit Majestic Modifications for more car accessories and Carbon Fiber Hoods.

Corvette Gets First Factory Equipped CF Hood

Working with General Motors and Toray Composites, Inc., MacLean Vehicle Systems has succeeded in developing and mass-producing a lightweight, structurally stiff carbon fiber hood for GM's 2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Commemorative Edition. MacLean Vehicle Systems is the first supplier to deliver aerospace quality advanced composites into a traditional automotive assembly environment. This is the first time carbon fiber has been used as original equipment for a painted exterior panel on a North American-produced vehicle.The carbon fiber hood is 10.6 pounds lighter than the standard fiberglass sheet molding compound (SMC) hood. The painted, class-A outer skin is only 0.048 inches thick, similar to stamped sheet metal, and is the thinnest polymer composite skin on a street legal production vehicle. SMC is typically 0.07 inches thick. The hood is uniquely constructed, combining 100 percent carbon-fiber epoxy and hybrid fiber SMC. The finished assembly has passed all GM requirements for strength, stiffness and durability.


Source: Composite eNews, #20S, 27 May 2003.

Installing your Carbon Fiber Hood

Once you have purchased the carbon fiber hood you want, it's time to get it installed. You may need a hand removing the factory hood due to its weight, but once it is removed, you should be able to handle the much lighter carbon fiber hood. The installation is fairly easy, so here is a quick guide to help you get it installed.
Start your installation by removing the windshield washer jets for the factory hood. Disconnect the tubing that runs to them by unclipping or unscrewing them. If there is a light attached to the hood, go ahead and remove it, as you may want to reuse it on the new hood.


With these removed, and with some help on the other side, prop the hood up with the hood prop if applicable. Remove the 4 bolts holding the hood to the hinges. If your hood has gas shocks, remove them before removing the hinge bolts. Be careful to support the weight of the hood when removing the hinge bolts to reduce the risk of damaging the fenders or the windshield. With the hinges and gas shocks unbolted, this will free up the heavy factory hood. Carefully remove it from the hinges by pulling it away from the windshield and set it aside.


Set the new carbon fiber hood in place. It will be significantly lighter than the factory steel hood. Line up the bolts on the hinges and tighten them down. Reattach the gas shocks if applicable, or set the hood prop in place. Reattach your windshield washer jets if your hood permits, and run the lines on the underside. If you saved your light and want to reattach it, you can do so at this point. it can be attached using some 3M adhesive double sided tape, or you can carefully screw it in place, making sure to use screws small enough to not penetrate the top of the hood.


Close the hood and check for alignment. If you need to adjust the alignment, lift the hood and loosen the hinge bolts slightly, just to where you can make small adjustments. Lower the hood and make any adjustments and retighten the bolts. This should complete your carbon fiber hood installation.


If you need any support or advice for your carbon fiber hood or car accessories installations, you can contact Majestic Modifications by emailing us at support@majesticmodifications.com.

Carbon Fiber Hoods

Carbon Fiber seems to be the material of choice for aftermarket accessories. Now you can find carbon fiber mirrors, dash trim kits, hoods, fenders, and who knows what else. So what is the big deal with carbon fiber?

There are a few reasons that carbon fiber has taken off in the past few years. It is a lightwieght, rigid, visually appealing material. It has a unique textured look and a smooth finish. It is surprisingly stong, and doesn't flex much.

Take carbon fiber hoods for example. A lot of "tuners" like to add a carbon fiber hood on their cars. Opposed to the steel factory hoods, these carbon fiber hoods can reduce the weight of the vehicle by as much as 40 or 50 pounds on some applications. This modification, when added to other weight reducing modifications, can decrease 0-60 times and improves handling and acceleration.

The other reason is the cool textured looking finish. Add a few carbon fiber touches as a theme throughout the vehicle and this can score some major style points.

These carbon fiber hoods are fairly expensive for their wieght reducing capabilities, but add a lot of style for the money. Browse through our website to find a carbon fiber hood for your car at www.majesticmodifications.com.