92 replies to this topic

[evilGearhead]

i was curious if there was anyone out there making hood/header panel combos out of fiberglass? i do like the carbon fiber hood that mr.D id making , but id hate to spend $400 on a CF hood that i would just paint over anyway. but i do like the one-piece design.

any ideas?

[eastsiderider]

According to gtpilot, Jamie Houseman of Houseman Autosports (same guy doing the Mugen repro's) makes an awesome fiber glass one piece. Just write him and im sure he can fill you in on it.

Edited by eastsiderider, 28 April 2004 - 04:23 AM.

[CRXfanatic]

Houseman's aren't 1 piece though. Separate header and hood panels, unfortunately. Otherwise I'd have had one years ago.

[jayburn]

I would be interested as well.

cant justify spending on carbon fibre, especially since I would just paint it.

[DarkHand]

Despite the difficulty the header panel adds in terms of maintenance and reliability, I think it's one of the major things that defines our cars and seperates them from the 2G. I can always spot a 1G CRX/3G Civic from a mile away thanks to that distinctive line that seperates the header panel from the hood. In my opinion removing that removes some of the 1G/3G's character.

[CRXfanatic]

Fukka PITA header panel, GIVE ME A ONE-PIECE and hood pins any day! If someone makes it, I'll buy it.

How hard could it be for Houseman to combine his 2 pieces into one?

[gtpilot]

Jamie does make a one piece hood that includes the header panel, but, it also has the top edges of the fender also - you would have to cut away the excess material. I just finished talking to him - if there is enough interest he would make the mold...but it has to be a better response than we have had for the MUGEN replica kit - we are taking a severe beating on that one.

You see him standing next to me in my avatar (the one in the red suit...)? He isn't happy like that right now...

Kirk

Edited by gtpilot, 28 April 2004 - 12:24 PM.

[t25_civic]

With a little work you could easily turn it into a one piece hood yourself.

1. cut the header where you want it to end the "hood" (I'm cutting mine where the head meets the bumper so it'll include the entire header)

2. use some metal brackets and some epoxy to mate the hood and the header panel on the underside.

Underside of hood

3 apply some tape or other means of covering the crack where the hood meets the header panel.

hood topside

This is where you could take different steps to finish the project, depending on what materials you feel more confident with. Option A would be to use bondo, Option B would be fiberglass.

4a. With the crack covered, apply and smoth out bondo over the taped area to blend with the rest of the hood.

4b. With the crack covered, apply a lite coat of fiberglass resin and matting over the entire hood and header panel that is now part of the hood.

5b. Use some kind of stretchy cotton/polyester material and cover the header panel and hood tightly. Apply another thicker coat of fiberglass resin with a paint brush, smashing the resin into the material.

6b. After covering the entire material with resin and it dries, cover it again using fiberglass matting and let it dry.

7b. Sand the fiberglass smoth and now your ready for primer and painting.



Personally I use the fiberglass method since I'm better with fiberglass resin than I am with bondo. The pictures I used came from somewhere on the net (I can't remember where I saved them from) and are not of my car. I will be working on my project as soon as finals are over and I get home for the summer.

I also take no responsibility if one of these methods are used and you mess up your hood and header panel.

Nick

[Tommy Reynolds]

Count me in for one. I'd paint mine and the car is a stock daily driver so the CF is a waste for me.

[Ghost-One]

seems like you guys are trying to reinvent the wheel...

the carbon fibre one maybe pricey but it was made with a brand neew hood and brand new nose peice

seems like alot of trouble for fibreglass

[Aren D.]

ah yes one pice hoods I just sent money for a CF hood cant wait

[Tommy Reynolds]

I'm not sure what you are saying Ghost. A new header panel is ~$50-70 and a new hood is $110 (going by memory). Should figure that a Fiberglass hood really should cost nearly 1/2-2/3 of what the CF does ($100-200 less). Maybe I'm just reading you wrong but for some of us paying that extra $ for CF I don't need is money that could go to other things like a new exhaust.

[Ghost-One]

Naw i understand you concerns fo price/value and i know hausman will make a fine fibre glass one

but t25 post onmaking your own just sounds like a mess...

i made an all metal one peice hood in 2001 and i couldnt wait to take it off...

weigh your options 350 plus 125 shippin is alot i think its worth it the product is high quality peice

[ImprtRcr02]

Very worth it....

ImprtRcr02

[t25_civic]

Naw i understand you concerns fo price/value and i know hausman will make a fine fibre glass one

but t25 post onmaking your own just sounds like a mess...

i made an all metal one peice hood in 2001 and i couldnt wait to take it off...

weigh your options  350 plus 125 shippin is alot  i think its worth it the product is  high quality peice

How does it sound like a mess? Sure its a little time consumer, but when your done with it, you'll have spent probably around 30-40 dollars (not including paint). I don't see where the mess would come from if done right. Maybe its a little beyond your skills and would turn out like a mess.

Nick